Enviroschools
Imagine...a generation of innovative and motivated young people, who instinctively think and act sustainably.
Enviroschools is working towards this vision through a whole school approach to environmental education. Students develop skills, understanding, knowledge and confidence through planning, designing and creating a sustainable school. Action projects undertaken by enviroschools have both environmental and educational outcomes that benefit the school and the wider community.
Enviroschools takes an holistic approach to environmental education. This approach is also known as education for a sustainable future, education for sustainable development or sustainable education. Whatever the title it is a big subject! An effective learning process would aim to:
- Help people think creatively ... AND not just from their own world view but acknowledging other perspectives.
- Lead to action on current sustainability issues ... AND involve planning and decision-making by people of all ages.
- Result in long-term behaviour change ... AND critical reflection on lifestyle choices, attitudes and values.
Raglan Area School holds an EnviroSchool Bronze Award and is actively working towards attaining the Silver. Students work in small ‘whanau’ groups to complete projects in school and ‘Community and Service’ and ‘Charity’ Projects in our town.
The awards process consists of a series of meetings with Enviroschool's key people, and our staff and students. We are currently teaching the students about the guiding principles of Enviroschools. These are; Empowered students, learning for sustainability, Maori perspectives, Diversity of people and cultures and Sustainable communities. These are being taught throughout the school with a series of interesting, interactive, thought provocing activities.
Below is the excerpt from the kit that defines a silver school.
"We have a clear, shared Whole School Vision and are working together creatively to make it happen. There are obvious signs of all the guiding principles in our school, across all areas of school life. We have a sense of inter-relatedness/whanaungatanga within our school, our community and our environment. Our sustainable practices are being kept up and are growing. We are branching into new aspects as well as strengthening and deepening existing ones through student-led enqiry. Students are fully involved in planning and making decisions about actions. We are tracking our progress and can show that more change has happened.