"For each of our actions there are only consequences."
- James Lovelock
"Sadly, it's much easier to create a desert than a forest."
- James Lovelock
"It is now becoming more and more evident that the major problems of our time cannot be understood in isolation. They are systemic problems, which means that they are all interconnected and interdependent."
- Fritjof Capra
"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us the "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
- Albert Einstein
Eco-Literacy
In our Eco-Literacy curriculum, students learn about the world that they live in, to provide a context for their lives. They become aware of the most current information available about the world, from the possible origins of the universe, through the history of planet Earth, to the fundamental systems and structures that life and they are part of.
From this base of knowledge, students are supported to develop a sense of wonder about all that we don't know and to decide how they wish to live in relationship with the world around them.
Knowledge
Students experience first hand the basic facts of life, the fundamental awareness that everything exists as, and within, series of inter-relating systems. They are encouraged to witness and to consider the effects of various actions on the greater whole.
Wonder
From the platform of what is known students are drawn into wondering about the far greater knowledge that still remains to be discovered and known. Students are encouraged to tap into their curiosity and their imagination, and to explore the subjects and the questions that are of greatest interest to them.
Relationship
With their developing awareness and wonder of the world and with their growing awareness of their own feelings, thoughts and intuitions, students are supported to develop a responsible relationship with the world around them. This relationship is encouraged to grow beyond thoughts, feelings and words into considered and sustainable action.
Learning Eco-Literacy
As learning is experience, eco-literacy is learned as much as possible through practical engagement with the world. In the early years, students are able to engage with the biggest possible physical context, starting with the Universe and moving to current life on planet Earth, via a number of 'big stories'. These are designed to create awe and wonder and allow the exploration of different versions of our origins. This big picture is complemented with hands on experience of life's eco-systems via integrated practical activities such as planting and growing vegetables and fruit, cooking them, sharing them with their friends and collecting seeds for the following year.
As students grow older, they will specifically explore eco-systems, will be encouraged to engage in the variety of school systems (operational and social), and supported to act upon changes they wish to make in and beyond school.
In their secondary years, as guidance for the sciences, students will learn about the works of leading systems thinkers such as Fritjof Capra who originally coined the word ecoliteracy, and who talks about "six particularly important concepts that describe the patterns and processes by which nature sustains life: networks, nested systems, cycles, flows, development, and dynamic balance."