18th July

New teaching toolkit is response to climate crisis

morleycollegelondon

As southern Europe, the US and Asia report near-record temperatures this week, the release this month of a new Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit couldn’t be more timely.

The toolkit has been funded by the Department for Education, and delivered in a partnership led by Morley.

It is designed to help those working in local authorities, colleges, and schools to bring about a transformation in understanding about the situation we face and how to address it.

“A critical role”

“Morley has a critical role to play in addressing the climate crisis,” said Gerald Jones, author of the report’s foreword.

“That’s because of its history of innovation, its awareness at curriculum and strategic level about the climate crisis, and its thought leadership role within London’s lifelong learning sector.”

Talking about immediate next steps, Gerald said: “We need to start to embed education for sustainable development across the curriculum. That could mean 15 minutes in one session at the start of term; or a more sustained programme across multiple sessions.”

And there are significant wider benefits to the individual as they deploy ‘fusion skills’ in the pursuit of finding solutions to climate challenges.

“Transferable fusion skills – including problem-solving and working with others – are fundamental to addressing the climate crisis.

“And its these skills, which Morley tutors deliver really effectively, that are at the heart of what employers are looking for when it comes to addressing issues of sustainability in their own organisations.”