Sustainability Education Summer Institute Sizzles
Did you know that the state of Washington has adopted integrated sustainability education standards and will soon be requiring students and all new teachers to demonstrate an understanding of sustainability? This is part of an exciting trend underway across the country, as educators and students learn more about the challenges facing our world and seek positive steps to address them. I recently attended the Sustainability Education Summer Institute (SESI) held at the amazing IslandWood facility on Bainbridge Island, WA, and the exchange of ideas was phenomenal. We had to endure a record-breaking heat wave, so it was a good thing the conference was also sizzling!
Check out the images and captions below for a small sampling of the highlights, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. You can also see more photos of the Institute and learn more about the Sustainability Education presentations and discussions at the event by joining the WA Sustainability Education networking site.
Enjoy!
-Rick Reynolds
Click an image for a larger view:
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- Gilda Wheeler from the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, one of the main organizers of the conference, talking about how to make sustainability education match with how students learn.
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- A few watercolors painted by another group during an activity–not bad for having a very short time to work!
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- A greenhouse at IslandWood used primarily to educate the many students who visit about plants and gardening. We also enjoyed the fresh and organic food grown in the gardens during our delicioius meals!
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- Tim Joy, a teacher at De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland, OR, was so inspiring–and entertaining!–when he talked about incorporating systems thinking into the curriculum.
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- Jamie Cloud of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education talking about “Designing and Assessing Education for Sustainability.”
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- Working in groups on frameworks for learning and assessing student work during Jaime Cloud’s workshop.
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- I wish every student could have the opportunity to learn this way.
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- Using available information to accomplish our tasks.
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- We were asked to bring a document about “Who Inspires Me.” This is a tiny portion of the very inspiring wall we created with them.
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- Our awesome team: we had to use GPS technology and other tools to help us accomplish a variety of tasks.
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- One of our challenges was to find and document native species…
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- …and invasive species like this Himalayan blackberry.
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- Part of the incredible exchange of ideas at the conference.
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- Greg Smith of Lewis and Clark College spoke about community-based sustainability education efforts across the country.
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- This is a sign showing the results of a student campaign to stop buses from idling in Massachusetts.
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- These beautiful baskets were woven with sustainable materials.
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- Trying out “Fishing for the Future,” a great sustainability ed activity from “Facing the Future.”
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- Jing Fong and Barry Hoonan present “Non-Fiction Reading Strategies Using Stories from YES! Magazine.” The magazine is a fabulous resource and they are currently offering free subscriptions for teachers.
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- Barry Hoonan is a master teacher who provided many strategies for incorporating active and visual learning.
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- The closing circle was a chance to say goodbye to the many new friends we had made.