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DirectoryLiving Schools - Education for Sustainability FeaturedAddress PO Box 1613, Hornsby Westfield, NSW, 1635, Australia Telephone 0439 724 945 E-mail Website  Educational Philosophy A 'living school' demonstrates the new vision for a sustainable culture. All over the world, models of best practice are showing that better alternatives exist and that these alternatives can provide the same, if not better, standard of living without impacting adversely on our ecology or our fellow human beings. These living schools are in community gardens, schools, homes, farms and parks. Many exist in isolation, rarely seen but highly developed and functional. Living schools incorporate appropriate technologies and are designed using the principles of living systems. Living schools acknowledge both the interconnectedness and complexity of current social and environmental problems, and the urgency of creating a new generation of informed and skilled community leaders. They foster a deep understanding of the natural world, grounded in direct experience that leads to sustainable behaviour. Living Schools aims to promote the development of these models and to build the capacity of the organisations and people creating them. Thus, Living Schools educational philosophy is based on four principles: Critical Thinking Critical thinking can be enlightening: the realisation that so many of our ideas and actions spring from assumptions that might be inappropriate opens up pathways for the exploration of new and better ways of living. We must learn to apply this kind of critical thinking to all our actions. We must constantly ask ourselves 'what would happen then?' Consequences are like everything in nature: they are not discrete. The consequences of human actions continue on forever, evolving, giving rise to new actions and consequences and creating entire realities in their wake. True critical thinking is not a skill that is valued in our education system. We are taught to listen, not question. The child who questions the teacher is most often considered impertinent and told to be quiet. He is taught from an early age that it doesn't pay to disagree and this fear of nonconformity has come to dominate our entire society, with devastating results. Questioning your unconscious assumptions is a confronting and difficult process that many people avoid. By placing yourself in an unfamiliar situation, where your expectations are no longer the accepted norm, you force yourself to rethink these assumptions and to see yourself, others and your environment from a different perspective. The extent to which this perspective creates real change in yourself and in the world around you depends on the receptivity you bring to the experience. Action Research Learning Action research learning promotes a process by which people actively participate in events and relationships which affect their lives and better the lives of others. Students learn through the active adaptation of their existing knowledge in response to their experiences with other people and their environment. Action research learning encourages students to investigate their personal learning and development processes. Learning is evolutionary: all actions are followed by reflection on that action and how things might be improved in the future. The Learning Community A learning community is a social ecology with a common goal of expanding collective understanding in a particular area. Members bring with them their diverse experiences and knowledge and, through a sharing of their perspectives, collaborate together in the learning process. In a learning community: 1) Each member is both teacher and student; the structure is not hierarchical 2) The value of each member's unique skills and experience is acknowledged 3) Learning is self-directed and members set their own learning goals 4) Self improvement is emphasised over competition 5) Each member is responsible for their own learning 6) Curriculum is flexible enough to accommodate the interests of the group 7) The individual learning styles of each member are respected 8) Differences of opinion are an opportunity to develop greater understanding 9) There is an atmosphere of respect and trust 10) Constructive feedback is an important aspect of the learning process 11) Learning is an exploration of many viewpoints, not acceptance of one theory 12) Learning is an evolutionary process and takes many forms Learning in this way can be challenging at first because we have been trained to learn primarily in strongly hierarchical and competitive environments. Cooperation and collaborative learning does not come naturally to most westerners, brought up in a culture that emphasises individual achievement over collective well-being. Experiential learning Experiential learning, or learning through doing, allows the development of both skills and knowledge as well as creating a strong bond between the learner and what is learned through the application of creativity and energy to the learning process. Experiential learning retrains fundamental neuromuscular pathways neglected in our sedentary lifestyles and educational models. Experiential learning assists the student to move from immersion in the safety of the learning community to the application of new skills and knowledge within daily life. It can be challenging. Participants must face their fears and assumptions about life, working with others and their own capacity to develop and learn. Schools Do you want to create a school environment that will prepare students to be the future leaders of our community? Do you need assistance to develop a whole-of-school approach to education for sustainability and a comprehensive School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP)? Living Schools' main objective is to facilitate the development of 'learnscape' throughout our community. Learnscapes demonstrate genuine alternatives for sustainability and create opportunities for experiential learning. Children learning and playing in such an environment, an environment built by and belonging to them, will become adults with real skills for sustainable living. Many schools are interested in the school as a learnscape. However, most are at a loss as to how to implement such projects. Living Schools can assist you to plan and design a range of learnscape projects including: 1) Rainwater harvesting systems 2) School and community gardens 3) Bush-tucker trails 4) Herb-spirals and veggie patches 5) Frog ponds, bird and butterfly attracting gardens 6) Worm farms and composting systems 7) Energy and water efficiency Programs are designed to work with the school curriculum, particularly the Human Society and the Environment and Science and Technology strands. Local Government Are you looking for project management that is focused on real sustainability outcomes? In the past, many environment projects implemented by local government were grant funded and short-term. These projects were discrete with desired outcomes easily achievable within an agreed timeframe. With the urgency of climate change and resulting changes to legislation and regulatory requirements, councils have found themselves shouldering much greater responsibility for local sustainability. Solutions are complex, requiring a multi-disciplinary implementation framework, and take into account not just environmental impacts but social and economic aspects as well. Living Schools can assist local government to integrate sustainability through: 1) Hands-on community workshops on all aspects of sustainable living 2) Presentations, forums and photography exhibitions 3) Meaningful community engagement and consultation 4) Capacity building to integrate sustainability into operations and planning 5) Development of community gardens and demonstration sites 6) Implementation of community based action programs 7) Sourcing of funds to implement activities identified in Management Plans, 8) Water and Energy Savings Action Plans and Local Agenda 21 Action Plans 9) Development of resource kits and tools for educators Non Government Organisations Non government organisations are at the forefront of sustainability planning and education, lobbying government for policy changes and working at the grassroots level with community and business. Living Schools can assist NGOs to work more effectively by providing the following services: 1) Organisational strategic planning 2) Hands-on community workshops on all aspects of sustainable living 3) Presentations, community forums and photography exhibitions 4) Meaningful community engagement and consultation 5) Capacity building to integrate sustainability into operations and planning 6) Development of community gardens and demonstration sites 7) Implementation of community based action programs 8) Sourcing of funds 9) Development of resource kits and tools for educators . Living Schools also provides support for international NGOs implementing a wide range of projects aimed at increasing economic, social and ecological sustainability in developing countries, including rainwater harvesting, urban and rural food production, safe greywater reuse and village based economic development. Home Owners Do you want to reduce your ecological footprint? Would you like your home and garden to inspire others to think differently about their lifestyle? Using the principles of Permaculture design, Living Schools offers a full range of services in urban land management planning and design, all aimed at helping you reduce your environmental impact. Services offered include: 1) Rainwater harvesting systems 2) Safe and sustainable greywater reuse systems 3) Home water and energy audits 4) Food productions systems 5) Integrated pest management (IPM) 6) Soil fertility management 7) Native landscaping and bird-scaping Permaculture design and property management planning Living Schools works with you to design a sustainable living solution that's right for your family. We'll help you assess your needs, explain the regulatory requirements, and provide access to contacts and information. At the end of this collaborative process you'll have a comprehensive design for hassle free sustainable living and a management plan for your project that will guide you in its implementation. Courses Living Schools offers a range of courses in sustainable living and Permaculture design. See our website for details. Further Information Details on all our services can be found at www.livingschools.com.au or contact Faith Thomas on 0439 724 945 or email faith@livingschools.com.au to discuss your ideas and to tailor a program to your needs.   |
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