The State of Australian Sustainability Education

March 2022

The planet is in crisis. Climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainability are some of the key challenges facing us. Informing our next generations is critical to their future. And our planet’s. But are our educators, schools and students getting the support they need? What is being done well? What can be improved?

 

 

We partnered with the NSW branch of the AAEE, Australia’s peak body for environmental educators and with input from NSW Environmental Education Centres to put these questions to their members. Below we share their insights.

We collected this valuable data so it can inform strategies, promote advocacy and inform government policy change. Above all our intention is to provide a tangible vehicle to promote sustainability and protect the environment.

We want to acknowledge and support the remarkable work of our environmental educators who are innovative, committed and deserving of our attention and acclaim.

Australian Sunset. Illustration by Vinod Ralh © 2022

It was a pleasure and privilege to work with theBEATS.org to compile and promote this national survey to our membership.

A big thank you to all who took part.

The results identify a real need for resources, time, and leadership support. And on the positive, they demonstrate a wonderful dedication and passion for the environment from our educators. And, most pleasingly from our students, who want to learn more about what they can do to protect nature.

This year, with the ‘lockdowns’ hopefully behind us, I urge all our members to respond to the new national AAEE survey to boost the number of responses and add weight to this important initiative.

Sue Martin

President and Public Officer, AAEE NSW

I’m pleased to be able to share the results of this qualitative survey publicly.

A big thank you to all the teachers who completed this survey during the time of great upheaval caused by the COVID pandemic. Thanks also to the AAEE NSW branch and staff at NSW Environmental Education Centres in supporting our work.

I hope the data collected and the direct comments from teachers  better inform you and becomes a valuable asset in your advocacy and teaching practices.

This year we are working with the AAEE National Peak Body and plan to reach a broader range of teachers.

Vinod Ralh

Director, theBeats.org

"A right to a sustainable future"

I care deeply about the children and their right to a sustainable future. Through study and research, I have an understanding that children need to be immersed in the natural world in a positive way before being required to heal its wounds. Children also need skill and knowledge to become sustainable citizens. Colleagues who are less experienced in this field need support to gain skills and knowledge in order to embed sustainability in their teaching and environments.

"Schools need some funding"

Outdoor gardens are perfect to create programs in. Schools need some funding though to start up but there are so many resources out there to use. The hardest part is to start. ?

"Interconnection with the natural world"

Bush Kinder is another important aspect of our sustainability ethic. It helps children develop an understanding of interconnection with the natural world and it strengthens their desire to care for places in nature they come to treasure through playing and exploring there. ?

"Teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being"

I believe teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being, the Earth’s existence and for future generations. Sustainability education can immerse the students in engaging activities as well as empowering for them for the future.?

Survey Sections:

  • Demographics
  • About your school
  • About you
  • About your students
  • Insights

The survey went out at the time of Covid and we’re grateful to the teachers who completed the survey.

The data and detailed comments are a valuable source of information as they contain teachers’ direct feedback.

Survey population: 65

Demographics

We collected demographic information about the teacher and the school.

 

Most of our responses were in NSW, which was expected as we partnered with the AAEE NSW branch. Most of our responses were with primary schools, in metropolitan areas.

• Years of teaching
• State or territory
• School type (by category)
• School type (by age range)
• What percentage of your school identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander population (a number between 0 and 100)
• If you are teaching secondary school students, which Key Learning areas are your main focus of education?
• What is your school size?
• What is your school location as defined by your school?

State or territory?

  • NSW 63% 63%
  • QLD 10% 10%
  • SA 5% 5%
  • TAS 8% 8%
  • VIC 3% 3%
  • VIC 6% 6%

Years of teaching?

  • 0 – 5 years 14% 14%
  • 6 – 10 years 17% 17%
  • 11 – 15 years 14% 14%
  • > 15 years 55% 55%

School type (by category)?

  • Government school 65% 65%
  • Non-government school 30% 30%
  • Other 5% 5%

School type (by age range)?

  • Primary 58% 58%
  • Secondary 18% 18%
  • P-12 11% 11%
  • Other 15% 15%

What is your school size?

  • 0 to 20 students 3% 3%
  • 21 to 50 students 8% 8%
  • 51 to 100 students 8% 8%
  • 101 to 200 students 8% 8%
  • 201 to 500 students 34% 34%
  • 501 to 1000 students 25% 25%
  • Greater than 1000 students 15% 15%

What is your school location as defined by your school?

About you

In this section we targeted sustainability focused teachers and collected data to reflect that focus.

Most teachers were willing to open source their learning resources – with only 13% saying no. Many shared their innovations and the wonderful way they incorporate them in their teaching practice. Well worth a read.

We had great detailed responses to our questions on what inspired teachers and how teachers go about teaching sustainability.

Some of the quotes below indicate this inspiration including both the children’s rights and our responsibility as adults and caretakers.

The respondents also recommended a path forward, that we can achieve with support from community, other teachers, the Department, and others.

  • Are you a member of a teacher association or network of sustainability educators?
  • What is the name of the sustainability organisation(s) that you are a member of?
  • Please list which sustainability organisation(s) that you are a member of (optional)
  • Are you a sustainability leader in your school?
  • What inspires you to become a sustainability leader?
  • Do you do anything out of school time related to sustainability? If so what?
  • How familiar are you with the Sustainability Cross-curriculum priority?
  • Do you embed sustainability education in your teaching and learning programs?
  • How do you program sustainability education into a Key Learning Area?
  • Is the only opportunity to teach sustainability on top of normal teaching demands?
  • How do you teach sustainability? Is there anything that you think is innovative that you would like to share?
  • Do you have favourite learning resource for sustainability? Can you share some details and perhaps a link?
  • Have you created great learning resources, and would you be willing to open source them to share with others across Australia?

"A right to a sustainable future"

I care deeply about the children and their right to a sustainable future. Through study and research, I have an understanding that children need to be immersed in the natural world in a positive way before being required to heal its wounds. Children also need skill and knowledge to become sustainable citizens. Colleagues who are less experienced in this field need support to gain skills and knowledge in order to embed sustainability in their teaching and environments.

"Schools need some funding"

Outdoor gardens are perfect to create programs in. Schools need some funding though to start up but there are so many resources out there to use. The hardest part is to start. ?

"Interconnection with the natural world"

Bush Kinder is another important aspect of our sustainability ethic. It helps children develop an understanding of interconnection with the natural world and it strengthens their desire to care for places in nature they come to treasure through playing and exploring there. ?

"Teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being"

I believe teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being, the Earth’s existence and for future generations. Sustainability education can immerse the students in engaging activities as well as empowering for them for the future.?

Are you a member of a teacher association or network of sustainability educators?

%

Are you a sustainability leader in your school?

  • Yes 48% 48%
  • No 32% 32%
  • Maybe 17% 17%
  • Other 3% 3%

How familiar are you with the Sustainability Cross-curriculum priority?

  • 1 12% 12%
  • 2 22% 22%
  • 3 18% 18%
  • 4 18% 18%
  • 5 29% 29%

Do you embed sustainability education in your teaching and learning programs?

%

How do you program sustainability education into a Key Learning Area?

  • Integrated across KLAs 55% 55%
  • Integrated into a KLA 37% 37%
  • Taught separately to KLAs 8% 8%

Is the only opportunity to teach sustainability on top of normal teaching demands?

  • Yes 28% 28%
  • No 51% 51%
  • Maybe 22% 22%

Open source learning resources?

What inspires/d you to become a sustainability leader?

Please list which sustainability organisation(s) that you are a member of (optional) 30 responses
  • AAEE?
  • AAEE One World Centre Sustainable Schools WA?
  • AAEE SA Chapter, HASS SA?
  • Bally’s Patch?
  • Central Coast Council – Wipe Out Waste School, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, Central Coast School Garden Interest Group?
  • Cool Australia – brilliant for educational resources.?
  • Darling Downs Environment Council Wildlife Queensland – Toowoomba Branch?
  • Facebook Group?
  • NEST – Gibberagong EEC meetings Northern Beaches Health Live Life Well Health Promotions Team meetings Northern Beaches Council Coastal Environment Centre teacher meetings ?
  • NSW EZEC?
  • Port Macquarie Community Gardens (Lost Plot), Climate Change Australia (Hastings), Mid North Coast Permaculture Group?
  • Reef Check Australia?
  • Sapphire Coast Regional Science Hub Sustainability Education Network?
  • Sustainable Schools?
  • Sustainable School Network Coffs Coast Climate Action Group?
  • The Living Classroom Cos ?
  • Wollongong Environmental Network (WEN)
What inspires/d you to become a sustainability leader? 44 responses
  • Our program is an important part of our school identity. It helps support disengaged students and other students, including those from our Intensive English Center. The potential is for this program to support curriculum requirements in our school in an innovative and engaging manner. ?
  • It is my work?
  • The future generations?
  • Nature and just trying to save the planet in general?
  • Connecting with country, caring for country, culture from country?
  • The environmental challenges of the 21st Century and the call from Laudato Si’?
  • Love the environment and looking after, part of my role as Religious Education Coordinator?
  • In a nutshell – the word LANDFILL. Rubbish that literally fills the land breaks my heart. ?
  • The future?
  • Caring for our common home – Pope Francis ?
  • I grew up in a household that produced own produce and meat, recycled, upcycled and reused resources. Water was never wasted as my parents grew up on an island where water was collected in wells, etc. ?
  • It’s not my area of passion in a formal education sense, I prefer to model and talk about my own personal sustainability practices and choices when it is applicable within the learning of our classroom. I wouldn’t want the position of a sustainability leader because the other teachers would expect me to do it for them, such is the way it goes with all Key Learning Teachers (like Digital Tech, Aboriginal, etc), rather than do it or think about it themselves?
  • I care deeply about the children and their right to a sustainable future. Through study and research, I have an understanding that children need to be immersed in the natural world in a positive way before being required to heal its wounds. Children also need skill and knowledge to become sustainable citizens. Colleagues who are less experienced in this field need support to gain skills and knowledge in order to embed sustainability in their teaching and environments.?
  • Love of environment. Future of our planet?
  • A desire to help future generations experience what I have in my lifetime ?
  • Mentoring young students in their sustainability initiatives.?
  • Desire to instill awe and wonder in nature and the desire to empower people to protect her ?
  • Student joy at learning about the natural world, and concern for the future if children don’t learn about nature ?
  • It’s always been a passion, and my Principal encourages me to take on environmental projects. ?
  • In my Kindergarten I try to hold sustainable practices. Repair, reuse, recycle. Composting. Limit use of plastics. Ordering resources that are not wrapped with excessive bubble wrap. Don’t waste water, etc.?
  • Need to demonstrate, through practice, that changes can be made at an individual and community level ?
  • Need to leave a planet that is liveable for our future generations. ?
  • To make Earth a better place for the future.?
  • I have the experience and the passion. Others don’t?
  • Engaging students about the environment.?
  • The terrible state of the planet and the fact that we can change quickly if we educate our children. ?
  • To impart the knowledge and importance of sustainability for all our futures?
  • Someone has to?
  • To save the world?
  • Environmental Education is my passion.?
  • I believe that we need to fight for ‘Mother Earth’ to ensure that the next generation has all the necessary tools and skills to implement and demand the change that is so desperately needed.?
  • To give children the tools to care for our planet and to do our part within our means?
  • The Earth?
  • I’ve worked at a school previously where sustainability was at the heart of its decisions so it’s just part of my practice now, and I care deeply about it. ?
  • Caring for future generations and embedding the knowledge I have into the school and students in our care. ?
  • Increasing understanding of human impact on our environment and the need to look after the resources we have.?
  • We can make huge changes in such a small time with children ?
  • Making a difference. Building the capacity of others. Seeing students take action and be empowered.?
  • I’ve been a teaching Principal of four Environmental Education Centres for over 30 years as well as Principal Advisor – Environmental Sustainability for the Queensland Department of Education for 19 years, so you might say environmental education for sustainability is in my DNA.?
  • Sharing with children the benefits of looking after all our environments, so we continue to have a beautiful world in which to exist.?
  • Support?
  • Empower students to care for their planet.?
  • Care for nature?
Do you do anything out of school time related to sustainability? If so what? 41 responses
  • Coffs Coast Climate Action Group?
  • Not enough. I try to put small sustainable practices in my own life. ?
  • I’m a member of the local National Parks Association, I am Secretary of the local bike group currently forging an adopt-a-road program with local council to reduce litter?
  • many things?
  • Yes, running a beach clean up charity and a blog?
  • Personal lifestyle choices based on sustainable practices?
  • Paperwork eg. apply for grants, follow up programs?
  • Local Group: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Kiama. P&C sustainability contact for my kids Public School.?
  • tread as light as possible on the earth by careful purchasing, reusing what I can, recycling etc?
  • Yes – relevant documents, planning for learning experiences, organising school-wide events?
  • Personal gardens and recycling initiatives.?
  • I hope this is what you mean, and not being an active member of a group or something like that! ?
  • Our family has a home compost system, we avoid single-use plastics like the plague but when we do have the odd one or two, we collect them for recycle. ?
  • I have fabric shopping bags and take reusable fresh produce bags to the shop?
  • We buy in bulk with our own containers as much as possible?
  • We meal-plan before a shop so that we don’t waste food or over-shop?
  • I op-shop clothes for the children and myself as much as possible?
  • I repair clothes wherever possible and save as much fabric as I can for later repairs or projects, any unsalvageable fabric I take to H&M?
  • The children take snacks and lunch in containers instead of purchasing plastic-wrapped snacks?
  • I haven’t bought cling wrap or plastic zip-loc bags in about 3 years, we wash out and reuse zip-loc bags (and fish them out of the bin at school) as much as possible?
  • I make our washing powder, dishwasher tablets and bathroom cleaning products at home using natural ingredients?
  • We have one or two meat-free nights a week, we ask for gifts of experiences rather than toys or items for the family at birthdays and Christmas?
  • We wash clothes in cold water and line dry as much as possible?
  • The boys had modern cloth nappies and washable cloth wipes for nearly the entirety of their time in nappies, ?
  • We use bamboo toothbrushes and I have tooth tablets instead of toothpaste.?
  • This is too big a question. I try to apply principals of sustainability across my life.?
  • I recycle and educate family and friends ?
  • Volunteer at landcare and koala tree planting programs, as well as the usual household efforts such as growing organic food, planting habitats, recycling and making compost etc. Enroll in education programs- currently participating in a course on growing microforests. As well as lots of personal interest reading on sustainability. ?
  • My local bushcare group and community clean-up.?
  • Yes. Garden care. Worm farms. Waste management. ?
  • Yes, research and apply for grants for my school for kitchen gardens etc.?
  • Everything. My life is based around living sustainably and bringing up children sustainably.?
  • Bush care volunteer?
  • Administrator- Sustainable Schools Australia Facebook page?
  • Composting, planning, garden care?
  • Programming to ensure that my lessons are relevant and connected to what is happening in our community and at more national/global level. ?
  • Taking the Return and Earn containers to the local drop off point on a weekly basis. ?
  • Maintaining school veggie patches after hours or as required. ?
  • Collecting resources and materials?
  • Workshopping with like-minded folk e.g., networking with KOALA SMART?
  • Research and attend workshops on sustainability which will help me enhance my knowledge ?
  • Grow native plants , maintain native garden, Grow my own fruit and vegetables and share the excess. ?
  • Help friends established native gardens. Support Friends of Parks groups?
  • PD and have volunteered at an environmental shop, participate in beach and reef cleanups. ?
  • Home based sustainability?
  • Completed Introduction to Permaculture Course through TAFE to increase knowledge on sustainable issues. ?
  • Run Sustainable Schools Australia ?
  • Gardening using permaculture principles?
  • Yes, Vice President of AAEE National; Treasurer of AAEE Queensland Chapter; Vice President of Darling Downs Environment Council; Vice President of Queensland Association of Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre Leaders.?
  • Care for local bushland Conduct PLs for teachers Care for school sustainability initiatives?
  • A targeted school plan that could be inexpensive to implement would be great so that sustainability is taught with action?
  • Volunteering with parks and wildlife?
  • Reading and gaining Knowledge?
  • At home only.?
  • ?
How do you teach sustainability? Is there anything that you think is innovative that you would like to share? 39 responses
  • How do you teach sustainability? Is there anything that you think is innovative that you would like to share? 39 responses?
  • Specific programs with “The living classroom” as well as integrating in our Science curriculum as needed. ?
  • Integrated with all activities and focused on daily individual actions,?
  • All day, every day. It is what we do.?
  • I don’t do anything innovative. I just consciously embed it wherever I can and in the day-to-day running of my classroom. ?
    • We compost our fruit scraps and have a class worm farm, reuse containers, recycle, remove insects from the classroom instead of killing them, turn of the taps while washing hands etc. ?
    • All small actions that will hopefully become habit for children and then filter back to their family lives. I also include sustainability in Science and English units. ?
    • We are about to start a Science unit about growing plants, so our English unit will include stories and information books about plants. ?
    • We will include identifying the message in books with a sustainability theme and use some persuasive language when speaking about these issues. (I teach Kindergarten)?
  • By creating awareness and passion in the students for sustainability and nature?
  • As an environmental education centre it is our core business. it is embedded in every teaching and learning activity?
  • I do have some but will email them?
  • Linked to our scope and sequence. Across KLAs ?
  • Through Environmental Days, Religion (Creation Units), Indigenous Themes and Environmentally themed literacy texts where possible.?
  • It’s not innovative. It’s just spontaneous when ideas and questions come up. ?
  • I teach Kinder, and for example last week one of the children asked where rain comes from. ?
    • In our planning I have made a note to do some experiments and exploration around this idea?
    • We can imbed sustainability by talking about smart water usage, catching and storing water in tanks, wondering if we could use water better at school, knowing that some states of Australia don’t have as much water as us in Tasmania, etc.?
  • Lots of learning outdoors in nature and lots of natural resources indoors. ?
    • Sustainability embedded in the classroom, singing environmental songs?
    • inviting families along on the journey. ?
    • The Veggie Patch is an important theatre for Outcome 2 of the EYLF: Children are connected with and contribute to their world (necessary for sustainability). ?
  • Apart from working in the VP, the children take part in many aspects of sustainability education. ?
    • We learn together how to reduce our waste (we made beeswax wraps) and how to sort the waste we do create. ?
    • The children are amazing at 5-way sorting; compost, paper, red-cycle for soft plastics, co-mingled recycling for hard plastics, glass and metal and landfill which is becoming less and less.?
  • I am a geography teacher, so I always include sustainability in my lesson plans.?
  • I use recycled materials in teaching art. I am currently working with a small group using completely natural materials. ?
  • We reduce our consumption in many ways including nude lunches. ?
    • Sustainability is embedded in our practice and daily routines e.g., instead of paper towels, we use cloth towels that I take home to wash and hang in the sun to dry fresh & clean, we reuse small containers, plates, trays and other recyclables for craft and play purposes?
    • We use the back of paper from photocopy mistakes?
    • We source equipment from garage sales and donations from ex-students, using old things in new ways (children are very good at finding novel ways to use everyday items) ?
    • We favour equipment and toys from natural materials over plastic. ?
    • We grow resources in the garden such as beans for counting and sorting, herbs for sensory play, sunflowers and pumpkins for drawing etc. ?
  • Children are great at finding ways to bring the outdoors inside by collecting and using natural materials in their play. We recycle and reuse an endless array of things such as packaging for boxwork and bubble wrap for art-work. ?
  • Each year we enter a project for the ‘Art from Trash’ exhibition. ?
  • Bush Kinder is another important aspect of our sustainability ethic. It helps children develop an understanding of interconnection with the natural world and it strengthens their desire to care for places in nature they come to treasure through playing and exploring there. ?
    • We plant trees for National Tree Day. ?
    • We also have a teaching tree that we visit every week and observe the changes. ?
    • We do night excursions to our BK area to observe nocturnal life there. ?
  • The way in which children learn is an important part of education for sustainability. ?
    • When children work in partnership with other children and adults in our class and beyond as equals in their learning program, co-constructing their learning through questioning and collaborative inquiries, they develop a sense of agency. ?
    • Having discussions about human relationships with nature and with each other and for children to be respected, vocal participants in these discussions, cultivates an ethical, sustainable worldview. ?
    • Exploring democratically with children how we can together effect change for a better world is what Outcome 2 is all about. ?
    • Harmony Week further reinforces social sustainability and connection to the endlessly diverse world. On this day of celebration of diversity, we all wear orange clothes if we have any or wear national dress from different cultures.?
  • Care for environment. Playing and learning in weekly Bush Kinder. Healthy lunchboxes. Encourage minimal wrappings/packets.?
  • Build lessons and content around sustainability issues such as a focus on plastic use or the local ecosystem which is listed as vulnerable?
  • Project based learning. Linking learning to real life projects. ?
  • Through kitchen gardens. In English or HSIE lesson opportunities. Whenever there is an obvious link? to sustainability, I try to teach it.?
  • I teach RFF in the garden setting. So much easier as I teach outside but I try to teach the classroom teachers so they too can do this. ?
Do you have favourite learning resource for sustainability? Can you share some details and perhaps a link? 34 responses
  • We are really proud of this program and the work of partner schools and council https://bourndaeec.nsw.edu.au/programs/bvsc-lets-get-it-sorted-waste-program/?
  • There are so many?
  • Not really. Cool Australia has a lot of resources.?
  • CoolAustralia.org is pretty good?
  • NSW EZEC network?
  • Creation Corner https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/catholic-education/wen/ecological-conversion-video-resources/?
  • Inquisitive?
  • Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Resource Box for Schools, Planet Ark, National Trees Day, Cool Australia?
  • Bush kinder?
  • Our physical resource is The Sustainability Learning Centre at Mt Nelson, Hobart. I take the kinders every year for an outdoor classroom session and we look at the building’s construction and exhibits, as well as enjoying the learning in the bush. ?
    • As for other resources, ABC Kids has dirtgirlworld which has some lovely clips and songs ?
    • I just go on a Pinterest deep dive and try to follow links to reputable sites like Planet Ark and CSIRO.?
  • The school veggie patch. The Sustainability Learning Centre https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/programs-and-initiatives/sustainability-learning-centre/ ?
  • COOL AUSTRALIA?
  • Cool Australia.org?
  • The Landcare website has great education resources. BTN news for kids always has short clips that illustrate issues in an easy-to-understand way. ?
  • I like the War on Waste iView videos available on iView or ABC kids.?
  • Junior Landcare I love the work that went into these lessons (Thank you Mary Bell) All the EEC Zoo outdoor learning activities are fantastic and very helpful this year. It is really good they are all in one place.?
  • Cool Australia ?
  • I search far and wide for materials – it would be from a combination of places. ?
    • Recently I found something interesting regarding desert yams and Utopia women painters from a Gallery site in Alice Springs. ?
  • Sustainability Bingo?
  • My favourite resource is to step outside my classroom door and there it is.?
  • https://compasseducation.org/?
  • Twinkl has some good units of work and resources. Catholic Education Office Diocese of Wollongong WEN page. ?
  • coolaustralia.org – is the go-to for resources for me and my peers.?
  • coolaustralia.org – is the go-to for resource for me and my peers.?
  • https://www.coolaustralia.org/ https://1coast.com.au/education/a-z-waste-disposal-recycling-guide/ https://www.sustainableschoolsnsw.org.au/teach/food-gardens?
  • Mission Blue as we are by the Ocean. The Lorax for K-2 ?
  • http://www.kelliebollard.com.au/?
  • Earth Education: A New Beginning. I must read for ALL Environmental Educators?
  • too much out there?

About your students

The responses showed that students had a strong interest in sustainability and were active in this area.

 

Over 50% of respondents indicated that their students have asked for more opportunities to learn about sustainability in this school year.

 

Comments from teachers suggest that teachers want and need support and guidance to help them embed sustainability into their teaching. 

 

There were some great anecdotes of recycling and other sustainability efforts in the comments!

  • How informed are your students in sustainability?
  • How interested are your students in sustainability?
  • How active are your students in sustainability?
  • Have your students in this school year, asked for more opportunities to learn about sustainability?
  • Do you have any great anecdotes about your students initiatives, that you’d like to share?
  • How important do you think it is to teach sustainability?
  • Why is it important?
  • Are you provided adequate professional development opportunities at your school?
  • Do you have enough access to quality professional learning development resources for sustainability?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your school?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your state government?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from federal government?
  • What do you believe are the key barriers to sustainability education?
  • These may be e.g.barriers within the classroom, within the school or other external factors
  • What are potential enablers to greater sustainability education within schools

"A right to a sustainable future"

I care deeply about the children and their right to a sustainable future. Through study and research, I have an understanding that children need to be immersed in the natural world in a positive way before being required to heal its wounds. Children also need skill and knowledge to become sustainable citizens. Colleagues who are less experienced in this field need support to gain skills and knowledge in order to embed sustainability in their teaching and environments.

"Schools need some funding"

Outdoor gardens are perfect to create programs in. Schools need some funding though to start up but there are so many resources out there to use. The hardest part is to start. ?

"Interconnection with the natural world"

Bush Kinder is another important aspect of our sustainability ethic. It helps children develop an understanding of interconnection with the natural world and it strengthens their desire to care for places in nature they come to treasure through playing and exploring there. ?

"Teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being"

I believe teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being, the Earth’s existence and for future generations. Sustainability education can immerse the students in engaging activities as well as empowering for them for the future.?

How informed are your students in sustainability?

  • 1 9% 9%
  • 2 17% 17%
  • 3 38% 38%
  • 4 22% 22%
  • 5 14% 14%

How interested are your students in sustainability?

  • 1 5% 5%
  • 2 9% 9%
  • 3 31% 31%
  • 4 28% 28%
  • 5 28% 28%

How active are your students in sustainability?

  • 1 6% 6%
  • 2 20% 20%
  • 3 35% 35%
  • 4 29% 29%
  • 5 9% 9%

Have your students in this school year, asked for more opportunities to learn about sustainability?

%

Do you have any great anecdotes about your students' initiatives, that you'd like to share? 27 responses
  • We have lots of positive stories about school actions – see https://www.facebook.com/BourndaEEC?
  • It’s great that the teacher who runs our Environmental team invites all interested students to come to the weekly meeting, not just the two students who were elected from each class. She has just started running weekly Zoom meetings, due to the Sydney lockdown, so that this interest can be maintained.?
  • They’ve been in local media for trying to educate the community about palm oil?
  • if you look after the land and the rivers the land and the rivers will look after you?
  • I have a small group of students in the ‘War On Waste’ Club who are very passionate, and it affirms that something/someone small DOES make a difference. ?
  • My students hover over the recycle bin to ensure that only appropriate plastics enter it. Hilariously the comments that come from them sound like what I want to say but don’t, e.g. “Don’t you know what plastic looks like?” ?
    • One Year 2 boy bravely said to a Year 6 boy “What do you think you’re doing? That isn’t plastic. Put it in the correct bin”?
  • Students are great with ‘War on Waste’ initiatives. Sadly COVID has put things on hold.?
  • For the last 3 years we have organised a student led sustainability conference for all schools within and out of our area with guest speakers.?
  • Container collection?
  • Outdoor gardens are perfect to create programs in. Schools need some funding though to start up but there are so many resources out there to use. The hardest part is to start. ?
  • The students ask when are we going to the Patch. I integrate art activities using natural materials and to adorn the patch to build connections with the space. ?
  • You know you are creating environmentally-aware students when they clean up public areas, take photos and write letters to local council etc. and they are angry about the actions of others to be so irresponsible with their waste. ?
  • The students coach each other. Passionate on how to further educate?
  • The environment captains have made their own environment posters,. They are in every classroom and around the school to promote what goes one each bin. We have a whole school challenge to promote earn and return. We do rubbish audits and get the whole school to come out and look. ?
  • They ask to go to the Patch which is what we have called our native bushland area.?
  • The WOW factor that students experience during a Magic Spot is priceless!?
  • Our Sustainability Leaders are always ‘educating’ the community via daily reminders / assemblies / slide shows / small video clips and so on about what can be done. *?
    • They made shopping bags from old t-shirts that they gave to a local green grocer ?
    • We collected 36kg spent batteries as part of a community blitz (and continue to do so) ?
    • We have no red bins in the Stage 2 & 3 areas ?
    • Green & Yellow bins ?
    • Return and Earn collected weekly and money raised goes to a local charity (FAWNA for injured and displaced wildlife after the fires, Light Up Vanuatu for solar lights to children in Vanuatu) ?
    • Veggie patches and supply some organic produce to our canteen/cafe ?
    • Nude food lunch boxes / Food waste reduction ?
    • Bin audits 2x a year in areas where things start to fail ?
    • Bread clips for Wheelchairs ?
    • Lids 4 Kids / Lids 4 Planters ?
    • Plastic milk bottle collection for Port Plastics that make plastic bricks / balustrades used in our local community ?
    • Run competitions e.g. making posters to remind staff and students to turn off lights / computers etc. ?
  • Great Science Share campaign-Year 2 students learned about climate change- causes and effects as part of their Science curriculum. ?
    • They devised solutions and adaptations to overcome climate change during Design & Technology lessons. ?
  • Students approached the staff sustainability committee to form a student group which I was so happy to supervise. There is a strong Bushrangers group at my school so a select group of students have a lot of knowledge and care about sustainability but they wanted to do more to take action. ?
    • Their ideas are trying to be encourage staff and students to be paper-free, promoting opportunities for students to plant natives in our school gardens, decreasing packaging in our canteen. ?
  • Students created posters and created their own Environment Group that picked up rubbish in their lunch time. ?
    • Students making their own iMovies regarding waste practices.?
    • Students collecting waste on school excursions?
    • Photographing and writing letters to local member etc. Zero waste classroom ?
  • Students were concerned about bobtails being killed by cars so our STEM project this year seeks to address this concern.?

About your school

Encouragingly, 72% of teachers said that their school had a teacher supporting student environment initiatives. However, only 30% thought that sustainability was taught well at school, 30% thought it was valued.

 

The data showed that both incursions and excursions were infrequent with approximately half of respondents saying the school focused these events on sustainability.

 

There’s a number of detailed comments on how sustainability is taught and what programs have been implemented at schools.

  • Is sustainability taught well at your school?
  • Do you have a comment on how well sustainability is currently being taught at your school?
  • Do you think sustainability is currently valued in your school?
  • How well do you think your school executive currently values sustainability?
  • Does your school have a teacher supporting student environment initiatives?
  • Has your school provided formal support for teachers to teach sustainability in the curriculum?
  • Does your school run incursions focusing on sustainability? (Bringing external groups into a school to help facilitate sustainability education)
  • If your school does run incursions, then how often?
  • Does your school run excursions that will help augment your sustainability education?
  • If your school does run excursions, then how often?
  • Does your school have a student environmental group?
  • If yes, how does the school support the student environment group?
  • Is remnant bushland threatened at you school due to school expansion?
    Is your remnant bushland home to threatened species?
  • Which threatened species is your remnant bushland home to?

Fight for Mother Earth

I believe that we need to fight for ‘Mother Earth’ to ensure that the next generation has all the necessary tools and skills to implement and demand the change that is so desperately needed.

"Bring the outdoors inside "

Children are great at finding ways to bring the outdoors inside by collecting and using natural materials in their play. We recycle and reuse an endless array of things such as packaging for boxwork and bubble wrap for art-work. ?

"Gifts of experiences"

We have one or two meat-free nights a week, we ask for gifts of experiences rather than toys or items for the family at birthdays and Christmas.

"All the EEC Zoo outdoor learning activities"

Junior Landcare I love the work that went into these lessons (Thank you Mary Bell) All the EEC Zoo outdoor learning activities are fantastic and very helpful this year. It is really good they are all in one place.?

Is sustainability taught well at your school?

  • 1 11% 11%
  • 2 25% 25%
  • 3 37% 37%
  • 4 14% 14%
  • 5 14% 14%

Do you think sustainability is currently valued in your school?

  • 1 8% 8%
  • 2 32% 32%
  • 3 30% 30%
  • 4 18% 18%
  • 5 12% 12%

How well do you think your school executive currently values sustainability?

  • 1 17% 17%
  • 2 23% 23%
  • 3 26% 26%
  • 4 21% 21%
  • 5 12% 12%

Does your school have a teacher supporting student environment initiatives?

%

Does your school have a student environmental group?

%

Does your school run incursions focusing on sustainability?

%

If your school does run incursions, then how often?

Does your school run excursions that will help augment your sustainability education?

%

If your school does run excursions, then how often?

 

Is remnant bushland threatened at you school due to school expansion?

  • Yes 10% 10%
  • No 80% 80%
  • Unknown 8% 8%
  • Possibly in the future 2% 2%

Is your remnant bushland home to threatened species?

  • Yes 29% 29%
  • No 21% 21%
  • Unknown 50% 50%
Do you have a comment on how well sustainability is currently being taught at your school? 45 responses
  • Sustainability is taught through our permaculture and marine programs. ?
  • Only touched on incidentally with KLAs?
  • We are an Environmental Education Centre and can always do better, but we have some great programs.?
  • A couple of staff teach it well and one is very passionate. For sustainability to be ‘taught well’ I believe that the school should be doing its utmost to demonstrate sustainable practices in the everyday running of classrooms etc. Schools should be a model for students.?
  • WE have a lunch time program for students who are interested in sustainability. Would love it to be part of the curriculum and not a lunch-time program?
  • As an environmental education centre it is our core business?
  • Our school is part of the Wollongong Environment Network and we are compliant with the system’s environmental education policy.?
  • We have several KLAs that teach sustainability in certain units and some are dedicated fully to it. We have an excellent waste management system and promote this all the time. ?
  • It is not a priority?
  • School-wide School Gardening Initiative and K-6 Sustainability Scope and Sequence?
  • Through special event days; teaching & learning programs; Gardening Club; local ecologist and teachers interested in sustainability who promote it to staff and students.?
  • Bush-kinder programs in early childhood ?
  • We have multiple bins in every classroom and common room in the school to sort landfill, recycling, paper and cardboard, soft plastics and compostable waste, so that requires active and regular teaching of how to sort waste and why. We have a bush tucker garden and fruit trees that some special learning groups are responsible for tending. And yet, I don’t think we’re doing it well. No matter how many reminders and re-teach moments we have for the bins, food scraps and waste still end up in the recycling and soft plastics bins, being a job for the adults in the room to rectify at the end of the week. The fruit trees are not harvested or properly taken care of. Lights are left on in unused rooms. Water in our playground creek is allowed to run for half an hour or more each day in warmer weather and is sourced from the mains rather than tank water (which we don’t have). We use heating inefficiently and the children are always leaving doors open all year around, wasting heating or cooling. ?
  • There are finally some moves to provide professional learning and some attempts to teach sustainability in an authentic way. At this stage there’s still lots of ‘talking the talk’ but not ‘walking the walk’. Still a long way to go until it is embedded in the curriculum … lots of plastic resources still being purchased, too much stuff, too much waste, though attempts are increasing around sorting waste, too much laminating and one-sided photocopying, overheated rooms, blinds down while lights are on etc. ?
  • If I wasn’t pushing ideas, I don’t think it would be taught ?
  • Sustainability is really only done by a select few. The facilitator is a driving force.?
  • Kitchen / Garden Programs, Geography ?
  • Ad hoc, not enough attention to bringing the learning to life in practice across the school?
  • We used to have a fantastic program, but this was all destroyed by a forced change of school site. We had a thriving food garden which we used to teach about waste, recycling, worm farming and composting. We had a bush tucker garden and a bushcare program that ran with students and bushcare officers from the local council. These programs were developed through a huge amount of volunteering from a few dedicated members of staff. Staff used their own time to apply for grants, care for the garden (watering, weeding, buying supplies) and Saturday mornings for bushcare. This is all being demolished for a ‘new build’. ?
  • Units of work taught but very little on-campus commitment due to logistics.?
  • It is patchy and governed mainly by curriculum?
  • We need to engage more teachers in teaching sustainability. ?
  • Sustainability is taught in some school programs, but it is not ingrained in everything we do.?
  • It is well done by myself the RFF teacher and a few other CTs, but not everyone. The Principal and Deputy do not have an interest at all in sustainability. This makes it very hard to get change and momentum on sustainable projects. ?
  • Not really a priority.?
  • School gardens?
  • Incidentally?
  • Weekly environmental and sustainability specialist lessons for whole school ?
  • It’s an afterthought?
  • Only within Indigenous language classes?
  • Scheduled bi-weekly 30 minute dedicated Sustainability lessons/activities in our Primary School only; Yr9 Sustainability Course – trial this year as an elective for students?
  • We are an agricultural school, and it is part of our school motto. We still have a way to go to make it embedded in our practice?
  • Could be better! It’s in Year 10 HASS but not before unless teachers choose to teach it (I do) ?
  • It is being covered well but not all staff on board. Left in the hands of a few. ?
  • Cool Australia website covers everything I need.?
  • We have a passionate team who is working on including explicit sustainability lessons across the school, but this is in the early stages.?
  • No subject specific time allocated?
  • It is incorporated into all programs. Time and conflicting priorities sometimes restricts the sustainability focus.?
  • It is very varied between teachers and classes. In some classes and subjects, it is taught well, but in others it is not. There is not a huge school focus on sustainability.?
  • Environmental education for sustainability is one of our core pillars on which our programs and courses are developed?
  • As a whole school, some recycling is done. I don’t know the details of class learning.?
  • Sustainability is not taught as a whole school approach, but rather as it fits in with each teacher’s ?
  • individual approach.?
  • Only taught when related to a C2C science unit.?
  • Deeply integrated into all Learning Areas.?
  • It is taught in a tokenistic way. Not followed through with actions?
Does your school have a student environmental group? If yes, how does the school support the student environment group? 37 responses
  • We have a boys’ engagement program but not really an environmental group. ?
  • School waste teams are supported by the Waste Project Officer?
  • The teacher who takes the group runs the session at lunchtime, hence she is supported by not having playground duty that day. The group runs several school assemblies each year and puts out the occasional newsletter. It is all left to the initiative of one very passionate part-time teacher.?
  • By running lunch time lessons for them?
  • We support the student environment groups across interested schools in Rural South and West Directorates of NSW?
  • Ideas, awareness raising, supporting eco-actions.?
  • Small group of staff help support and guide students in sustainability actions eg. Return & Earn, Plastic free?
  • We have funding, we meet once a fortnight, we implement their ideas.?
  • We have a garden group, Stage 2 are in charge of collecting and composting scraps, collecting and sorting recycling. We have recently joined Recycle via Plastic Police?
  • Gardening, Composting, Recycling, Return/Earn – Eco-ambassadors ?
  • Offers training , ownership of promoting green initiatives to other students.?
  • They have compost bins?
  • The students are driving change in our school with the support of a couple of dedicated teachers.?
  • Meetings supported by teacher?
  • Will support initiatives?
  • Small amounts of funding, time at assemblies. ?
  • Facilitating some initiatives/presentations in assemblies?
  • One teacher takes the group of students one lunchtime a week to run programs?
  • Very recent initiative?
  • Financial and other ?
  • When we were face-to-face two teachers would meet the environment group once a week.?
  • Group is going to start in term 4 after lockdown. Run by RFF teacher but hopefully it will be a whole school responsibility.?
  • I organised it myself?
  • Supported by the environmental education specialist teacher?
  • Teacher support?
  • Linked with Green Adelaide and local school environmental forums?
  • Each class votes on a student to represent their class at the weekly environment meetings where we bring our ideas, plan for the future, write articles for the newsletter or present at assembly. ?
  • Every week, the environment captains bring the classroom recycling bin to be emptied into the correct bin, however we have found lots of things that should not be in these bins such as food, blu tac, scissors and glue. When these things go into the recycling bin, it is called contamination and it can’t be recycled anymore. ?
  • So, we have designed and made some classroom posters to go in each room to show you exactly what can go into each bin. ?
  • At recess and lunch, you might see some people walking around wearing a green T-shirt, these are environment captains. You can ask them where to put your rubbish if you are unsure. ?
  • You will also see Year 5 students walking around with soft plastic bins, to make it easy to put the lunch order bags in it, so they can be recycled. Items like chip and biscuit packets can also be put in there and be emptied straight into the recycling bin. ?
  • We offer the students experiences to help the fulfill their roles. ?
  • I initiated the group and we meet once a week at recess.?
  • Co-curricular group of Stage 3 students who wish to participate and in Yr6 there are the Sustainability Leaders, who implement and run initiatives. ?
  • Provides staff support, financial and opportunity to achieve their goals?
  • Recycling Team. ?
  • i just started one with students last term so we’ll see…?
  • Talk at assembly. Special Projects.?
  • Individual teachers organise groups K-2 and Years,3-6 of interested students.?
  • We host Kids-Teaching-Kids Congress each year?
  • N/A?
  • Staff and funding support for initiatives they are involved in.?
Is your remnant bushland home to threatened species? Which threatened species is your remnant bushland home to? 18 responses
  • We are in a National Park?
  • Sugar glider?
  • Koala?
  • Powerful owls?
  • A range of rainforest butterflies?
  • Blue Gum High Forest?
  • Koalas, wallabies ?
  • Turpentine Trees ?
  • Wallabies, koalas, possums?
  • Koalas especially?
  • Glycine pea, local river mint?
  • Red crowned toadlet?
  • Koalas, Greater Gliders, Bettongs?

Insights

The overwhelming majority of teachers felt that it was important to teach sustainability. 32% felt that they were provided adequate professional learning opportunities. The results slightly swayed to not having enough access to quality professional development material.

 

What cam though quite clearly was that sustainability teaching practices could be improved through stronger leadership at a school, state, and federal level.

 

The teachers left many salient points on why teaching sustainability was important.

 

Time and an overcrowded curriculum came though as barriers to sustainability education.

This section encourages you to reflect more broadly on leadership and what can be done to improve sustainability education in schools.
  • How important do you think it is to teach sustainability?
  • Why is it important?
  • Are you provided adequate professional development opportunities at your school?
  • Do you have enough access to quality professional learning development resources for sustainability?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your school?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your state government?
  • How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from federal government?
  • What do you believe are the key barriers to sustainability education?
  • These may be e.g.barriers within the classroom, within the school or other external factors
  • What are potential enablers to greater sustainability education within schools?

"Future carers and custodians."

it is the future of our planet. our students are our future carers and custodians.?

"An already crowded curriculum."

Lack of time and focus in an already crowded curriculum. Not embracing sustainability as a priority across the whole school. Lack of clear teaching and learning programs. ?

"Celebration of teachers who teach sustainability."

Celebration of teachers who teach sustainability. We need more than permission and encouragement, which we already have, but teachers and classes to be highlighted for their efforts. This might also help to remove the stigma of the teacher who must be “slacking off” because they have taken their children outside into the gardens AGAIN. If that teacher can show their planning and learning intentions, and the inquiries that the children ran with, other teachers might be better encouraged to do it too. It would also be handy for teachers and schools to have a cheat-sheet of ideas (which no doubt exists online somewhere) with Big Ideas of Sustainability and then a bunch of dot points underneath. For example, Heating and Cooling, does the staffroom urn run on a timer? Is paper towel or a hand dryer better for the environment? Do we keep doors shut? What is the best temperature for air con in our state? How can we stay cool outside in summer? How can we encourage families to dry washing outside? etc?

"be Prepared to live in a world with limited resources."

Because we only have one planet, we need our children to be prepared to live in a world with limited resources and uneven distribution of those resources. Our children have to become thrifty, less wasteful, and more caring of other people and of nature. ?

"Time."

Time. Colleagues do not want to commit, even if it a passionate they feel overwhelmed. Needs a community to drive it in the school. Best kept secret. Not fully embraced and visible. Teachers need to have credit for their commitment i.e. receive a classification they can include when applying for new jobs, that is as recognised as choir/debating/sport teacher. Teachers could be given time off playground duty to enable them to follow through with actions, busy teachers need to be recognised for the time commitment they do above and beyond.?

How important do you think it is to teach sustainability?

  • 1 0% 0%
  • 2 0% 0%
  • 3 2% 2%
  • 4 15% 15%
  • 5 83% 83%

Are you provided adequate professional development opportunities at your school?

  • Yes 32% 32%
  • No 43% 43%
  • Maybe 17% 17%
  • Other 8% 8%

Do you have enough access to quality professional learning development resources for sustainability?

  • 1 20% 20%
  • 2 20% 20%
  • 3 32% 32%
  • 4 14% 14%
  • 5 14% 14%

How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your school?

  • 1 5% 5%
  • 2 14% 14%
  • 3 15% 15%
  • 4 23% 23%
  • 5 43% 43%

How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your state government?

  • 1 5% 5%
  • 2 14% 14%
  • 3 16% 16%
  • 4 23% 23%
  • 5 43% 43%

How much would your sustainability teaching practice be improved through stronger leadership from your federal government?

  • 1 28% 28%
  • 2 11% 11%
  • 3 11% 11%
  • 4 17% 17%
  • 5 34% 34%

Why is teaching sustainability important?

Why is teaching sustainability important? 51 responses
  • Why is it important? 51 responses?
  • Helps students understand their world better and how their small actions can lead to large change. ?
  • Our future depends on it.?
  • We are currently locked into a linear path to environmental catastrophe. Sustainability offers a different route?
  • For the future?
  • There are too many reasons to list. It’s not just important , it’s vital.?
  • We need to save the planet?
  • it is the future of our planet. our students are our future carers and custodians.?
  • Our world will die?
  • We will have no earth (healthy water/land/fauna/flora) in the future if we don’t?
  • I don’t think this message is taught at home.?
  • Educating students to care for their common home. ?
  • I believe teaching sustainability is crucial for our well-being, the Earth’s existence and for future generations. Sustainability education can immerse the students in engaging activities as well as empowering for them for the future.?
    • It allows them to take responsibility for their actions and to contribute their vision for a sustainable future. ?
    • Sustainability is not a separate teaching subject and it should be embedded across all relevant learning areas. ?
    • It is important to have all teachers on board, have ownership and to support its success and ongoing existence.?
  • Build u/s of the interconnected nature of people, place, animals and the future of our environments and wellbeing. ?
  • Because we only have one planet, we need our children to be prepared to live in a world with limited resources and uneven distribution of those resources. Our children have to become thrifty, less wasteful, and more caring of other people and of nature. ?
  • Sustainability is a question of equity. ?
  • It ensured the future of our planet and educates our future leaders ?
  • Our future depends on it?
  • It’s up to our students to fix the mistakes that their grandparents and great grandparents have made if they want their children to enjoy a sustainable world.?
  • Critical for now and the future?
  • I teach new arrivals, connecting with the Australian environment is essential for them to form a connection with place and feel a sense of belonging. Otherwise some of them are seriously terrified of the bush and want to kill every insect and sometimes every living thing due to a fear of the unknown. ?
  • The planet is at a critical point in terms of climate change. Students need to know they can take action and make a difference, so we might alleviate the worst effects. ?
  • Environmental awareness is required to be deep to allow individuals to make choices about sustainability rather than be absorbed by materialism that is heavily promoted in media and advertising?
  • Our students are the future of our environment. We need to ensure our future through education. ?
  • It’s important because we need to look after our world as we only have one.?
  • Climate change and all the other land management issues are destroying the earth. Without better direction for the NSW DET teachers will not have consistent sustainable approach to teaching as they do not all have the knowledge and experiences. It needs to be imbedded better in all subjects not just left to the RFF teacher and one or two other teachers as happens at our school. ?
  • To protect and plan for a better future.?
  • Because the natural world is facing catastrophic changes and students should be aware and informed so they can lead the future direction through sustainable practices.?
  • It is our future?
  • It provides our futures generation with the knowledge required to make the changes needed for a better future ?
  • It is integral to everything and particularly understanding yourself and country?
  • We need to look after the planet we are on?
  • Because today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders and they need to understand what they will inherit. ?
  • It gives students the tools and skills that they can implement in everyday, real-life challenges / situations. It builds empathy, awareness, understanding and appreciation as to what it means to be part of a community and ultimately, a global citizen.?
  • Because knowledge is the key to practical and innovative ways of sustainability ?
  • We don’t have a Planet B?
  • Climate change. Sustainability is key to quality survival and eco balance.?
  • As mentioned previously it encompasses our whole life, any decision not made with sustainability in mind has an increased likelihood it will fail or create harm in another way (personal, societal, economic or environmental harm). Students need this knowledge to be able to be more successful/ happy in their current and future lives. Let alone the need for a healthier planet for them to live on. ?
  • For many students access to information about Sustainability only comes from school setting so this is very important if we want to ensure all students are educated about the Environment. ?
  • It the future we are creating right now.?
  • To give students the skills and knowledge they need to make informed choices about sustainability for their future.?
  • So the next generation has better knowledge and skills to protect our planet and they can help educate the adults around them?
  • It can underpin so much of student learning. It is the way forward being positive environmental citizens?
  • It gives students an insight into why we recycle, compost and how waste is managed. It also makes them more aware of our limited resources, inequitable access to resources and what they are doing/can do to maintain and improve the environments around them. I think it makes students more aware of others and less selfish. ?
  • The latest IPCC report warning of Red Alert for Humanity. If that’s not important enough then what is?!??
  • It’s a life-long learning.?
  • The world is changing, and every small new understanding helps?
  • Looking after our planet?
  • Less impact on nature; increases appreciation for what we have – reuse, refurbish – leads to problem solving, innovative thinking.?
  • Survival of our planet for all species.?
  • It’s the future of the world?
  • care?
What do you believe are the key barriers to sustainability education? These may be e.g. barriers within the classroom, within the school or other external factors53 responses
  • Time. Time to develop resources, upskill staff and improve on the solid foundations that we already have. ?
  • Overcrowded curriculum and lack of interest from our Principal who has other priorities. ?
  • The political and media landscape is problematic. ?
  • Silos. There are some organisations like AAEE, who are generally doing an OK job and mostly have their hearts in the right place. Of concern is the way that, at times the AAEE has disrupted local sustainability groups and applied for local funding to deliver programs in competition with other organisations. This has:?
    • Disrupted groups that have been functioning for long periods and in some cases, halted their operations. ?
    • Taken opportunities from other groups, conducted operations for a while, then left a hole. ?
  • Organisations like AAEE should be advocating and supporting, not taking conduct of programs from local organisations….or representing certain people and organisations at the expense of others. These actions are usually in an effort to “validate” sustainability education to various government bodies. The result is programs become watered down, administration and process heavy, leaving little real impact on the ground.?
  • It needs to be enforced by the state government education authority, so it is valued more by individual school leadership. ?
  • Most schools have a student environment team, but there is not much school wide impact.?
  • Needs to be an independent subject?
  • it is given little priority by senior leaders. We are dramatically under resourced and funded. At our school we have 2.6 teachers trying to support 200 schools in our Rural and South West Directorate. It is impossible to provide equal opportunity for all schools, staff and most importantly students in high quality sustainability education opportunities in their local environments.?
  • Having it programmed into units already?
  • External Factors – lack of education on the parents’ part so the students bring those behaviours to school. As well as staff who are not ‘interested’ in the environment. This is hard to change. ?
  • Within the school, there is a lack of knowledge and time. ?
  • I believe the Curriculum is so overcrowded and teachers feel it’s just another task or not viewed as a priority. Often projects fall by the way as not all staff are passionate about the topic.?
  • Time! Curriculum overload?
  • The government is a barrier. They could start by putting climate change reform as a priority!?
  • I feel like I am a ‘silo’, an individual trying to do the ‘lot’ – but we as humans, function much better when we work collectively. We need to change the narrative, so sustainability is not seen as a burden but that it clearly becomes an integral part, without even thinking about why we are doing things the way we are.?
    • From my school, I would like to see stronger leadership and resourcing of human time so that things can be implemented properly and not ad hoc, in between other lessons or in our own time. ?
  • Lack of teamwork with regards to sustainable practices?
  • Leadership and professional learning. A big barrier is the emphasis on a narrow range of standardised learning and testing programs.?
  • Syllabus document ?
  • People don’t see it as a priority ?
  • Not enough time to create resources or funds to buy resources that can be used as part of the KLA curriculums.?
  • Lack of priority/responsibility?
  • Lack of support, and heavily overcrowded curriculum ?
  • Lack of time and focus in an already crowded curriculum. Not embracing sustainability as a priority across the whole school. Lack of clear teaching and learning programs. ?
  • Changing patterns. Prioritising over other areas. Funding. Systems.?
  • School has systems in place that oppose sustainable practices like a lack of recycling or low waste options from canteen etc. Setting up systems requires staffing that may take away from other allocated roles as teachers cannot implement these school wide processes and teach effectively.?
  • Attitudes and lack of action from our ‘leaders’. ?
  • Time?
  • Lack of awareness and priority to teach it at school. Lack of money to initiate sustainable school practices. Lack of consistent systems e.g.effective waste sorting program.?
  • My Principal has not once observed any of my outdoor garden classes over a 4 year period and I have taught over 1000 x 1 hour lessons. ?
  • This indicates to me she has no regard for the program and no interest in environmental education. She has inherited the program and has minimal understanding of sustainability. ?
    • Happy for me to run it though. ie off her hands no leadership needed! ?
    • The NSW DET promotes Sustainability and makes everyone fight to get a Sustainable Schools Grant (we got one last year) then there is no support and very minimal communication to us to help roll out that grant. Many missed opportunities to motivate schools this way. ?
  • Time within the timetable.?
  • It’s not given priority. ?
  • Overcrowded curriculum in primary and infants. Lack of mandatory rules re teaching of sustainability. Lack of education of teachers. ?
  • Greater access to a wider variety of relevant resources. Financial barriers to create the relevant infrastructure at schools. Time allocated to teach relevant lessons?
  • time and money?
  • Intellectual disabilities of our students?
  • Time constraints?
  • Crowded curriculum and not enough emphasis placed on the importance of sustainability and apathy from executives.?
  • I don’t have any barriers??
  • Leadership. Time. Budget.?
  • Focus on test-based assessments and hitting al the curriculum points (there is too much!!). Priority of finances/economics over everything else, it needs to be a balance. ?
  • Not all staff being on board, time it takes for key organisers and teachers to get programs and initiatives running, initial costs involved for schools to be sustainable. ?
  • It must be everybody’s business. It must be incorporated into all subjects areas.?
  • Time vs crowded curriculum where sustainability isn’t highly prioritised.?
  • It needs to be integrated formally into the curriculum, specific time given to it and practices embedded throughout school ?
  • Time. Colleagues do not want to commit, even if it a passionate they feel overwhelmed. Needs a community to drive it in the school. Best kept secret. Not fully embraced and visible. Teachers need to have credit for their commitment i.e. receive a classification they can include when applying for new jobs, that is as recognised as choir/debating/sport teacher. Teachers could be given time off playground duty to enable them to follow through with actions, busy teachers need to be recognised for the time commitment they do above and beyond.?
  • limited time and a crowded curriculum, lack of community engagement/interest, lack of investment by school leadership?
  • Back in the 2000s to 2010s there was significant alliances for sustainable schools at National and State level with the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) AND environmental education for sustainability with the publication of the National Environmental Education Statement for Australian Schools; 2nd National Action Plan on Education for Sustainability; National Environmental Education Council and the National Environmental Education Network; and I was involved with all these initiatives. Since about 2012, ALL of these incredible initiatives ceased which is incredibly disappointing to say the least.?
  • Some green zones in marine parks are still accessible by commercial fishermen in QLD.?
  • Too politicized and not seen as mainstream necessity?
  • An overloaded curriculum already?
  • Time constraints for hands-on real-life experiments/activities. Money for experiments/activities/excursions. Not seen as a priority for academic knowledge/learning.?
  • Time Funding PL?
  • Barriers within the school. We can only be as sustainable as our school lets us?
  • Priorities. Teachers are still not savvy or brave enough to ditch the parts of the curriculum that are boring and irrelevant and run with the ones the children actually care about. ?
    • We are too worried about “covering the curriculum” and reporting and assessing what the government has said we have to. ?
    • We are encouraged in theory by our own schools to be more fun and relevant, but the reality is to swim against the stream, against what parents and the wider community expect education to look like, which is hard to do in isolation. ?
    • Knowledge. Of how to teach from sustainability and weave in maths, science, history, literacy, rather than the other way around. ?
    • Teaching pedagogy continually ebbs and flows between teaching in themes or teaching KLAs in isolation and so on. The cross-curriculum priorities are not. They are skimmed over because the content descriptors take all the focus. Teachers need to have better knowledge of how to teach in a modern education system, especially those who have been in the game for a while.?
What are potential enablers to greater sustainability education within schools? 44 responses
  • Development of resources that link directly with the syllabus and are easy to embedded. That is you can use everyday items to complete them. ?
  • Easy access to resources and lesson plans.?
  • Students, teachers and community working collaboratively on authentic projects that generate positive environmental outcomes.?
  • Committed school leadership. There needs to be at least one truly committed Executive staff member for changes to happen in teaching and in school practices. Actions by an individual teacher have limited effect and are not sustainable without ongoing Executive support. The Sustainable Schools Facebook page has some inspirational school stories.?
  • We need more passionate teachers and leaders?
  • Increasing the number of teachers in the existing environmental and zoo education centres in NSW. High quality networks and expertise already exist however they are greatly under staff and resourced particularly in rural and remote communities?
  • Admin assisting in implementing more student ideas.?
  • If the message of sustainability filters down from the Department of Education to the executive of our school, then they are compelled to act.?
  • Positive engagement by all staff, claiming ownership and ongoing support by outside parties to take the pressure of already overworked teachers. More funding readily available that doesn’t require a massive application process which often ends up with no response or being unsuccessful. This year I have applied for grants and free access to plants etc. and I have heard no responses. So disheartening. Considering my time and effort to write applications, send emails to recognised bodies that donate free seedlings and other general enquires for environmental support.?
  • Access to bush/natural environments for teaching and learning for ALL ages?
  • Celebration of teachers who teach sustainability. We need more than permission and encouragement, which we already have, but teachers and classes to be highlighted for their efforts. This might also help to remove the stigma of the teacher who must be “slacking off” because they have taken their children outside into the gardens AGAIN. If that teacher can show their planning and learning intentions, and the inquiries that the children ran with, other teachers might be better encouraged to do it too. It would also be handy for teachers and schools to have a cheat-sheet of ideas (which no doubt exists online somewhere) with Big Ideas of Sustainability and then a bunch of dot points underneath. For example, Heating and Cooling, does the staffroom urn run on a timer? Is paper towel or a hand dryer better for the environment? Do we keep doors shut? What is the best temperature for air con in our state? How can we stay cool outside in summer? How can we encourage families to dry washing outside? etc?
  • School wide, department supported ongoing PL and some regulatory oversight that is is being integrated and authentically taught. More education at the teacher training level.?
  • Valuing from the executive and above?
  • Time to have bushcare groups within schools, during school hours, particularly ours that has a creek run through the campus.?
  • Cross school leadership, shift in culture and support?
  • value and some time to develop programs?
  • Identified sustainability teachers to teach across stages (in primary schools). Professional Learning opportunities for both specialist and general classroom teachers. Clear, well-developed teaching and learning programs that are adaptable to the local context. Executive staff/school leaders, and parents, that value and prioritise sustainability. ?
  • School system partnerships with organisations that can assist in implementing better practices that will not cost schools significant costs to participate in, e.g. waste management.?
  • Executive leadership. ?
  • Funding, resources and strong leadership.?
  • Networking and investing in programs that same set up to all DET schools. It would be great to replicate garden programs not have them all different. ?
  • Time for environmental education.?
  • A boost from our government to show leadership and invest in a green future through sustainability, renewable energy and protection of native forests.?
  • Education of staff. Change from above re attitudes to importance of sustainability education in schools. Education of community in general so that we have support for changes. ?
  • Support from school leadership Establishing an environmental and sustainability specialist subject ?
  • Legislate financial incentives for schools. Secure regional sustainability support for schools?
  • Learning potential integrated into KLAs?
  • More passionate Environmental Educators pushing for a sustainable agenda?
  • Time, time and more time and human resources along with strong leadership, especially from the executive staff. ?
  • families, local shops?
  • Passion of the individual and recognition of the importance of SE?
  • An inclusion in the FOCUS documentation. ?
  • Open-minded, caring and flexible staff/admin who are willing to mix things up and even fail by trying something new or out of their comfort zone. ?
  • Funding, professional development, access to quality resources. ?
  • Cool Australia for resources that encourage critical thinking around environmental, social and economic sustainability.?
  • Make it mandatory ?
  • Students given the spark and encouraged to get involved and drive. School cultural change. Learning from recognized leaders e.g. Oxley Park Green Flag. Mandatory sustainability accountability, e.g. school environmental management plans?
  • Specific time allocation, leadership from executives in schools, greater promotion of sustainability issues/initiatives to increase awareness and interest among students?
  • Policy that are mandatory; Strategic Plans that are implemented, monitored and reviewed; Professional development for whole school approach to embedding sustainability values, principles and actions for sustainability e.g. Resource Smart in Victoria – now; Earth Smart in Queensland 2010 to 2012 to name a couple of excellent programs.?
  • Allowing easier access to zoos, incorporating more animal and plant studies in primary school.?
  • Integrate into English syllabus etc…?
  • Time, money and importance.?
  • Paid staff time Networking & sharing?
  • Funding for training?

Other

Could we follow up with you?

%

How would you rate this questionnaire?

  • 1 0% 0%
  • 2 0% 0%
  • 3 18% 18%
  • 4 58% 58%
  • 5 23% 23%
How could we improve this questionnaire? 21 responses
  • For our context a few of the questions needed more space to elaborate on. For example, we have one-off sustainability events and also some embedding in curriculum. ?
  • There was a bit of a mismatch with some of the questions and their Likert scale responses, but I worked it out?
  • No, all good?
  • More time for me to answer – sorry, under the pump with remote teaching. ?
  • One or two questions I had to read more than once to understand what was being asked. On the whole, it was very well structured. ?
  • Avoid compulsory questions that have already been answered when you select no in the previous question?
  • Some of the questions may have more than one meaning. I was a little confused by which answer I should give.?
  • I couldn’t?
  • All good, very clear to follow and answer?
  • Government questions felt like scale was on the wrong side..??
  • No photos?
  • It was great, made me think how huge this whole sustainability area is!?
  • Having more options for open-ended questions.?
  • Allow for option of entering our email so we don’t have to email you in regards to the two questions that asked that. ?
  • Good Job.?
  • Could be a little shorter.?
  • Less written questions?
  • have more multiple choice?
Is there anything else you want to tell us?14 responses
  • Thanks. ?
  • In my previous school I led a student lead environment committee. At my new school there are no similar initiatives although in time I hope to begin to implement more effective sustainability projects. ?
  • Teachers are time poor and benefit from easy to access programs and resources. This would assist teachers to more readily integrate sustainability education into schools.?
  • Apologies if your survey wasn’t designed for EEC teachers but we are part of the mix too!?
  • Keep trying…any action is better than none.?
  • It’s great that you are interested in researching sustainability in schools.?
  • Just checking this is anonymous. I’m pretty scathing about the DET and my Principal!?
  • Thank-you.?
  • I would LOVE to see the results! ?
  • Any chance you can send the collated data to the WA State Government (and Education dept) too? ?
  • Bring back NEEC, NEEN, AuSSI.?
  • Thank you for your work.

Australian Sunrise with Boab tree. Illustration by Vinod Ralh © 2022

Thanks for your help!

Thanks especially to those that helped with the survey:

Sue Martin, David Smith, Eric Land, Tommy Vijoen, Louise Denver and Eloise Powell.

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