Sustainability Education Services

Once a teacher…

Once you’ve been a teacher, you understand how much is on the line everyday when students walk through the door. From setting a standard of affirming handshakes to every 8th grade student to leading virtual classes with adult Ed.D students who were teachers themselves, I take each session of each class seriously while still sharing the fun of mutual learning. You also learn how much the education system often does not work in the interest of learners, even though there are so many people working hard for students.

I’ve now enjoyed a career of teaching every year since 2008, either full-time in a secondary setting, or as an adjunct associate instructor for undergraduate or graduate students. But I’ve been frustrated by the antiquated linear design of education, preparing students for a world that existed two generations ago. That is why my Ph.D in Sustainability Education and postdoctoral work explored how to apply systems thinking and dynamics to educational design for sustainability outcomes, what I believe to be the challenge of the day we must ready our students and future citizens.

To help individuals, teachers, institutions and organizations better prepare their people for increasing uncertainty when approaching sustainability’s wicked problems, I am making myself available to the services on the right. Click a header to see my previous work. I aim to foster resiliency, resourcefulness and critical thinking for all learners in all settings.

Curriculum and program design and development

I have designed several sustainability programs and developed countless elements of sustainability curriculum. My focus is on the development of sustainability competencies, paying attention to a learner’s skill-set and dispositions to enacting sustainability knowledge. My work has been with secondary, undergraduate, graduate, early and mid-career professionals.

Thought leadership and co-authorship.

I’ve learned a lot from teaching sustainability, and how traditional education doesn’t help it. My research and writing has focused on using systems thinking, resilience, media and critical pedagogy in education re-design, not reform. I invite co-authorship opportunities for both peer-reviewed and popular publication to challenge norms and offer solutions.

Speaking and teaching.

I’ve taught every grade level from 6th to doctorate, Title-1 K-12 to large university and community college. Subjects include energy, climate change, systems thinking, biology, curriculum design and most recently circular economy. I welcome opportunity to teach in an adjunct or associate capacity when available or even guest speak/lecture on a topic of interest.