How to teach children about sustainability

At Swiss International Scientific School Dubai (SISD), we believe you can’t be too young to learn about ways to save the planet. Sustainability is one of the keys focuses at our school.

In this blog, we’ll discuss ways you can teach children about sustainability so they become climate-aware ambassadors for Earth.

1. Have a school focus on sustainability

An easy way to educate your child about sustainability is to ensure they’re learning about it at school. SISD’s Sustainability Coordinator manages the school’s sustainability programme. They ensure we make our students aware of the problems our planet is facing and how to prevent them.

SISD understands the importance of Educating for Sustainability (EfS). Indeed, it involves a deep understanding and awareness of the interconnectedness and dependency of our social, economic, and environmental systems. It’s why we employ a whole-school approach to Educating for Sustainability. So we weave sustainability concepts and key understandings throughout the curriculum and reflect them in our school’s day-to-day practices.

The main objectives of our approach to EfS are to:

• Instil the knowledge, skills, attitudes, attributes, actions and enduring understandings of sustainability practices within the entire school community
• Fully integrate the campus design, daily operations and local community into the curriculum, teaching and learning. (The Ellen McArthur Foundation Circular Economy is used in the IB Curriculum)
• Move SISD towards a Circular Economy model

SISD takes part in the Dubai Can initiative, which aims to reduce single-use plastic water bottle waste in the city of Dubai.

You can gather ideas on getting your students more involved in sustainability at Ashden and the Green Schools Alliance.

2. Bring in outside experts in sustainability

Integrating sustainability into the curriculum and encouraging students to inquire further can build a great foundation. But it can be extremely helpful to bring in subject ‌experts to answer questions and talk to children about more practical aspects of sustainability.

A good example is Green Teacher, a Canadian non-profit organisation. They are dedicated to helping educators both inside and outside of schools to promote environmental awareness among young people.

We recently hosted a beekeeper who came in to talk about the importance of bees to our planet.

3. Celebrate awareness days 

Earth Day on April 22nd is a great opportunity to raise awareness about sustainability in your household, but there are other days that celebrate other aspects of the planet. For example, World Wetlands Day (February 2), World Wildlife Day (March 3), International Day of Forests (March 21), and World Water Day (March 22). Other examples include, World Bee Day (March 20), International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), and World Oceans Day (June 8). There is also International Day of the Tropics (June 29), International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (September 7), and World Habitat Day (October 4), among others.

Some ways you can celebrate Earth Day (or other days) as a family include:

• Hiking or going for a bike ride
• Planting a tree
• Caring for your garden
• Visiting a garden in your city
• Buying produce from a farmers’ market and cooking a meal
• Cleaning up garbage at a nearby park or beach
• Going camping or having an “unplugged” day at home
• Reading environmentally themed books like The Lorax
• Make ‌a list of how your family plans to live more eco-friendly

Recently, SISD celebrated World Planting Day on March 21.

Outside of school, there are many activity guides and citizen science projects available for your children to learn about environmental education. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) in the USA has an environmental education page here, among other resources.

SISD believes social, cultural, economic and environmental awareness is essential. Indeed, it prepares us to play our part in shaping a better future for ourselves and those around us. Our whole-school approach to sustainability is integrated into all facets of school life. And SISD is also a member of the Eco-Schools Programme.

Dubai offers our boarding students an exciting array of options for weekend trips. So far, this academic year, our students have already been on multiple unforgettable trips. They have been to the waterpark at Atlantis, IMG Worlds theme park and Ski Dubai, to name a few. The school offers a busy and diverse calendar, with the opportunity every day to take part in sports and leisure pursuits, from swimming to climbing, football to music. With a rich life inside and outside the school grounds, your children are sure of a fulfilling, exciting and interesting experience.

This article is contributed by Swiss International School Dubai

Students and staff of SISD believe that social, cultural, economic and environmental awareness prepare us to play our part in shaping a better future, both for ourselves and for those around us. The school campus is eco-friendly, winning international acclaim and awards for using less energy to create a comfortable and healthy environment.