Workshops by Education for Sustainability have received overwhelmingly positive feedback and continue to garner praise from educators. With Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) workshops available for two age groups of secondary school students and a range of topics to dive into – many of which can coincide with other aspects of the curriculum – students and teachers both have the opportunity to pursue the matters most important to them.
In 2017, the students of Newpark Comprehensive School were concerned about the use of plastic in their community. With Susan’s help, workshops focused on reducing the use of plastic enabled Newpark School to become Ireland’s very first plastic-free school in just 3 months. Naturally, faculty are eager to remark on the meaningful impact these workshops have had on their students and their local community.
Principal Derek Lowery notes, “students were engaged with various environmental projects from rising sea levels to the plastic crisis that not only raised environmental awareness within the school community but that impacted on our local community also.”
Education for Sustainability’s workshops engage students through game-based learning. Students are up and moving on their feet, making classes interactive and fun. Geography teacher Maria O.Donnell remarks that “Sue was always positive and enthusiastic and built a good rapport with students.”
The Junior Cycle for students aged 12-14 can be taught in conjunction with science, geography, or CSPE subjects with an emphasis on peer education. The Senior Cycle workshops for students aged 15-18 can likewise coincide with Politics and Society. Both programs promote the development of strong communication and critical thinking skills, encouraging students to both teach to and learn from one another while focusing on five key skills: communicating, working with others, critical and creative thinking, being personally effective, and information processing.
You can find more information about particular topics discussed in the workshops here. And take a look at case study from Newpark Comprehensive School and testimonials from fellow educators.
