A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABLE …
Transcript of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABLE …
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE
AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS
INITIATIVE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
(AuSSI-WA)
CONTENTS
Background and Overview 1
About this Guide 1
What might a ‘Sustainable School’ look like? 2
Why become a ‘Sustainable School’? 2
Getting Started or Moving Forward 3
Where to go for Help 3
Participating AuSSI-WA Schools – Examples of Activity 4
References 4
1
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) is a partnership of the
Australian Government and the States and Territories that supports schools to
develop a whole school approach to Education for Sustainability (EfS).
Sustainability is defined by AuSSI in Western Australia (AuSSI-WA) as:
‘The protection and replenishment of our natural environment, and the
development of just, diverse societies supported by effective economies.’
The initiative integrates existing environmental and social education programs and
resources into a coordinated framework. In WA, partner organisations have formed
the ‘AuSSI-WA Alliance’, further details of which can be found on the AuSSI-WA
website: www.det.wa.edu.au/sustainableschools.
AuSSI-WA supports the delivery of nationally agreed goals in the Melbourne
Declaration (2008).
It also supports implementation of the Australian Curriculum in which sustainability
is a cross curriculum priority. Sustainability provides schools with a highly
meaningful context for teaching and learning, with connections to all learning
areas, other cross curriculum priorities and the general capabilities, specifically
critical and creative thinking and ethical behaviour.
The initiative supports considered and efficient use of schools’ resources (e.g.
energy, water, products and materials) and the sustainable management of school
grounds (e.g. biodiversity, waste, landscape design and vehicular traffic).
In addition, it promotes key concepts and themes such as social justice,
participation, fair trade, human rights and cultural diversity and respect consistent
with an holistic, integrated model of sustainability.
AuSSI supports action-learning based, transformative education that embeds
sustainability within the culture of the school.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The information contained in this guide derives from the collective thoughts and
ideas developed by schools (from the three education sectors) and key partners
involved in the AuSSI-WA pilot program in 2005 with subsequent refinement by
other schools.
Its purpose is to outline a supportive process for school communities that:
• provides a rationale for EfS;
• acknowledges and celebrates existing EfS achievements;
• enhances understandings of the processes and practices that advance a
whole school approach to EfS;
• increases capacity and motivation to engage in EfS;
• assists in the development of a Sustainability Action Plan; and
• -assists in the development of cross curricula programs appropriate to
local context.
2
WHAT MIGHT A ‘SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL’ LOOK LIKE?
Most schools in Western Australia engage in many elements of EfS through areas
such as utilities management, recycling programs, ‘water wise’/‘waste wise’
activities, bushland or dune re-vegetation schemes, reconciliation activities and
student resilience and well-being programs.
A decision to become a ‘sustainable school’ ultimately signals commitment to the
concept of embedding sustainability within the culture of the school i.e. the whole
school engaging in an ongoing process of improvement in the practical operations
of the school and enhancement of EfS across the curriculum.
This commitment builds on various aspects of existing programs and practice, and
provides a clear focus for continued whole school development via reference to a
supportive framework and process.
Some of the characteristics of a ‘sustainable school’ would include:
• a shared vision with broad ownership from the school community;
• a commitment to achieving positive social, environmental and economic
outcomes;
• a broad range of meaningful, cross curricular EfS activities involving all
students and teachers; and
• good sustainability practice modelled in school operations e.g. decision
making processes, purchasing policies.
WHY BECOME A ‘SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL’? Curriculum implementation
• sustainability is an exciting, empowering context for teaching and learning
supported by a comprehensive range of resources;
• EfS provides the basis for students to develop all general capabilities but
specifically critical and creative thinking and ethical behaviour;
• EfS provides meaningful interconnections to the other cross curriculum
priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures; Asia
and Australia’s engagement with Asia; and
• EfS has direct links to content within all Learning Area outcomes, most
specifically History, Science, and Geography
Student wellbeing
• student voice and engagement is a key focus that supports empowerment, self
esteem and resilience; and
• differentiated learning styles are supported through action-based learning.
Professional learning and networking opportunities
Community leadership
• EfS supports the process of building vibrant, connected school communities
with action-based learning providing a range of social, environmental and
economic benefits; and
• learning flows between school and home environments are enhanced,
supporting broader behavioural change and positive outcomes for
sustainability.
3
GETTING STARTED OR MOVING FORWARD
• Every school is doing something within the context of EfS and, as such, sits
somewhere on a ‘sustainable schools continuum’.
• Each school community is unique and will approach its ‘journey towards
sustainability’ in ways that best meet its local needs and context.
• Developing good EfS practice requires a commitment to an ongoing process
of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of learning and
behaviour linked to participation in a broad range of activities. A whole
school approach will take time to develop and consolidate.
Some key steps
The steps outlined below can be regarded as broadly sequential, but may not
necessarily occur in the order stated – some might be developed concurrently.
The AuSSI-WA professional learning program ‘Making the Connections’ and
associated support ‘tools’ provides support for this process, details of which can be
found on the initiative website at: www.det.wa.edu.au/sustainableschools
• Bring together a group of interested people with the broadest
representation from across the school community as possible. The group
can discuss possible pathways for the school to develop a whole school
approach to EfS.
• Support the development of a shared understanding of sustainability
and, at the earliest possible opportunity, start the process of creating a
vision for what the school could look like with sustainability embedded
within its culture.
• Acknowledge existing EfS activities and celebrate achievements –
these are some of the initial ‘building blocks’ for a whole school approach.
• Establish appropriate planning processes for EfS with the aim of developing
a whole school Sustainability Action Plan. This will build on the review
and evolve over a period of time, linking to, and being integrated with,
broader school policy processes and documents, as appropriate.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
The AuSSI-WA website (including online toolkit) provides further details of the
various elements of this whole school planning framework The website includes:
• school case studies;
• examples of sustainability action plans;
• templates for review, planning and celebration;
• links to funding opportunities;
• links to local resources and contacts including AuSSI-WA Alliance members;
and
• communication tools
The primary aim of the website is to showcase school case studies and stories –
examples of good EfS practice that will provide a meaningful resource in terms of
inspiring and guiding other schools.
AuSSI-WA website: www.det.wa.edu.au/sustainableschools
National AuSSI website: www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/index.html
4
PARTICIPATING AuSSI-WA SCHOOLS – EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITY
• Sustainability Action Plans at various stages of development – for some
schools with a long history of EfS activity, strategic long term plans have been
developed with staff, student, parents and local community involvement.
• Sharing of experience via a range of medium including website, DVD, school
and community newsletters.
• Whole school visioning exercises – the whole school community invited to
contribute to a draft vision for a ‘sustainable school’.
• Sustainability committees or working groups formed to coordinate EfS activity.
• Staff exchange visits to share good practice in EfS.
• Renewable energy projects, some with partnerships established between
cluster of schools and local business.
• Consideration given to including ‘understanding of, and commitment to,
sustainability and EfS’ in selection criteria for new staff.
• Allocation of resources provided to teachers (including time) to coordinate EfS
activity across the school.
• Local community partnerships e.g. community workshops and recycling
programs based at school; schools working in partnership with local
government and other agencies to care for local wetlands and bushland
areas.
• Cultural exchanges established by schools.
Further examples of activity can be found by viewing school case studies on the
AuSSI-WA website.
REFERENCES Commonwealth of Australia (2009) Living Sustainably, The Australian
Government’s National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (2008)
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians
Curriculum Corporation (2005) Educating for a Sustainable Future, A National
Environmental Education Statement for Australian Schools. Australian Government
Department of the Environment and Heritage
Henderson, K and Tilbury, D. (2004) Whole school Approaches to Sustainability:
An International Review of Sustainable Schools Programs. Report prepared by the
Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) for the
Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government