Sustainable Schools Network - Katie Norman

Educating our children and making them aware of how to live their lives sustainably is no mean feat. In this episode, I speak with Katie Norman about her business called the Sustainable Schools Network (SSN).
Katie is the chief steward for the organisation that has been in operation for almost two years. The SSN philosophy on Education for Sustainability (EfS) is to engage in an ongoing reciprocal dialogue that explores playful possibilities in our collective educational spaces. As much as this is an inward, and at times, personal journey for us all, it is very much about creating a shared path and a shared vision that engages curiosity, critical thinking and creative expression. Although they started this organisation with a focus on sustainability, the more they lived the experience of sustainability, the more they realised that sustainability is about learning.

In this interview, we discuss how:

• the Sustainable Schools Network came about
• sustainability requires a whole-of-school approach that involves everyone from the kids to the teachers, school staff and parents
• the journal that they produce quarterly to educate students on a wide array of subjects around sustainability is becoming a great success and a useful tool
• this program is available to all schools throughout Australia
• children can influence change, not just for themselves, but for the people around them, including their parents
• schools that engage with this program and educate children about sustainability has a ripple effect, with 9,100 schools throughout Australia using it, shaping our future leaders
• change starts with us as individuals
• sustainability wasn't included in curriculum for student teachers as part of their core subjects.

I really enjoyed this interview with Katie and am sure that you will too.
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