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The EkoSkola Programme

The EkoSkola Programme. Fulfilling the 7 Steps. Audit Where are we now?. Evaluation How are we doing?. Priorities What do we want to look at first?. Implementation What plans are we putting into practice?. Action plans How do we get there?. D evelo ping a School Development Plan.

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The EkoSkola Programme

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  1. The EkoSkola Programme Fulfilling the 7 Steps

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

  3. The Seven Steps of the EkoSkola process

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

  5. Main issues • 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

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

  7. EkoSkola Committee • 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Eco-Code • Scope of Eco-Code is not understood: presentsclichés 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. Support given • the National EkoSkola Co-ordinator • regional EkoSkola Officers offering: • support re the 7-steps process • professional development seminars promoting a whole school approach • SDP 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”

  17. 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: http:// www.eco-schools.org/new/newsletters.html • local website: http://www.ekoskolamalta.com • international website: http:// www.eco-schools.org/

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