Climate Crisis Curriculum: Holistic Student Education

Seth O’Bryan, grant coordinator, and Dr. Betsy Vinton, curriculum manager and developer, provide a look into the work accomplished so far and the goals ahead.

The Edward E. Ford Foundation seeks to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices.

These outcomes provided the core motivation behind the grant application and the inspiration for faculty to develop a new climate change curriculum. This year, Dr. Vinton (DV) has met individually with each Upper School faculty member to discuss their interests and concerns around climate change and ways they can seamlessly integrate it into their existing curricula. Examples of this intersection between climate and coursework include data analysis and statistics, justice and equity, language and indigenous cultural practices, and the scientific underpinnings of climate change. Based on these conversations, DV and Seth are offering professional development opportunities as part of the Climate Change Summer Institute at Harley that will be held virtually and in person during late June. Speakers will include curriculum specialist Michael Occhino, and former Harley teacher, Dr. Karen Berger, both from the University of Rochester. Additionally, the Harley team is working to develop a “Freshman Experience” curriculum that consists of the basic tenets of climate change, including causes, mitigation, and adaptation strategies. They will discuss climate anxiety as well and what Grade 9 students can expect over the course of their time in our Upper School.

The goal of this curriculum is that every student graduates from Harley with a solid understanding of the interdisciplinary and systems- thinking approach to climate change education with a sense of at least one way they could make a difference. At the same time, we believe students need to see Harley as a role model for addressing sustainability issues as part of its institutional priorities, and to visibly demonstrate this is much more than just a classroom topic. In other words, it is not simply enough for Harley to talk the climate-change talk, we must also be willing to walk the walk. The sustainability committee has been working on a school-wide sustainability plan with three major themes: reducing our carbon footprint, improving our ecological output, and strengthening our sustainable food practices. An ambitious and timely project, it includes a diverse team of stakeholders and educators. 

The grant work will result in a powerful curriculum that can be shared with other schools and communities locally and beyond to expand climate change education across the country.

At the same time, we believe students need to see Harley as a role model for addressing sustainability issues as part of its institutional priorities, and to visibly demonstrate this is much more than just a classroom topic. In other words, it is not simply enough for Harley to talk the climate-change talk, we must also be willing to walk the walk. The sustainability committee has been working on a school-wide sustainability plan with three major themes: reducing our carbon footprint, improving our ecological output, and strengthening our sustainable food practices. An ambitious and timely project, it includes a diverse team of stakeholders and educators.

The grant work will result in a powerful curriculum that can be shared with other schools and communities locally and beyond to expand climate change education across the country.