Through school
ecologising schooling
pp. 153-171
in: Brian Wattchow, Ruth Jeanes, Laura Alfrey, Trent BROWN (eds), The socioecological educator, Berlin, Springer, 2014Abstract
Drawing on two auto-ethnographic narratives, this chapter ponders and considers the environmental education dimension of the socio-ecological educator's role. Carol's contribution provides examples of a socio-ecological approach that she has witnessed at a small, independent Canadian school. She begins with a brief summary of her own history and a short explanation of some of the multiple identities that have influenced her being, knowing and becoming as a socio-ecological educator. Amy's contribution draws on her research and practice as a socio-ecological educator in a school-community context. The community that Amy teaches in is her classroom and in this chapter she draws on one specific example in teaching pre-service teachers to be, know and become socio-ecological educators. She begins with a brief summary of her own history and the various identities that influenced her development as a socio-ecological educator. The chapter is foregrounded by acknowledging that it is situated within our own theories and experiences as researchers, educators, environmentalists, parents and indeed as human beings/citizens. While we share our stories here, we do so as a pathway or guise for readers to ask their own questions about what environmental education is and in particular its' positioning within the dynamic role of the socio-ecological educator.