A few resources for those with a real interest in education, learning, and schools—but note that these are only a few of the many resources we have! For resources related to teaching sustainability content, see the page for Resources for the Climate & Sustainability in School project.
From a School Centered on Children & Learning — the Prospect School
- The Bigness of Education, by Pat Carini
- The Vermont Design for Education (1968–1971)
- Structure and Space, by Jessica Howard
- Reading, by Jessica Howard
- The Prospect School – Made by Hand
- Play, Experiential Learning, and Literacy In the Kindergarten Classroom, by Jennifer Rea
- Saving Room for the Rose & the Sunflower, by Linda Bean
- Starting Strong, by Patricia Carini – making visible for the reader what schools can be (Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 2001)
- From Another Angle, edited by Margaret Himley & Patricia Carini – the descriptive review children’s strengths and how schools can focus on helping children learn instead of arbitrary ‘standards’ (Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 2000)
Building a Strong Educational System
- What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland’s School Success
- Reading Instruction in Kindergarten — Little to Gain, Much to Lose
- Most Likely to Succeed – Educator Tony Wagner & entrepreneur Ted Dintersmith explain why the current approach to education is doomed to continual failure — and why we need to focus on creativity & innovation. (Simon & Schuster, 2015) Also see the documentary film of the same name.
- The Myth of Public School Failure
- Finland Builds a Strong System
- Finnish Schools – What I Learned
- Environment & Sustainability Educational standards [Washington]
- Stories from the Field – Env. & Sust. Education in Practice
Other Books, Publications, & Links
- Rethinking Schools magazine – highly recommended for teachers & anyone concerned about schools and social justice; most articles are written by teachers
- Dumbing Us Down, by John Taylor Gatto (a classic book — Gatto applies critical thinking to our system of public education)
- Zinn Education Project– Promotes and supports teaching in middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in Howard Zinn’s best-selling book. A couple of samples:
- ‘Hunger-on-trial activity’ – a closer look at the Irish potato famine of 1846 & 1847, with connections to poverty & food insecurity today.
- ‘Teaching the Black Panthers’ Ten Point Program’ – Is it appropriate to teach about the Black Panthers? We have been taught that it was a violent, Black-nationalist group, but we rarely hear of the Black Panthers’ work to improve the welfare of the poor communities they served. If we were developing a ten-point program for today, what would it look like?
- Alternative Education Resource Organization, including the magazine Education Revolution and resources for democratic education, homeschooling/unschooling, alternatives in higher education, public alternative schools, Montessori, and Waldorf
- Yes! Magazine — showcasing positive solutions to the real problems we face
- The Bigger Picture blog by Portland teacher Patrick Walsh
- Deschooling Society, by Ivan Illich
Alfie Kohn on the destructive effect of grades & standardized testing
- From Degrading to De-Grading
- The Value of Negative Learning
- The Trouble With ‘Tougher Standards’
- The Risks of Rewards
- Frustration and Violence
- What Should Parents Do?
Schools should be serving only healthy, sustainably-grown food!
- Rethinking School Lunch Guide
- School Food Changes Everything
- School Food in Appleton, WI -study
- Students Rethink School Food in New Orleans
Also see our page of Sustainable Campus Dining Resources—originally developed by students concerned about college & university campus dining, most of these apply to all institutional food.
Teachers’ Perspectives & teaching activities
- Stories from the Field – Env. & Sust. Education in Practice
- Environment & Food topic at Zinn Education Project
- Educational resources from the Center for Ecoliteracy
- Zinn Education Project– Promotes and supports teachingin middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in Howard Zinn’s best-selling book
- Resources from NASA’s ‘Climate Kids’
For more information or to discuss these or related topics, email Peter Crownfield.
Also see: Resources for the Climate & Sustainability in School project