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Exploring New Frontiers in Environmental Education: Birkbeck’s Collaboration with the David Ross Education Trust

Birkbeck’s Environmental Education Team partnered with the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) to deliver a series of innovative workshops aimed at integrating environmental perspectives into English literature teaching. These sessions, co-ordinated with input from Dr. Anna Hartnell, emphasized creative and interdisciplinary approaches, showcasing how literature can help teachers and students engage with pressing ecological challenges.

The Project

Dr. Steve Willey, Co-Academic Director of Environmental Education Projects at Birkbeck, facilitated two workshops for DRET subject leaders, supported by Joanne McCluskie, Trust-Wide Subject Lead for English at DRET. These sessions were part of the DRET-Birkbeck English Association Hub initiative, led by Dr. Rebecca Fisher, CEO of the English Association. The workshops provided practical tools for teachers to incorporate environmental themes into their teaching, particularly through the lens of literature and poetry.

Session Highlights

Eco-Criticism and Environmental Storytelling

The first session introduced participants to eco-criticism and environmental storytelling, encouraging teachers to explore how themes like the Anthropocene and ecological resilience could be integrated into their existing literature curricula.

  • Activities: participants engaged with flash fiction and short-form storytelling to reflect on environmental issues and explore ways of encouraging their students to do the same. 
  • Discussion: teachers reflected on how literature could act as a vehicle for environmental awareness and foster creative thinking among students. 

The Sonnet Form and Creative Pedagogy

The second session centered on the sonnet form as a tool for both creative expression and critical engagement. While the broader focus was on the sonnet as a literary form, environmental perspectives were incorporated through an exploration of Bob Cobbing’s experimental poem Sunnet.

  • Activities: teachers analysed traditional sonnets like Shakespeare's Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? alongside contemporary examples, considering how form and content interact to convey themes, including ecological concerns.
  • Practical outcomes: teachers explored how the sonnet’s structure could inspire students to engage creatively with both literary and contemporary issues.

Key contributions from partners

  • Joanne McCluskie, as the Trust-Wide Subject Lead, provided invaluable support in coordinating participation and offering feedback from DRET schools. Joanne highlighted the importance of practical outcomes, including developing poetry manifestos for teaching.
  • Dr. Rebecca Fisher, CEO of the English Association, helped establish the Hub and provided strategic support for the workshops, emphasizing the need for creative approaches to enrich professional development for teachers.
  • Dr. Anna Hartnell played a crucial role in facilitating communication between Birkbeck, DRET, and the English Association, ensuring the workshops aligned with the schools’ needs.

Outcomes

The workshops were met with enthusiasm, with feedback from participants underscoring their inspirational and practical value:

  • Curriculum Enrichment: Teachers felt more confident in integrating environmental and creative perspectives into their lessons, with plans to use sonnets and storytelling to encourage critical thinking and creative engagement.
  • Collaborative Development: DRET schools initiated a project to create poetry manifestos, embedding environmental themes into their teaching practices.
  • Future Opportunities: There is significant interest in further workshops, including sessions focused on creative writing techniques and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental issues.

Supporting Materials

Dr. Willey’s presentations provided teachers with innovative approaches to teaching poetry, emphasizing connections between literary forms and contemporary issues. Teachers were inspired by the use of creative methods to address both pedagogical and ecological challenges.

Conclusion

This collaboration between Birkbeck, DRET, and the English Association highlights the potential of cross-disciplinary partnerships to enrich educational practice. By equipping teachers with creative tools and innovative methods, Birkbeck’s Environmental Education Team continues to champion impactful approaches to learning, blending literary creativity with environmental awareness.

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