Academics from Mary Immaculate College (MIC) Faculty of Education have published a book which is intended to teach climate change and instill in children the love of place, nature and geographical adventures.
The book, titled ‘Teaching Climate Change in Primary Schools: An Interdisciplinary Approach’, provides an overview of climate change and highlights the importance of including climate change education in primary schools.
The book— which was informed by up-to-date research— helps teachers remain faithful to climate change science while providing in-depth assistance for teaching children from three to 13 years of age.
Accompanied by online resources, it includes practical and easy to follow ideas and lesson plans that will help teachers to include climate change education in their classrooms in a holistic, cross-curricular manner.
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Speaking at the launch of the teaching resource, leading Irish environmentalist and media personality, Duncan Stewart said that beyond empowering the young generation in Ireland, Europe and globally, the book will also influence, inspire and motivate their parents and neighbours in real and effective actions to rapidly reduce Green House Gas emissions.
“To build resilience, so they have the capacity and know-how to transform their behaviour and to cope and adapt to its ever-increasing consequences,” he said.
In the book’s foreword, writer and former President, Mary Robinson stated that climate change is possibly the single most important issue facing humanity.
She explained that while environmental education has featured on the margins of the curriculum for many years, it remains under-resourced and low on the list of educational priorities.
“The need for climate change education with a clear focus on climate justice is now absolutely essential,” she said. “In their mission to help student teachers teach about climate change, MIC academics have pooled their expertise in this publication”.
Known as the College of Education and Liberal Arts, and founded in 1898, the University level College of Education and the Liberal Arts is academically linked with the University of Limerick, Ireland.
Story was adapted from Limerick Post.
