WHY YOU SHOULD BUILD INCLUSION, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INTO YOUR LESSONS

Guest post by Rae McEntyre, Kentucky Department of Education science consultant and KAEE board member

​Educators, both formal and nonformal, interact with people who may have had vastly different experiences from their own. Experiences influence how we think, what we understand, and how we interact with one another. As learners, we draw upon our experiences as we make sense of the world. As educators, we should focus on recognizing others’ experiences and finding ways to use them to reach all students. Whether you are working in a K-12 classroom or with adults, valuing the insights, perspectives, and experiences that students bring to your lesson will make it more relevant, meaningful, and lasting. How can you do this? Something as simple as asking for elaboration to a response provides you with insight into the student’s thinking. This not only shows the student that you have an interest in them, but also stops you from immediately discounting a response that may have not been what you were looking for. This is especially important when working with those from historically underserved communities. Humans are cultural beings—we all have culture. We have different experiences which are influenced by our home, family life, and our community. The way we speak, how we interact with others, what we value, and even our belief systems make up our individual culture. Get to know and understand the community with which you’re working. Are you new to the community? Ask about community history from colleagues or community leaders. This history, especially long-standing history, can provide you with invaluable insights into the community’s perspective on issues. What are their priorities? What brings them together? What values and beliefs do they share? Remember that no one is the same, even people of the same race, gender identity, socioeconomic group, sexual orientation, or any other metric. The more you can learn about the experiences and values that your students bring with them to the lesson, the better you can help them make sense of the world. ​ Want more on how you can build social justice and equity into your classroom? Check out the many resources on KAEE’s equity and inclusion webpages. ​Like our work in advancing environmental knowledge around the state, this is work that is ever-changing and growing. Please let us know if you have suggested readings, videos, podcasts, and more to add to our collection of resources.

Welcome to our New Board Members

Meg Gravil Dr. Meg Gravil teaches Interdisciplinary Early Childhood (IECE) courses and conducts research in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville. Meg joined U of L faculty in 2019 after completing her PhD in IECE at the University of Kentucky, where she received the Nietzel Distinguished Faculty Award for her dissertation. She has more than 15 years’ experience in early childhood research and evaluation. She served as the Research Manager for the state-wide KIDS Now Evaluation and as Assistant Director of the UK Evaluation Center, housed in the Department of Education Policy and Evaluation. She was also a Graduate Assistant on an IES Goal 5 grant, creating and piloting alternative assessments for students with disabilities in math. Her current research includes collaborative work with staff at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest as the organization designs and constructs their new outdoor playcosystem. As a Kentucky Certified Professional Environmental Educator, Meg is excited to share her enthusiasm for nature-based learning with young children and future teacher educators. Her research interests include using environmental education as part of an integrated curriculum, science education in early childhood classrooms, and nature-based learning.

Maddy Heredia Maddy, the recipient of KAEE's 2020 Rising Star Award for Excellence in Environmental Education, is the first full-time environmental educator in the 40-year history of Kentucky Nature Preserves. In her first year, she initiated new partnerships with natural areas throughout the state for field trips, oversaw new citizen science projects, expanded social media presence, developed interpretive signage, and developed KNP's Kentucky Nature Summit, the largest multi-agency EE event in the agencies history. She is currently Information and Education (I&E) committee chair for the Kentucky Prescribed Fire Council (KPFC).

Dan Pascucci Dan Pascucci is the Family and Youth Program Manager at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky, where he energetically leads school groups and families through experiences that connect them with nature. He is a passionate, award-winning educator who has been involved in EE from New England to Alaska to California to Kentucky. Dan believes that environmental education is an essential element to connect people with themselves and to help people recognize their connections with each other and the planet. Dan enjoys composing and performing educational songs on his mandolin and might teach you a couple of songs if you ask. He is dedicated to making people laugh and think.

Henrietta Sheffel Henrietta was a KAEE Board member from 2012-2019 and served as KAEE treasurer from 2013-2019. She also served as the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society treasurer from June 2018-June 2020. Other associations she has been part of in membership or leadership roles include serving as president of the Quicksand Area Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (October 2013-October 2019); acting president Quicksand Area Ky. Extension Homemakers Association (October 2019-present); secretary of Breathitt Co. KY-ASAP (2011-present); secretary/treasurer for Breathitt UNITE Coalition, Inc. (2011-present); treasurer for Breathitt Co. Extension Homemakers Association (May 2018 - present); secretary/clerk/substitute Sunday School teacher/Kids Klub co-teacher Emmanuel Fellowship of Breathitt County (2002 - present); registrar for NSDAR Hazard chapter (May 2013- present); Regent for NSDAR Hazard chapter (May 2019-present); president of Breathitt County Extension Council (May 2020-present); and treasurer of the Red River Academic League (2000- present).

RICHARDSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NAMED OUTSTANDING PREK-12 SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE IN EE

Richardsville Elementary School in Warren County, Kentucky, has been named KAEE's Outstanding PreK-12 School for Excellence in Environmental Education! The school enables students to learn about energy on a daily basis through features including a "geothermal hallway," a "solar hallway," a "water conservation hallway," an interactive mural explaining how water is used throughout the county, and a "recycling hallway."

With exposed piping, Richardsville Elementary's "geothermal hallway" features a temperature gauge so students can monitor the system's performance. A laptop battery-charging station in the "solar hallway" shows students how energy is received from the school's solar panels. In the "water conservation hallway," students can monitor the amount of collected rainwater, which is used in the school's rain garden. Provided by the Warren County Water District, an interactive mural demonstrates how water is used in Warren County. And the "recycling hallway" allows students to monitor the quantities of materials collected and study how this contributes to the school's global impact.

Richardsville Elementary, a net-zero school, has 2,000 solar panels on the roof and 700 on the parking structure, as well as an electricity grid. It's geothermal (HVAC) heating and cooling system allows for environmentally responsible efficiency. Walls of concrete (ICF)-pre-assembled blocks-steel reinforced, then filled with concrete-make the walls stronger, far more protected from fire, and provide more sound insulation.

To keep the air quality high, the school's ventilation system includes a CO2 monitoring system. The position of the building also helps the school's efficiency; positioning it north-south allows for effective day lighting, so artificial lighting is turned off during 70% of school hours. Computers are wireless laptops and use a fraction of the energy used to run a typical desktop computer.

"At Richardsville Elementary, the administration and the teachers see the school as a building that teaches, and focuses on, sustainability," says retired Western Kentucky University professor Terry Wilson.