Description

Teachers and community leaders from across the PSESD region will come together for this 3-part workshop series to learn about local climate issues. You will engage in community-centered learning and work with a team of educators from the UW to co-create classroom materials that will support youth in learning about community climate problems and taking local action. Teachers will leave with new community and UW partners, personalized lesson plans, professional development around Anti-racist and Anti-colonial pedagogies, and materials to use in the spring with their students. Learning is both personalized and community-grounded.

Course Objectives

• Learn about climate and environmental justice issues within the school neighborhood and community—including both the social and scientific connections.
• Learn how to better partner with community leaders and organizations to weave hyperlocal and current issues back into the classroom.
• Explore and learn to apply tools and processes for designing climate justice learning activities that are woven into more traditional curriculum.
• Come to know and support STEM careers and engagement pathways related to the community climate and environmental justice issues learned about.
• Design learning that expands out into the school community and takes climate action.

Course Schedule

2/11/2025 4:30pm - 6:30pm

2/15/2025 8:30-3:30pm

2/25/2025 4:30-6:30pm 

For a total of up to 11 clock hours, each student will have the choice of how to allot their clock hours according to the following:

• Up to 11 Equity Clock hours
• Up to 11 STEM Clock hours

Professional Learning Standards

National Board Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)

• Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students
• Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience
• Teachers are members of learning communities

Cultural Competency, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Standards (CCDEI)

• Responsiveness: Educators employ the principles of cultural competence, diversity, equity, and inclusion to build connections with students, families, and other educators. Educators respond to others in ways that are asset-focused and flexible, changing their approach as the need arises. These are the roots of cultural competence and humility.
• Relationships: Educators form authentic relationships by understanding self, others, and the interactions between the two. Educators adapt their approaches to making connections based on continual reflection of their own identities, perspectives, and socialization. Interactions with others are grounded in respect and trust.
• Service: Educators serve and care for students, families, and communities by centering their voices, building on their experiences, and understanding their needs and strengths. Educators balance competing interests and mitigate challenges by practicing restorative justice, civil discourse, social-emotional intelligence, self-reflection, and facilitating courageous conversations centering on complex issues of educational justice and systemic inequities.
• Commitment: Educators understand the history of U.S. schooling and the ways in which it has been used historically, and in present times, to maintain an unequal social order. Educators consistently work to improve the education system for historically underserved students, families, and communities.
• Advocacy: Educators act for a more just education system and for the common good of all. Educators aim to identify and change policies and practices that harm students, families, and communities (e.g. zero- tolerance policies, punitive classroom management practices, disproportionality in discipline, etc.). This includes empowering the voices of students, families, and educators to collectively address inequity and restore peace in the learning community while advocating for change.

Career & Technical Education Standards for Teachers

• Pedagogical knowledge for career and technical education teacher candidates
• Content knowledge for career and technical education teacher candidates
• Knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals
• Instructional strategies and applications
• Knowledge of learners and their development in social contexts

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards

• Social Engagement: – Individual has the ability to consider others and show a desire to contribute to the well-being of school and community.