Did you see the pathetic column on LehighValleyLive / Express Times the other day? ['A different approach to cleaner school buses could save Bethlehem Area tax dollars'] It is full of distortions and outright lies, but this is not too surprising coming from a propane-industry trade group. Electric buses are far superior to propane (and natural gas) both from a … [Read more...] about Electric buses far superior to propane or natural gas
Education & Schools
Learning is a natural process that happens in every imaginable setting. Schools are designed, in theory, to promote and enhance learning. Some schools use highly-structured curriculum, while others use a more experiential, democratic, & student-driven approach. In practice, many schools also function to stifle criticism and to instill the values of state policy, religious dogma, or other value systems.
Also, see:
- teach-climate.net for information on how to integrate global warming & climate change into your school!
- resources for better schools & learning
Other school-related topics: Militarism in schools
‘Curriculum Violence’
A reader on our website suggested we mention a recent article that focuses on ways to avoid and address curriculum-related trauma and includes many useful resources for educators. (The term ‘curriculum violence’ is used to call attention to the fact that what schools teach — and fail to teach —as well as how they teach can result in trauma to some children.) ‘How to … [Read more...] about ‘Curriculum Violence’
Beyond Plastics / Back-to-school Guide
BeyondPlastics provides a Plastic-Free Back To School Guide and a variety of other resources, including guides for eliminating single-use plastics in cafés and restaurants and by dry cleaners. For more information, see the BeyondPlastics site — and our own resources on Climate Action Planning and Implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, both of which include information … [Read more...] about Beyond Plastics / Back-to-school Guide
You’ll love the new issue of the Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet!
The new issue of the Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet is loaded with creative writing and art, and a majority of the content comes from students — both high school and college — and young adults here in the Lehigh Valley. You can read it online or download the full PDF edition, which is formatted in two-page spreads so it's similar to reading the printed booklet. Print … [Read more...] about You’ll love the new issue of the Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet!
Connecting the Dots (2)
PBS recently republished a column by Rusul Airubail titled 'Why educators still need to talk about 9/11 — and Islamophobia'. I think this applies equally to adults and is actually very closely related to current experiences of racism and violence. It is still critical to provide safe spaces for children and adults to discuss the wave of Islamophobia that swept the US, with … [Read more...] about Connecting the Dots (2)
Advocating for Change in the Criminal Justice System
This semester, I have done extensive research into the criminal justice system and believe that how the US handles crime and punishment is fundamentally flawed. I am calling for campuses to hold a criminal justice week that will make students more aware of these issues and will involve people of different fields in the conversation. This is too important to leave to … [Read more...] about Advocating for Change in the Criminal Justice System
My Personal Prison Project
I am on a quest to make a change in this world. Inequality, injustice, and inhumanity exist around us, and we need to open our eyes to it. Last year, I joined a club at my university called the Prison Project. Each week I travel to the Northampton County Prison and tutor inmates on a variety of subjects, helping them to prepare for their GED. I love knowledge; I feel that it … [Read more...] about My Personal Prison Project
Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
A recent article by Janice Lee ('What Humanity Can Learn From Plants'), raises this question. It's well worth reading! Lee asks why we value 'scientific' knowledge over all other ways of knowing and points out some other limitations of our ways, such as rendering non-human living beings as 'it', as if they were inanimate objects. She suggests we could learn a lot from trees … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘What could we be learning from others?’
Teaching What’s Right: Teaching Columbus in Schools
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed some inaccuracies in information I learned through my grade school career. One fallacy that was widely accepted and taught was the notion that Christopher Columbus discovered America. It was ingrained into our minds all throughout elementary school. In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But as I’ve gotten older, I know that this fact isn’t … [Read more...] about Teaching What’s Right: Teaching Columbus in Schools
Peter’s blog: ‘Thanksgiving & Colonialism’
Thanksgiving Day seems an appropriate time to post this brief historical note about Colonialism in the United States. I'll start by mentioning that this is the original territory of the Lenape, now known as the Delaware. Like most parts of North America, Pennsylvania & New Jersey were occupied by Indigenous people for thousands of year before the first European settlers … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Thanksgiving & Colonialism’