VIEWS & OPINION Generation Greta


Comment by BARNABY SANDOW, Head of School at ACS International School Cobham


Environmental education is not consistent in the UK. Whilst it encompasses multiple topics, environmental education has no defined syllabus or structure, which means in practice, it’s a subject matter that ‘falls through the gaps’. It’s possible that a student could do 10,000


hours in the classroom, and only hear about environmental issues or discuss the effects of climate change in ten of them. As each #FridaysForFuture protest passes, it’s starkly


obvious that we need an education ready to support ‘Generation Greta’. But what is an environmental education, and how should it be


included within a school curriculum? Broadly speaking, an education that encourages students to


embrace their global citizenship; to stand up and act for causes they believe in; to develop understanding and tolerance of other nations by teaching from multiple perspectives; and to foster a culture of collaboration across borders, is the foundation of an environmental education. If students develop an international, open-minded and progressive


social mindset, it follows that environmental concerns would form a filter through which their academic subjects are considered. I am evangelical in the belief that this, an international education, is


exactly the type of education that the world needs right now. It’s imperative that children experience different cultures and perspectives – this is what education is about. This will help them develop crucial critical thinking skills – they will make judgements independently on how they choose to live their lives and in turn, how their influence can help protect the environment. In the world our children inhabit, the most recognisable climate


activist is Greta Thunberg; a girl from Sweden, who decided to skip school to protest the rapid onset of climate change. Put simply, she felt the need to step out from the confines of her education to speak – and she also felt the absence of an adult leader or role model who was doing enough. What can we say, when it is the classroom that confines its


students from free speech? It seems that Generation Z feel misrepresented to the extent that they have championed the leadership shown by a child, rather than adult policy makers. So, we must start again; back in the classroom. “At the heart of every global threat is a failure of leadership,” said


Kate Robertson, co-founder of the youth not-for-profit organisation, One Young World, echoing my belief that we need to employ both environmental and international education to ready our children for a new kind of leadership. In the next generation of politicians, businesspeople, board members and trailblazers, leaders will need to consider environment first, profit second. Environmental education can exist across numerous study subjects.


But perhaps the most important areas for this generation to focus building on include climate change (and global warming as a symptom of this); water scarcity, droughts and flooding; pollution (including plastics); and deforestation. These are the critical issues for students around the world. Environmental education doesn’t have to be limited to the


classroom either; encourage your students to consider these issues in the context of their extra-curriculars, whether they’re penning a screenplay, creating their own documentary, protesting at Westminster or developing technological ideas that can have a positive environmental impact. A deeper understanding of the environmental crisis and a range of strong leadership skills should be woven into all areas of school life. But it’s within the context of a global mindset, that this will be the generation that is ready to action meaningful change for us all.


November 2019


Unleashing children’s imaginations through


design education Comment by CARA WILLIAMS, Senior Producer Schools & Colleges, V&A


Design education plays a pivotal role in equipping young people with the skills to grapple with our fast-changing world. Design education unleashes imagination and fosters ingenuity – the twin pillars of the V&A. Creativity in all its forms and outcomes is essential and teaching young people key design and technology-based skills is more important than ever.


That’s why we have developed V&A Innovate. Focused on


supporting Key Stage 3 education, the programme brings the breadth, diversity and relevance of D&T to life in the classroom and unlocks the creative potential of the next generation of designers, makers and creatives. V&A Innovate comprises a free online teacher resource hub with


toolkits introducing core design principles used in industry, animated video guides, industry insights, and a range of inspiring activities to nurture the creative potential of the next generation of designers, makers and creatives. The UK’s Industrial Strategy maps out how the digital revolution has


blurred the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres - creating opportunities and challenges for which young people need to be equipped. Whilst technology will dominate the economy, those jobs less likely


for automation lie in the creative and human profession fields, demanding interpersonal and higher order cognitive skills. Young people need to be supported to learn in ways that address both technological skills and interpersonal aptitudes – developing problem solving, creative confidence, curiosity, imagination, empathy and resilience. Yet numbers of young people taking up Design and Technology at GCSE, have been in worrying decline for over a decade. V&A Innovate champions Design and Technology as an essential


curriculum subject and exciting career pathway. Central to the programme is our annual National Schools Challenge – now open for entries - which asks students in years 7, 8 and 9 to work in teams to design a solution to a real-world problem. Entries are digitally submitted and judged by our panel of industry


experts: Brompton Bikes COO Paul Williams, sustainable fashion designer Phoebe English, and chef and tv personality Monica Galetti. Finalists will be invited to a special pitching day at the V&A to present their ideas to the judges and be in with a chance of winning awards for their team and school. Students can choose to explore one of three thematic design


challenges, which draw on the V&A’s world-leading collections, exhibitions and cutting-edge industry practice:


GO How might we give more people the ability to be mobile, and give people and the planet a better chance to breathe? EAT How might we ensure that the way we eat is sustainable, and give more people access to affordable and healthy food? WEAR How might we ensure that what we wear is part of building a better world?


Entries are open until 13 December 2019 – every state funded


secondary school is invited to enter. The classroom resources are designed to have a flexible structure


and could be run as a unit of work, an extra-curricular activity, or an off-timetable STEAM day. Whether you’re a teacher of D&T, Art & Design, Sciences, Geography, Citizenship, or something else entirely, you could run V&A Innovate in your class to show the power of design skills in a fast-changing world.


uvam.ac.uk/innovate www.education-today.co.uk 21


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