Eco-friendly teaching could have big impact, says academic

Teaching pupils about how to be more environmentally aware could have wide-ranging consequences for the whole community, an academic has suggested.

According to the University of Bath's Professor William Scott, when a teacher conducts lessons about how to be more eco-friendly, children could take their lessons home with them, he stated in the Education Guardian.

These could then be passed on to parents, the wider family and possibly even others in the community.

Consequently, teachers could play a hugely influential role in combating the effects of climate change, he noted.

Referring to research carried out by the University of Bath's Centre for Research in Education and the Environment, Professor Scott said that one-third of the population could be affected by the work of teachers in a year.

"Because of this, teachers could be Britain's most influential force to bring about concrete action on climate change," he added.

The national curriculum should include more of a focus on the environment, Ofsted argued earlier this year.