The EkoSkola Programme Fulfilling the 7 Steps

Developing a School Development Plan Aims Where do we want to go? Audit Where are we now? Priorities What do we want to look at first? Action plans How do we get there? Implementation What plans are we putting into practice? Evaluation How are we doing? Source: School Development Planning Guidelines Committee, Malta, 1999

The Seven Steps of the EkoSkola process

Environmental Review Action Plan Monitoring & Evaluation Curriculum Work Informing & Involving Eco Code Eco Schools Committee

Reluctance to give students an opportunity to participate in decision- making fora Power structures are reproduced Obsession with the ‘product’ not the ‘process’ Prefer to work in isolation - limited networking Main issues

Environmental Review Action Plan Monitoring & Evaluation Curriculum Work Informing & Involving Eco Code Eco Schools Committee Awards Support

Low student representation on the committee: children feel intimidated Adults run the meeting: token participation Students chosen by adults: no democratic process and upholding adult biases All students from the final year: problem with continuity Students from one class/year: no wide representation of interests EkoSkola Committee

Environmental Review Brainstorming session: good ONLY as an initial step to identify main school concerns No grid used: auditing is not systematic No results issued: decisions based on hunches and real issues are not addressed Results are not communicated: issues are not shared by everyone

Action Plan Achievements cannot be monitored because proposed tasks are not specific: No deadlines are set: progress is slowed down No persons responsible identified: ownership and responsibility of tasks is not clear Not communicated to all the school: collective responsibility is low

Monitoring & Evaluation Not given priority: EkoSkola process is stalled Deadlines are not followed: progress is slowed Progress is not communicated: success is not shared, sense of achievement is lost and collective motivation is reduced Action plan is not updated: actions are focused on controlling symptoms not eliminating causes

Curriculum Work Staff seminars to explore ways how to integrate environmental education in the curriculum Environmental education is presented as an extra-curricular activity: process is not valued by the school community EkoSkola is presented as an additional chore: becomes an added burden not an opportunity for growth

Informing & Involving Missed opportunities for communication: –no (or static) notice board –assemblies not used for addressing whole school –EkoSkola not featured in school’s main calendar events (e.g. prize day, parents’ day) –no involvement of local council –no involvement of local businesses –no networking with other schools

Eco-Code Scope of Eco-Code is not understood: presents clichés rather than students’ beliefs and intents Given marginalised importance: environmental ethic fails to be integrated in the school ethos Compiled by adult: no ownership by school Does not reflect Action Plan targets: lack of direction

The Awards Anxiety to get the Green Flag: time is needed to establish. School might get flag and lose out in its renewal … with discouraging results Process usually takes from 2 – 3 years … depending on the prior values of the school No time for assimilation/internalisation of values … achievements are only superficial

The Awards 7 steps are seen as stand-alones … no continuity … more effort to maintain and a lot of committee meetings Bronze and Silver Awards are not requested: missing out on an opportunity to acknowledge effort through a tangible award School forced to participate/get award: EkoSkola is totally voluntary and criterion referenced

Support given the National EkoSkola Co-ordinator regional EkoSkola Officers offering: osupport re the 7-steps process oprofessional development seminars promoting a whole school approach oSDP planning sessions to introduce ES and/or integrate the Action Plan nationally based in-service course: “The EkoSkola Programme: a whole school approach to environmental education” ‘Trends’: “Promoting School Development through Environmental Education”

Support given resource sheets offering support leading schools through the ES process enviromental education curriculum packs networking services with local/foreign schools electronic local EkoSkola newsletter electronic international bimonthly newsletter: local website: international website: