FOCUS! Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative

The FOCUS! Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative is a 5-day immersive, learning experience involving British Columbia middle school and secondary school teachers (Grades 7-12) who together with resource guests and learning guides will:

  • collaborate to create innovative climate change curricular materials for your classroom / school;
  • become informed and empowered to inspire students, colleagues and local communities to transform climate literacy into action; and,
  • develop a professional learning community to support growth in climate change education.

The FOCUS! Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative was an incredible best professional development opportunity. I feel ready to work with students in my class as well as to work with my colleagues to create multidisciplinary units and school-wide initiatives. I felt empowered from this experience and appreciated how thoughtful the planning was for teachers.  It was time well spent. – Helen Erickson, Smithers Secondary School

Who Can Participate?

British Columbia middle or senior secondary school teacher (Grade 7-12) who are:

  • passionate about educating Grade 7-12 students
  • excited by developing a deeper understanding about climate change and climate action
  • curious about how dynamic educators are engaging their students as learners and leaders
  • willing to take risks in your own practice
  • inspired to learn from a myriad of specialized guests and fellow colleagues
  • concerned about the environmental challenges facing the planet

This program – an intense, professional development opportunity – is exactly what is needed for supporting teachers in gaining the confidence to address this most fundamental problem of our times.  The FOCUS Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative provided an outstanding framework and scope-and-sequence for really digging into the science as well as the cultural/political issues of climate change. I feel prepared to become vocal about climate change in my school, town and district communities. – Monique Richoux, Falkland School

What is the Format?

We will be using a variety of learning and engagement formats during the immersive. These are:

  • Guided Learning: confidence boosting, expanded learning on climate change topics (climate change science, policy & economics, eco-justice) led by resource guests who serve as learning journey guides
  • Curriculum Design Groups: 3-5 person teams working on a single curriculum project throughout the Collaborative.
  • Innovation Spotlights: Presentations by some of Canada’s leading climate change innovators
  • Pedagogical Scaffolding and Classroom Problem Solving: Guided learning and interactive discussions about teaching climate change in the classroom. Topics include combatting eco-anxiety, fostering hope, facilitating difficult dialogue, and moving students from learners to action-takers
  • Interactive Activities: Network-building sessions with climate change learning activities that can be adapted for classroom use

The FOCUS! Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative was an invaluable opportunity to meet and work with like-minded educators and innovators to plan and execute real change for our planet through our students. – Karla Lockwood, Ecole KLO Middle School

What / Who are Resource Guests / Learning Guides?

Resource Guests are climate change scholars, indigenous knowledge holders, innovators, or action leaders, and are fundamental to the success of our initiative. Resource Guests are the individuals who define and shape participants’ knowledge acquisition, spark topic curiosity, and stimulate highly interactive discussions to deepen climate change understanding: they are learning journey guides.

We have an amazing line-up of Resource Guests participating in this endeavour and express our sincere gratitude to all for sharing their knowledge and leading our collective learning journeys.

Any Questions?

If you have any other questions, please direct them to Ms. Sue Roppel, President, Kimberley Foundation, at info@kimberley-foundation.org.   We thank you for your interest in the FOCUS! Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative.

The FOCUS! Collaborative for educators is very well-designed and supported with excellent resources. Everything about the program content was authoritative, interesting, and relevant.  I think the FOCUS Teacher’s Climate Change Collaborative has something to offer all teachers who want to meaningfully address the climate crisis with their students. I strongly recommend this program to any educator who wants to transform and reinvigorate their teaching around the climate crisis. – Theo Wyne, Richmond Secondary School

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