The core assumption of this book is the interconnectedness of humans and nature, and that the future of the planet depends on humans’ recognition and care for this interconnectedness. This comprehensive resource supports the work of pre-service and practicing elementary teachers as they teach their students to be part of the world as engaged citizens, advocates for social and ecological justice. Challenging readers to more explicitly address current environmental issues with students in their classrooms, the book presents a diverse set of topics from a variety of perspectives. Its broad social/cultural perspective emphasizes that social and ecological justice are interrelated. Coverage includes descriptions of environmental education pedagogies such as nature-based experiences and place-based studies; peace-education practices; children doing environmental activism; and teachers supporting children emotionally in times of climate disruption and tumult. The pedagogies described invite student engagement and action in the public sphere. Children are represented as ‘agents of change’ engaged in social and environmental issues and problems through their actions both local and global.

A People’s Curriculum for the Earth is a collection of articles, role plays, simulations, stories, poems, and graphics to help breathe life into teaching about the environmental crisis. The book features some of the best articles from Rethinking Schools magazine alongside classroom-friendly readings on climate change, energy, water, food, and pollution—as well as on people who are working to make things better. A People’s Curriculum for the Earth has the breadth and depth ofRethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World, one of the most popular books we’ve published. At a time when it’s becoming increasingly obvious that life on Earth is at risk, here is a resource that helps students see what’s wrong and imagine solutions. Praise for A People's Curriculum for the Earth "To really confront the climate crisis, we need to think differently, build differently, and teach differently. A People’s Curriculum for the Earth is an educator’s toolkit for our times." — Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate "This volume is a marvelous example of justice in ALL facets of our lives—civil, social, educational, economic, and yes, environmental. Bravo to the Rethinking Schools team for pulling this collection together and making us think more holistically about what we mean when we talk about justice." — Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison "Bigelow and Swinehart have created a critical resource for today’s young people about humanity’s responsibility for the Earth. This book can engender the shift in perspective so needed at this point on the clock of the universe." — Gregory Smith, Professor of Education, Lewis & Clark College, co-author with David Sobel of Place- and Community-based Education in Schools

“The hope for the future depends on teaching current and future students the analytical and critical thinking skills for dealing with the most critical problems. My own hope is for this book to be read by everyone, even those outside the field of environmental education. Read this book, read it again, share it widely, and do something - anything - to help our needy and wounded planet."-Marc Bekoff, author of The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons For Expanding Our Compassion Footprint "Saylan and Blumstein provide a compelling vision of what can be, and what should be, if we have the courage to open our eyes and the boldness to act.”-Peter Saundry, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Council for Science and the Environment “A clarion call to incorporate environmental education in all grades K-12, across all academic disciplines, in order to produce future generations of environmental stewards."-Mark Gold, President, Heal The Bay "We need a sea change in the educational system. After all, if we can teach schoolchildren that vandalism is wrong, why can we not teach them that environmental destruction is wrong? This book is a haunting call to action. A beautifully written manifesto that gets it right."-Ron Swaisgood, Director of Applied Animal Ecology, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global “The greatest threat to the future of all species on the planet is the huge gap between what is understood about global climate change by the scientific community and what is known about climate change by the people who need to know -- the public. The sound prescriptions in this book need to be read now. We are running out of time.”-Dr. James Hansen, world-renowned climatologist and author of Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity “Environmental education is a disaster and educating the public on environmental issues is the greatest challenge facing humanity today. This book will help us understand why we are headed toward the collapse of civilization, and more important, how to fix it. Packed with sound science, useful information, and brilliant ideas, it is a book we must read, and give, to our local school boards and principals nationwide. Our children will thank us."-Paul R. Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb and Humanity on a Tightrope

"India is grappling with serious environmental issues that have been largely sparked by its galloping economy. As a measure of its seriousness to reduce the environmental impacts it has spearheaded numerous policy initiatives. One of the major thrusts of the proposed initiatives to curb environmental degradation has been to create an informed and well-educated citizenry. The federal mandates have triggered new curriculum policies and the compulsory teaching of environmental and sustainability education at all levels in all education institutions. This volume examines the policy practice conundrum. It looks at how national and international policy reforms reach practitioners – in this case teacher educators. Furthermore, it unravels how teacher educators understand environmental education, the ways in which they negotiate its demands on their busy schedules, what helps them in determining relevant issues within this and finally how they implement these policies in their everyday practices. It is evident from this book that while there have been some really well meaning development of policies, their impact on teacher educators’ practice, and therefore student teachers’ learning about Environmental Education is limited. The study showed that while these teacher educators had a clear understanding of the environment and saw the need/importance of incorporating Environmental Education in their daily practices they had very little scope to do so. There were numerous factors that constrained implementation. The book provides inputs on global policy practice gaps. It offers valuable insights to a global audience grappling with understanding the ways in which environmental education policies are put into practice in emerging economies like India. The final argument is thesis that while policy reforms are a step in the right direction they need to be backed up with strong implementation systems in order to be successful."“div>

In an age of catastrophes—unchecked climate change, extreme poverty, forced migrations, war, and terror, all compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic—how can schooling be reengineered and education reimagined? This book calls for a new global approach to education that responds to these overlapping crises in order to enrich and enhance the lives of children everywhere. Marcelo Suárez-Orozco and Carola Suárez-Orozco convene scholars and practitioners from a range of disciplines—including anthropology, neuroscience, demography, psychology, child development, sociology, and economics—who offer incisive essays on the global state of education. Contributors consider how educational policy and practice can foster social inclusion and improve outcomes for all children. They emphasize the centrality of education to social and environmental justice, as well as the philosophical foundations of education and its centrality to human flourishing, personal dignity, and sustainable development. Chapters examine topics such as the neuroscience of education; the uses of technology to engage children who are not reached by traditional schooling; education for climate change; the education of immigrants, refugees, and the forcibly displaced; and how to address and mitigate the effects of inequality and xenophobia in the classroom. Global and interdisciplinary, Education speaks directly to urgent contemporary challenges. Contributors include Stefania Giannini, the director of education for UNESCO; development economist Jeffrey Sachs; cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner; Carla Rinaldi, president of the Reggio Children Foundation; and academics from leading global universities. The book features a foreword by Pope Francis.

A People’s Curriculum for the Earth is a collection of articles, role plays, simulations, stories, poems, and graphics to help breathe life into teaching about the environmental crisis. The book features some of the best articles from Rethinking Schools magazine alongside classroom-friendly readings on climate change, energy, water, food, and pollution—as well as on people who are working to make things better. A People’s Curriculum for the Earth has the breadth and depth ofRethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World, one of the most popular books we’ve published. At a time when it’s becoming increasingly obvious that life on Earth is at risk, here is a resource that helps students see what’s wrong and imagine solutions. Praise for A People's Curriculum for the Earth "To really confront the climate crisis, we need to think differently, build differently, and teach differently. A People’s Curriculum for the Earth is an educator’s toolkit for our times." — Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate "This volume is a marvelous example of justice in ALL facets of our lives—civil, social, educational, economic, and yes, environmental. Bravo to the Rethinking Schools team for pulling this collection together and making us think more holistically about what we mean when we talk about justice." — Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison "Bigelow and Swinehart have created a critical resource for today’s young people about humanity’s responsibility for the Earth. This book can engender the shift in perspective so needed at this point on the clock of the universe." — Gregory Smith, Professor of Education, Lewis & Clark College, co-author with David Sobel of Place- and Community-based Education in Schools

"Today's children and youth face an uncertain world with a myriad of global crises, including increasing pollution, environmental degradation, species extinction, climate change, and social injustice. In this four-part volume, the contributors offer their understandings and knowledges of what it means to educate in this time of uncertainty, termed the Anthropocene. This term is used to acknowledge anthropogenic contributions to climate and environmental crises and to encourage discussion of the emotional responses of these adverse events. Teaching in the Anthropocene discusses (1) challenges to teacher education practice and praxis, (2) the affective dimensions of teaching, (3) relational pedagogies, and (4) ways to igniting imaginations. (1) The first part explores challenges in teacher education practice and praxis in educating ecological justice and sustainability and the need to decentre anthropocentric teaching models. (2) The second part describes the rise in anxiety in children and youth and what it means to care for them in the classroom while equipping them to face the world. (3) The third part ponders relationship and its importance between each of ourselves and between the more-than-human companions with whom we share this planet. (4) The fourth part discusses ways of igniting teachers' imaginations, providing examples in youth activism, community art installations, and other innovative projects. Presenting various perspectives on teaching and teacher education in the face of global crises and in a bid to live in greater harmony with the more-than-human world, this timely collection is essential reading for pre- and in-service teachers and teacher educators."--

Environmental Education: Key Issues of the Future contains the proceedings of a conference held at the College of Technology in Hampshire, England. The conference provided a forum for discussing the role of education in environmental training, analyzing the problems of environmental education, and proposing innovations that might well affect the future. Comprised of eight chapters, this book first looks at the methods for use in the professional training of teachers, with reference to the research and development studies that have been carried out on these training methods. The place of environmental studies in the school and the factors that have led to an increased interest in these studies are considered. The chief obstacles to the progress of these studies in the secondary schools are outlined. The reader is then introduced to the role of environmental science in the formal education service; problems of subject integration in environmental science; and the UNESCO/UNEP environmental program and its implications for environmental education in Britain. International cooperation in environmental education is also discussed, along with part-time and recurrent education in the environmental field. This monograph will be of value to engineers, planners, biologists, lawyers, geologists, and others with an active interest in environmental problems.

At a time when wild places everywhere are vanishing before our eyes, Charles Saylan and Daniel T. Blumstein offer this passionate indictment of environmental education—along with a new vision for the future. Writing for general readers and educators alike, Saylan and Blumstein boldly argue that education today has failed to reach its potential in fighting climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. In this forward-looking book, they assess the current political climate, including the No Child Left Behind Act, a disaster for environmental education, and discuss how education can stimulate action—including decreasing consumption and demand, developing sustainable food and energy sources, and addressing poverty. Their multidisciplinary perspective encompasses such approaches as school gardens, using school buildings as teaching tools, and the greening of schoolyards. Arguing for a paradigm shift in the way we view education as a whole, The Failure of Environmental Education demonstrates how our education system can create new levels of awareness and work toward a sustainable future.