The EkoSkola

Programme

The EkoSkola

Programme

Fulfilling the 7 Steps

Developing a School Development Plan

AimsWhere do we want to go?

AuditWhere are we now?

PrioritiesWhat do we want to

look at first?

Action plansHow do we get

there?

ImplementationWhat plans are we

putting into practice?

EvaluationHow are we doing?

Source: School Development Planning Guidelines Committee, Malta, 1999

The Seven Steps of the

EkoSkola process

EnvironmentalReview

Action Plan

Monitoring &Evaluation

CurriculumWork

Informing &Involving

Eco Code

Eco Schools Committee

Reluctance to give students an opportunity to participate in decision-making fora

Power structures are reproduced

Obsession with the ‘product’ not the ‘process’

Prefer to work in isolation - limited networking

Main issues

EnvironmentalReview

Action Plan

Monitoring &Evaluation

CurriculumWork

Informing &Involving

Eco Code

Eco Schools Committee

Awards Support

• Low student representation on the committee: children feel intimidated

• Adults run the meeting: token participation

• Students chosen by adults: no democratic process and upholding adult biases

• All students from the final year: problem with continuity

• Students from one class/year: no wide representation of interests

EkoSkola Committee

Environmental Review

• Brainstorming session: good ONLY as an initial step to identify main school concerns

• No grid used: auditing is not systematic

• No results issued: decisions based on hunches and real issues are not addressed

• Results are not communicated: issues are not shared by everyone

Action Plan

• Achievements cannot be monitored because proposed tasks are not specific:

• No deadlines are set: progress is slowed down

• No persons responsible identified: ownership and responsibility of tasks is not clear

• Not communicated to all the school: collective responsibility is low

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Not given priority: EkoSkola process is stalled

• Deadlines are not followed: progress is slowed

• Progress is not communicated: success is not shared, sense of achievement is lost and collective motivation is reduced

• Action plan is not updated: actions are focused on controlling symptoms not eliminating causes

Curriculum Work

• Staff seminars to explore ways how to integrate environmental education in the curriculum

• Environmental education is presented as an extra-curricular activity: process is not valued by the school community

• EkoSkola is presented as an additional chore: becomes an added burden not an opportunity for growth

Informing & Involving

• Missed opportunities for communication:

– no (or static) notice board

– assemblies not used for addressing whole school

– EkoSkola not featured in school’s main calendar events (e.g. prize day, parents’ day)

– no involvement of local council

– no involvement of local businesses

– no networking with other schools

Eco-Code

• Scope of Eco-Code is not understood: presents clichés rather than students’ beliefs and intents

• Given marginalised importance: environmental ethic fails to be integrated in the school ethos

• Compiled by adult: no ownership by school

• Does not reflect Action Plan targets: lack of direction

The Awards

• Anxiety to get the Green Flag: time is needed to establish. School might get flag and lose out in its renewal … with discouraging results

• Process usually takes from 2 – 3 years … depending on the prior values of the school

• No time for assimilation/internalisation of values … achievements are only superficial

The Awards

• 7 steps are seen as stand-alones … no continuity … more effort to maintain and a lot of committee meetings

• Bronze and Silver Awards are not requested: missing out on an opportunity to acknowledge effort through a tangible award

• School forced to participate/get award: EkoSkola is totally voluntary and criterion referenced

Support given

the National EkoSkola Co-ordinator

regional EkoSkola Officers offering:o support re the 7-steps process

o professional development seminars promoting a whole school approach

o SDP planning sessions to introduce ES and/or integrate the Action Plan

nationally based in-service course: “The EkoSkola Programme: a whole school approach to environmental education”

‘Trends’: “Promoting School Development through Environmental Education”

Support given

resource sheets offering support leading schools through the ES process

enviromental education curriculum packs

networking services with local/foreign schools

electronic local EkoSkola newsletter

electronic international bimonthly newsletter: http:// www.eco-schools.org/new/newsletters.html

local website: http://www.ekoskolamalta.com

international website: http:// www.eco-schools.org/