Green Teens are Taught a Lesson During 'Green Enterprise Week'
London, 21st November 2006: With the nation’s spotlight currently on carbon neutral and environmenta
Green Teens are Taught a Lesson During 'Green Enterprise Week'
London, 21st November 2006: With the nation's spotlight currently on carbon neutral and environmental policies, Ilford Ursuline High School has been raising awareness of global environmental issues amongst its pupils with a 'Green Enterprise Week' (13th-17th November 2006) in partnership with education recruitment specialists Select Education and also the Eden Project.
Ilford Ursuline, a girls' catholic science college in Greater London, entwined the green theme throughout the curriculum in a weeklong event that saw pupils undertaking environmental activities across the syllabus. The highlight of the week was a visit from Eden Project environmental guru, Mark Patterson, who held classes with an ecological twist in the Maths, Business Studies and Science departments.
Activities throughout the school included:
- Making recycled paper in Design Technology
- Discussing a country's ecological issues in modern foreign languages
- Expressing the issues and impact through song and music writing
- Public information sketches in drama and English
- Observing the monitoring of farming methods and their environment impacts
- A fair trade 'tuck-shop' run by sixth form business studies students
- Themed assemblies on recycling and 'going green'
Parents were also encouraged to embrace 'Green Enterprise Week' in an evening lecture from Patterson about the Eden Project's work and how academic subjects can incorporate environmental messages to raise awareness of the global ecological issues.
Claire Cantle, deputy headteacher of Ilford Ursuline High School, commented: 'It is crucial that we create greater awareness of ecological issues amongst the pupils. Through 'Green Enterprise Week' we hoped to broaden their knowledge of global environmental issues and the contributions they can make to build a greener community.
'We felt that the topic would have greater impact by incorporating it throughout the school for the whole week and we'd like to thank Select Education for supporting this initiative with funding to bring Mark to the school.'
Heater Dent, an education consultant at Select Education's Ilford office added: 'Educating what will be such an influential generation on the ecological future of the planet is essential if there is going to be a real impact on the environment. It's been fantastic to be involved in a project that really puts in to action the 'act local, think global' ethos by working together.'
Miss Cantle concludes with the school's 'top tips' on organising an issues themed week with real educational benefit:
- Start planning early! Engage all heads of departments and emphasis the cross curricular theme, providing suitable websites, contacts and resources
- Enlist external agencies and expertise to support your work. This can include support from voluntary foundations or local businesses
- Incorporate competitions and prizes
- Encourage parental involvement and hold events that they can participate in
- Draw attention to the week. Assemblies are invaluable as they allow you to focus on different themes. Post publicity around the school and theme notice and display boards