Science teacher morphed into an enthusiastic communicator for climate & sustainability education. Coordinator for the
@MinistryEco
&
#ClimateAmbassador
.
97% of UK flower meadows have gone. So, 10 years ago, we brought a home with a field of monoculture short grass. We now have 1.2 acres of meadow including buttercups, speedwell, crosswort, yellow rattle, starwort & more. 1 million flowers bring me no money but much joy.
#NoMowMay
A huge number of Londoners are starting to realise that our cities could be much safer, cleaner, calmer, quieter and less-polluted without thousands of cars on the roads.
🌳🚶♂️🌳🌳🌳🚶♀️🌳🌳🚲🌳🌳🐕
Not
🚙🚛🚙🚛🚚🚛🚚🚙🚛🚚🚙💨
#ExtinctionRebellion
Google maps images taken 6 years apart. We've planted 1000 native trees, established hedgerows, created an orchard and leave 2 acres to meadow. Wish we'd carried out a biodiversity study on the bees, birds & butterflies!
2015... 2021...
I gave my 13 year old daughter a copy of
#Inferior
for Christmas. She wants to be a marine biologist when she's older. She's now quoting the book at me and is actively preparing to be a troublemaker when she enters the academic world. Thank you
@jesswade
. She's
#Inspired
.
Lack of media coverage of the climate & biodiversity crises or the growings calls for action, makes it difficult to prepare young people for the future. The big issues are obfuscated by stories on royals, populist politicians or pop stars. The decline of earth's systems.. nada 🙄
Pretty much every nature organisation, 350 of them, tens of thousands of scientists, conservationists and growers march through London to tell the UK the manifestos are woefully inadequate to protect nature and us. Unprecedented.
@BBCNews
… nothing 👀
As a science teacher am I still a
#WomanInScience
? I feel like I'm a bit of an imposter but I have a PhD, completed a post doc at the NHM, worked in IT for a decade and have been enthusing pupils to go into
#STEM
for the past 12 years.
Do I still make the grade?
@WirralCouncil
Why on earth you spend considerable time and money spaying toxic herbicides on a beach? We are witnessing
#EcologicalCollapse
across almost all ecosystems so I'm really interested to hear your reply. Thank you.
Today I've donated to
@JustStop_Oil
.
Why 🤔
Because if we continue with new oil & gas projects the predictions for global warming are utterly dire. The young people in my classroom deserve a bright future & transformation of our energy systems is vital.
@GillianKeegan
You are the Secretary of State of Education. According to scientists we are heading for a 3-4⁰C warmer world by 2100 unless we have
#NoNewOil
. This is a serious safeguarding issue & is already affecting the well-being of young people 🔥🌍
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for today..💭
Disinformation & misinformation. As teachers we are not scientific experts in
#ClimateChange
. It is important to listen to respected scientific researchers or use resources from reputable organisations. 1/2
Violent anti-peaceful-protest action is being taken against climate-concerned citizens in the Netherlands. As the climate crisis escalates many international governments will become more determined to stop any disruption so they can continue to delay phasing out
#FossilFuels
🌍🔥
The Dutch Rebellion continues! 🇳🇱
Water cannons will not stop their resistance 🚿
It will be a tale to tell to all their children.
What will you tell yours?
(They are putting bags on their lower backs to protect from kidney damage 🎒)
GoogleMaps has already been updated with "Sycamore Stump". I live a couple of miles away & feel incredibly sad at the act of vandalism. However, yesterday the government gave the green light to the
#Rosebank
oil field, which is environmental vandalism on a much grander scale 🙄
Today I've been called out:
1. For causing ecoanxiety by teaching kids about climate change.
2. For talking about education for sustainable futures when collapse is nigh.
Obvs I can't win but it doesn't mean I should give up. I'm just trying to navigate my way through this mess.
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought of the day..💭
Not many teachers I know are trained psychologists or have received any training on how to teach about
#ClimateChange
without causing anxiety. There is no magic formula but here's a useful guide by
@talk__climate
that may help 💚
What if...
... everything that was sold was labelled with a carbon calculation for production and distribution. It might make you think twice before purchase.
Monetary cost ≠ Environmental cost
#SDG12
#ResponsibleConsumption
#TeachSDGs
Impressed with this Italian train ticket. And I guess because I set the machine I purchased it from in English, that's why I got ticket in English.
#climateemergency
#climatechange
We really need to include this message in the national curriculum*.
*Obvs we'd need to use appropriate language for the relevant key stage & link learning to sustainability.
#BlackFriday
#TeachSDGs
I have news! I'm leaving the classroom in July. It's not because of behaviour, pay or workload, it's because the climate crisis is looming large & our young people are not being adequately prepared for the future.
Article by me 👇🏽
Meryl Batchelder writes about why, after 14 years teaching, she will be one of thousands of teachers leaving the classroom this July | Meryl Batchelder
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for today..💭
After 14 years of state-funded education my kids have left school. My son had ~2 hours of education on climate, my daughter did Geog at A level so got a bit more. Neither were taught how to take
#ClimateAction
or live sustainably 🤷🏻♀️
@KatiePiper_
We found out a new hamster was pregnant when we got her when she gave birth to 6 babies. She then ate half the babies. Not 3/6 but half of each baby... we had some head ends and some tail ends 🤢
Hamsters are cannibals!
@bp_plc
My Year 7s have looked at your oil production rates, your investment into exploration vs renewables and your obscene profits. They weren't impressed & demand a full refund of a livable planet.
#KeepItInTheGround
🔥🌍
Do you:
🤔 Care about your future?
💃 Worry about your kids' futures?
🐯 Want to protect wild animals?
🏞 Reside in a flood zone?
🏜 Know fresh water is limited?
🌍 Live on planet Earth?
If the answer is Yes to any of these then you need to get active!
#ExtinctionRebellion
#ExtinctionRebellion
rebels you are about to be visited by
#ClimateChange
royalty 😊.
"Greta Thunberg hopes to join climate protests during London visit".
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for the day..💭
We teach the causes & consequences of
#ClimateChange
and the solutions too as they're well documented.
Now we should teach ppls how to hold people in power & politics to account as they're responsible for slowing the rate of action.
Are you a science teacher but haven't created your classroom displays for next year?
Do you want to promote diversity and
#WomenInSTEM
?
The posters created last year by
@AMightyGirl
are bright, inspiring and free 👏👏👏
As a teacher I'm not supposed to call for an end to capitalism as it suggests I have an extreme political stance. But I'm not in the classroom right now so can I say "Capitalism causes environmental degradation and should be stopped" without getting into trouble? 🤔
NEW REPORT: The poorest half of Europeans have cut their emissions while those of the richest are surging. We urgently need to tackle this
#CarbonInequality
👉🏾
#ClimateCrisis
Imagine being a 10 year old. The primary curriculum doesn't cover
#ClimateChange
& 70% of teachers aren't confident to teach it. Many parents can't explain it either. You have no idea what climate change is... but it's stopping you having pasta for tea 🤷🏽♀️
The
#Rebellion
is for everyone, the
#ClimateCrisis
affects us all.
In London I've spoken to students, doctors, dentists, scientists & artists. I've connected with Buddhists, Christians & Kurds. I've marched aside Grandparents, parents-to-be & children.
@ExtinctionR
#RebelForLife
@GreenJennyJones
That's awesome! I took a group of Year 7 pupils to the
#YoungGreenBriton
finals in the House of Lords last week and they didn't even recognise Chris Packham!
Blocking climate deniers has become a daily occurence. Thanks to
@ProfMarkMaslin
,
@ed_hawkins
,
@richardabetts
& other climate scientists & academics for continuing to post essential information, your voices are still heard above the background noise!
Today I'm teaching classification & biodiversity to Year 6. To be honest, I'm struggling to focus. The climate data for 2023 is grim & rates of extinction are bleak.
My 10 year old pupils will need to develop courage, resilience & compassion as they grow up.
I think we have to face the fact that from now on global temperature will exceed +1.5°C with the possible exception of a few La Niña years this decade.
If we don't stop burning fossil fuels by 2030-35 at ABSOLUTE LATEST we seriously risk runaway warming and civilisation's end.
@theAliceRoberts
Every day I will be exposed to 90 pupils in my Y7 bubble. My daughter will be in a bubble of 330 Y11s and my son will be in a Y12 bubble of nearly 300. It isn't 'safe' but around 50% of pupils didn't complete their online lessons... and the government are a chocolate fireguard.
@carolecadwalla
You are one of the forces for good in this world. You inspire and empower. Be brave and trust people will be there to catch you if you fall.
1 year in prison for causing environmental destruction.
3 years in prison for raising awareness about environmental destruction but causing none.
What lesson does this teach 🤷🏻♀️
When we retrofitted solar panels, a ground source, new double glazing and additional loft installation to our 3 bed house, our total heating, hot water and electricity bills went down to £160 per year and we're free of fossil fuels! This move is awesome!
Sad that the
@sciencemuseum
got the police to threaten young people with arrest so they'd stop their peaceful protest. I always thought the Museum had the best interests of children at heart. I was so wrong, they're just trying to keep their corporate sponsors happy.
#DropShell
Oohhh.... teachers beware!
You are not allowed to suggest the end of capitalism might be a good thing so you can't refer to this BBC interview by David Attenborough with your pupils 🤐
Something big happened this morning. David Attenborough, speaking on BBC radio, pointed to capitalism as the main driver of ecological breakdown. The debate is beginning to shift.
Today school broke up for Easter. Many teachers went off to the airport flying to destinations like Thailand or Florida.
Me, I went to a local climate action meeting and then to a pub.
We don't need long holidays abroad. We need
#ClimateAction
for a liveable planet.
#flyless
‘I knew flying was bad for the environment but I didn’t know how bad. Then I saw the numbers, and that’s not something you can unlearn.’ Swedish travel writer Evelina Utterdahl on the moment she decided to quit flying
Instead of taking part in the
#festivalofbrexit
please can I have my share in hard cash? I'd give the £1.80 (and more) to my local food bank to help children living in poverty.
#priorities
Enclosed in these simple, inexpensive, little paper bags is one of the most incredible, rewarding & impactful learning experiences a child could ever have. You're welcome 🤗
#SchoolGardening
The front page of the
@guardian
is an epitome of our times. Ice sheets are melting and billions of people are living in terror of
#ClimateBreakdown
. Meanwhile, in the UK we still want cheap flights.
I can't stand by and pretend this isn't happening.
#ExtinctionRebellion
✊
"I think many young people are living this kind of double life, trying to protect the future while also just enjoying being young."
Absolutely & the same goes for some oldies
@BellaLack
! I'm seriously concerned by the lack of climate education in schools.
It's lovely to get a thank you at the end of term. One from today contains the best hand-drawn scientific image ever!
I'm honoured to be a
#ScienceTeacher
, not by DfE but for the pupils I teach every day! We should never think of school as a conveyer belt, it's a rollercoaster 🎢
There are no disadvantages to
#SchoolGardening
.
1. Kids love it
2. Aids mental well-being
3. Produces food to eat
4. Develops essential skills
5. Promotes biodiversity
6. It's inexpensive
7. Raises the school profile
8. Helps with carbon sequestration...
Any MP that votes in favour (or abstains from voting) on the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill tomorrow does not deserve my respect. The right to peaceful protest is protected by the European Convention of Human Rights which is still applicable the UK.
@DavidLammy
Thank David for giving an example of why we need to teach natural history in schools.we need pupils to be able to identify and take steps to protect our native wildlife. Environmental education in England is woefully inadequate.
@orridge_anna
I'm finding the latest climate news really distressing. I suppose I have the summer to gather my wits about me before returning to the classroom. Young people don't deserve this 😥
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for today..💭
I've stopped flying as it significantly contributes to global heating. If we teach children about the
#ClimateCrisis
then take them on trips by plane is it any wonder there is a level of cognitive dissonance?
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for today..💭
Some books promote such deep respect & fascination for the natural world it is unbelievable they aren't part of school curricula. From KS1 to KS5 we should be sharing ideas from books such as Braiding Sweetgrass & Entangled Life.
Since we moved to a smallholding 8 years ago my daughter has grown into a young woman & the 1000 whips we've planted are growing into trees. We produce much of the food we eat & the energy we use. We consider our carbon budget day in, day out.
It's still a good life.
#IPCC
.
Rosie is trying to answer the question: can models help us understand the weather? She's made an anemometer, weather vane, rain gauge & barometer to observe changes in air pressure 🌦. The project forms part of the work for our
@royalsociety
#PartnershipGrant
& the
@GreatSciShare
I'm having a great day. Our EcoCommittee saved over 100kg of old pens from going to landfill & have won £1000 in the
@TerraCycleUK
Write Away competition! They are adorably altruistic and intend to split it between local charities 😊
Fair travels to London town darling hubby. Stay safe. You are taking peaceful action to protect our children's futures & for the future of human life on 🌍. For richer, for poorer. For better, for worse. In sickness & in health. I will 💚 you till the end.
#ExtinctionRebellion
#EnvironmentalEducation
thought for today...💭
Cross-curricular planning for sustainability is essential. Today our subject leaders for science & geography outlined a new Year 8 Sustainable Futures topic linking Water, Food & Shelter (aka 'Living in the Doughnut').
So proud of hubster. People learn 70% of their knowledge* from challenging experiences, just doing stuff. Today he made a raised willow bed for strawbs using materials available on site. Free, organic, zero pollution & fab for mental health. The next one will be even better 💚🍓
@NEUnion
Hands, Face, Space?
There's no space in a class of 31. Pupils are not wearing masks and there are not enough sinks wash hands effectively.
Elsewhere around the world pupils are on rotas, wearing masks and getting tested. It's not perfect but its an improvement on where we're at.
I'm delighted to announce my new HT has a very green heart. She is determined to transform us into a
#SustainableSchool
. Four weeks in and she has already started to plan & implement a strategy for the whole school and
#BeTheChange
.
#TeachSDGs
,
#AchieveSDGs
#Busy
💚🌍
My life changed dramatically 8 years ago. I was teaching full time when I received a Stage 3 cancer diagnosis. I had a year out for treatment which gave me time to reflect on my teaching.
The same year, alongside 195 countries, the UK negotiated & secured the
#ParisAgreement
. 1/4
We rely on pollinators to feed the 7.7 billion people on earth.
No pollinators = Mass starvation
#Pesticides
and
#ClimateChange
are two major causes of insect decline.
We need to act. Now.
#ExtinctionRebellion
🐝🐜🐛🐞🐜🐝🐞🐝🐜🐞🐝
It's okay kids, in England you're going to have much more access to chess clubs in school! And lots more maths up to when you're 18 years old too. Obvs don't worry about the
#ClimateCrisis
it's all going to be fine...
Greenock, Scotland. Remember none of this is a major problem according to our politicians. We’ll all pretend it’s fine despite the fact it’s just the beginning - and governments plan to make it worse for another 30 years
Two news articles about me in as many days. Who says teaching isn't rock & roll 😎
NB Might have something to do with my passion for
#ClimateInEducation
😉
It's my birthday 🎉
Here's a picture of me aged 4 taken 50 years ago. Even today, I'm thinking about the
#ClimateCrisis
& how different the world will be for a 4 year old today. Preparing them for the future is the reason I'm so passionate about
#EnvironmentalEducation
.
The solar panels on our home are generating 300W of electricity right now. We aren't using all the energy generated despite running a ground source heat pump. In October, in the northern hemisphere, my house is running at
#NetZero
.
It's not even as difficult as rocket science!
Day 29 of
#30DaysWild
.
I'm in London on a school trip. There are many sights to see but I'll always be surprised by the invasive green parakeets. They are a reminder that our ecology is changing as well as our climate.
A beautifully thoughtful gift from an environmentally-concerned Y8 pupil 🥰
However, I actually read this as "Young people need more teachers who are passionate about climate & sustainability education."
In the whole wide world my garden is the place I am most happy. No carbon footprint. Just me and the butterflies, birds and bees.
🦋🕊🐞🐝🦋🐞🕊🦋😊🐞🐝🦋
#staycation2019
The government have set unfair forms of Voter ID for different age groups. For example 60+ can use an Oyster card but those 18+ can't. Some 6th formers have set up a petition.
Please sign & share 🗳👇🏽
After working in line with the national curriculum for Science with KS2 to KS5 over the past decade I honestly believe that we need a major rethink of education. This is the decade for
#ClimateAction
so let's start and
#TeachTheFuture
.
New cunning plan based on my tweet from yesterday. Apply to go on
#GBBO
& use it as a platform to raise awareness about the climate & ecological crises.
What could possibly go wrong 🤔
Dear
@educationgovuk
, I've just had a parent's evening. I wasn't asked once if a child knew their past participles from their subordinate clauses but almost every parent thanked me for enriching their child's life with
#EnvironmentalEducation
. It's time to green the curriculum 💚
I've been invited to another conference to talk about Greening the Curriculum 🤷🏽♀️
I'm not a curriculum design expert.
I'm not a senior leader.
I'm not anyone.
I'm just a middle school science teacher who wants to prepare her pupils for the future.
Where are the leaders?
I've only been teaching for 13 years. Today I found out on the interschool grapevine that a ppl from my first cohort of Y7s is doing a PGCE because she was inspired by my enthusiasm for science...
I'm extremely concerned by the
#ClimateCrisis
because I listen to experienced scientists. I'd rather understand the most likely scenarios for the future than believe snake oil salesmen or bury my head in the sand. Every fraction of a degree matters. 2/2
Professor Kevin Anderson is addressing all of us in very clear words:
»We are heading towards 3 to 4°C of warming across this century, an absolute climate catastrophe for all species incl our own. And all we are doing so far is giving rhetoric and optimism and greenwash.«
🧵1/8
Stunning courage.
Is this why governments are so slow to promote climate & sustainability education? Once children learn of the huge issues they face they begin to demand
#ClimateAction
as if their lives depend on it (which they do).
Hear the
#YouthVoice
& raise it high 🙌🏾🙌🏼🙌🏽
I just mustered up every ounce of courage to interrupt White House Press Secretary
@K_JeanPierre
and urge the Biden Administration to stop approving new coal, oil, and gas projects.
The climate crisis is here now.
@POTUS
, listen to Gen-Z, scientists, and frontline communities
I've been shortlisted for the award of 'Most Inspirational Secondary School Teacher' at the NE STEM Awards. I have no idea who nominated me but if you see this, thank you 🤗
I teach because I'm passionate about
#EnvironmentalEducation
but it's grand to get a pat on the back!
1 WEEK TO GO until the North East STEM Awards 🎊
We can't wait to find out the award winners and celebrate all the fantastic work of STEM Ambassadors and organisations in the North East! 🎉
#STEM
#awards
39°C is no laughing matter:
💀Causes heatstroke and can kill
🦔Wildlife dies
🌾Harvests are lower
💧Water becomes scarse
🔥Wildfires are more likely
🌩Storms damage property
🏊♂️Increases drowning risk
🚉Buckles rails
@bbcweather
it's a
#ClimateEmergency
please take it seriously.
#ClimateAction
takes time but what a difference 6 years makes!
We've planted 500
@WoodlandTrust
trees on our homestead & today we started removing some of their protective wraps. Some of the saplings have grown over 5m & biosequestered loads of CO₂
Dec 2015.... Today
I truely believe that gardening should be on the curriculum for pupils of all ages.
fresh air ☀️ + exercise 👩🏽🌾 + growing food 🍏 = resilience 💪
Today I took the pupils of
#KeyWorkers
into the school garden. Happy kids 💕 and 🥔🧅🥕🧄🥬 later in the summer
#StaySafe
@RHSSchools
My new EcoCommittee rocks ✊🏽
15 kids who want to make an impact by getting the school & local community to:
🗑 Reduce waste
🦔 Protect biodiversity
🌞 Take
#ClimateAction
🌍 Promote global citizenship
💚 Encourage health & wellbeing