Teachers are trying something new in classrooms at Moncton High in attempts to re-engage high school students and combat a perceived “sharp increase in apathy”.
MTA Professor Mike Fox, also a co-sponsor of RCE Tantramar’s bid to the United Nations University, is an expert in education for sustainable development (ESD) — the idea that students should learn by doing as well as their academic experiences in the classroom, giving them more responsibility for their education by putting it in their hands. Teachers become facilitators, not the traditional dictatorial “god-like” figure, in this model.
Moncton High is the first school in the Maritime region to make ESD a key component of their school’s curriculum. Part of this transition has included implementing a “wellness challenge” to students. This collaboration incorporates a “playtime” session every day for students to work toward one of four pillars that form Moncton High’s understanding of ESD.
The hope is to re-develop a sense of engagement among youth and make them a key part of the solution.
CBC’s podcast is available here:
http://www.cbc.ca/maritimemagazine/mind-the-gap/2012/04/13/knitting-bagged-lunches-and-no-facebook/
rcetantramar.org 