Educate, Empower, Transform: For a Sustainable Tomorrow
Nuturing Eco-justice Pedagogy in Early Years Learning
Expanding Knowledge: Empowering Educators
Here, you'll find a wealth of materials designed to help you understand the intricate intersection of environmental issues, social equity, and human rights. To effectively foster eco-justice pedagogy, it's crucial for educators to first deepen their own understanding. Explore our curated collection to educate yourself on the cultural roots of our ecological challenges, emphasizing sustainability, nature appreciation, and holistic environmental comprehension. Discover the significance of acknowledging and supporting various cultures in their ecological and social justice efforts. Equip yourself with the knowledge needed to counteract cultural and ecological degradation.
Practical Steps for Educators
Based on current research, I have identified 6 steps that you can take so that you can actively contribute to the cultivation of eco-justice pedagogy, fostering a generation of environmentally conscious and socially responsible individuals. Educator critical awareness and a decolonial shift in our learning spaces are essential to this work. I hope that the following content will provide you with moments of reflection, a shift or expansion of your understanding, and a motivation to incorporate these pedagogical shifts in your work with children.
01
Reflect on Perspectives
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Take time to reflect on personal perspectives towards environmental education and the more-than-human world.
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Challenge romanticized narratives and consider the entanglements between humans and the environment.
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Consider what you know about the current ecological crisis or the environmental crisis.
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How does your awareness of privilege, whether it be related to race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors, influence your teaching practices and interactions with students?
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Consider the ways in which privilege, whether it be related to social, economic, or environmental factors, may impact the equitable implementation of eco-justice principles in your educational setting.
02
Incorporate Diverse Perspectives & Voices
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Actively seek out and incorporate diverse voices, especially those of Indigenous communities, into the curriculum.
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Emphasize the importance of Indigenous perspectives, stories, and knowledge in creating a more holistic approach to environmental education.
03
Acknowledge Settler Colonialism
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Understand and acknowledge the persistent conditions of settler colonialism, recognizing its impact on Indigenous worldviews and knowledge.
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Use this awareness to underscore the urgency of eco-justice pedagogy in countering colonizing and human-centric practices.
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Recognize the role of emotional connections in teaching as a means to promote decolonization.
04
Community of Practice
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Explore and implement a community of practice pedagogy, involving collaborative and action-oriented approaches to engage children with the environment.
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Encourage shared learning experiences and the development of a sense of community among children.
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Consider your community of practice and how they can influence and impact your teaching practice.
05
Incorporate Affective Pedagogies
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Recognize the role of affective pedagogies and embodied learning in fostering a deeper connection between children and the more-than-human world.
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Implement activities that engage emotions and encourage a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
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Facilitate connecting children with the more-than-human world and give them opportunities to see themselves as part of a larger ecosystem.
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Disrupt the exclusive focus on human perspectives and encourage a more inclusive, emotionally connected approach to learning about the environment.
06
Empower Children
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What is your image of the child (Malaguzzi, 1993)? How does your image of the child inform and shape your teaching practice?
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Integrating eco-justice principles into early childhood education can empower children to contribute to a more just and sustainable world.
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Providing opportunities for children to actively participate in eco-friendly practices and understand their role in addressing global environmental challenges.