Maddy Pietras

@CourtDonaldson No problem! We are so lucky to have so many fantastic resources at our fingertips.

@MaddyPietras Wow, that's a great resource! Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely be incorporating that into student learning to promote sustainability further.

This is incredible! A truly amazing way to educate our students on sustainable consumption and production patterns #SDG12. What are some activities that you have or will implement within the school to promote sustainability? #UoNTeach #EDUC4750

@CourtDonaldson What a great list! You could encourage students to make their own list and share with family and friends.

If you were feeling stuck on where to start reducing consumption, here are some great tips. Small steps towards a big goal! So many things that we can be sure to do at home and at school. #EDUC4750 #UoNTeach #SDG12

@CourtDonaldson This type of project-based learning has so many benefits - collaboration, increased engagement, problem-solving etc. What a wonderful idea!

What a great way to get children involved in hands on learning about responsible consumption and production #SDG12, as well as zero hunger and good health and well-being. A great opportunity for a school project. #UoNTeach #EDUC4750

@CourtDonaldson What a great way to increase student engagement and interest!!

@MaddyPietras I find it great that it allows students to be a part of the decision making process when it comes to determining the sustainability challenges within the school.

RECYKOOL is an innovative program that provides the information & resources that will help you lead students in determining the challenges at your school and provide you the tools & initiatives to improve and overcome these. #UonTeach #EDUC4750 #SDG12 cleanup.org.au/recykool

@CourtDonaldson These workshops sound great! I will definitely be saving this for future teaching and learning.

This is such a great and engaging way for students to learn about #SDG12 through community collaboration and hands on activities that link to real-world experiences. #UoNTeach #EDUC4750

@CourtDonaldson Getting students to use the @SustDev’s ‘SDG’s in Action’ app could be a great way to promote sustainability! Students could create goals and invite their peers to join them in achieving these goals - all through the app! It’s an incredible ICT resource for the classroom.

@missbecpowell Thanks for sharing your experiences! I agree, the space must be used appropriately. Similar to an indoor learning environment, an outdoor space should be safe and organized and include planned activities as well as free time.

@MaddyPietras I have seen outdoor learning spaces used effectively in schools. When used appropriately they are effective in supporting the lesson and behaviour of the students.

Studies reveal a link between participation in outdoor activities and significant improvements in mental, psychological and emotional wellbeing in children. Does your school have an outdoor learning space? What are your experiences/thoughts? #educ4750 #UoNTeach #SDG3

@missbecpowell Yes, most definitely! It has forced me to think deeply about the ways in which we can engage students with real-world problems. It has opened my eyes to an exciting, engaging and beneficial type of teaching and learning.

@MaddyPietras The benefits of project-based learning seem never ending. Have you enjoyed the process of designing a school/community project?

In today’s classrooms, students need more than academic knowledge to thrive. As a result, teachers are tasked with teaching 21st century skills. #PBL invites students to solve real-world issues while developing these skills alongside academic content. #4Cs #UoNTeach #educ4750

@missbecpowell In the current climate, staff shortages could be a major factor restricting schools from incorporating extra-curricular programs such as these. Possibly an overcrowded curriculum and increased academic demands too? Schools may prefer to put resources into other 'academic' areas.

@MaddyPietras This sounds like a fantastic idea! What do you think is stopping schools from incorporating programs like this?

This is a fantastic way to encourage children to be physically active! And what a great way to start the school day, as exercise has shown to improve concentration, memory, and classroom behaviour! #UoNTeach #educ4750 #SG3

@CourtDonaldson Definitely! How interesting that the school featured in the article created a digital system to support the space. The system allows students to identify & rate the intensity of their feelings when entering & exiting the room. What a great way to monitor student wellbeing!

@MaddyPietras Thanks for sharing. Providing students with a safe space to regulate emotions and practice mindfulness is super important!

Spaces are often defined by the activities we do in them. As such, we might find it more difficult to practice mindfulness in spaces associated with activity & energy. This is why I believe it is important to have spaces dedicated to mindfulness activities. #educ4750 #SDG3

@CourtDonaldson My unit of work will focus on the development of collaboration, self-regulation and innovation/problem solving skills. Students will be learning about practices/strategies/tools that support wellbeing and use this to collaboratively create a space that nurtures wellbeing.

@MaddyPietras Learning to collaborate effectively is a valuable skill, especially for 21st century learners. Will you be promoting collaboration in your unit of work?

A great example of the benefits of integrating #SDGs into the classroom. Project-based learning supports collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity & problem solving - skills needed for success in the 21st century. #UoNTeach #educ4750

@ThinkIncIusion Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I completely agree, teachers and students can gain so much from our local knowledge/resources.

@MaddyPietras Definitely! Accomodating knowledge from the local community will only expand my pedagogical knowledge, allowing me to grow as a teacher. When I benefit from the local community, the students will benefit too!

A study involving community-based pedagogies found that teachers were surprised at the resources they found in their local community & how easily they aligned with content strands. Will you be taking advantage of local knowledge to support your next topic? #educ4750 #UoNTeach

@ThinkIncIusion No problem! They are excellent books, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did. Thank you for sharing, I will have to add it to my resource list!

@MaddyPietras Thanks for sharing @MaddyPietras! I’ve read Josh and Christi Straub’s ‘What Am I Feeling?’ before and found it to be an excellent way to help the reader understand their feelings. I will have to check out the other three books you recommended!

Literature can be used across the curriculum. Cross-curricular learning allows students to develop knowledge, understanding and skills through a study of interconnected topics. These engaging children’s books can be used to explore health & wellbeing. #educ4750 #UoNTeach #SDG3

@LordElke Yes, such an engaging platform to show student learning!

@MaddyPietras So fun and hands on! Will definitely be saving this one away for our future students.

Creating a class podcast is an excellent way to incorporate #ICT into the classroom. Teachers can use ICT to create engaging, authentic & meaningful assessment opportunities. Would your students rather write a response or record a thoughtful podcast? 💭 #UoNTeach #educ4750

@CourtDonaldson Definitely! Expanding on this, teachers could also use produce from the garden for whole-class cooking. This could expose students to a range of vegetables they may not eat at home.

@MaddyPietras Building and maintaining a whole-school vegetable garden is another great initiative to encourage and support vegetable consumption.

Did you know only 5% of NSW children eat enough vegetables? ‘The Big Vegie Crunch’ is an attempt by NSW primary school students to break the record for the highest number of kids eating vegetables simultaneously – & to get kids excited about vegetables! #educ4750 #UoNTeach #SDG3

@calrowston Great point! I couldn't agree more.

@MaddyPietras I think it also allows students to see the relevance in what they are learning and make meaningful connections.

“Solving problems in meaningful contexts [helps] students to develop problem-solving skills” (Doecke & Marie, 2019) Place-based learning provides engaging & authentic opportunities to teach our students 21st century skills. #educ4750 #UoNTeach

@CourtDonaldson Yes, the students will be required to work together to create a space within their school that nurtures health and wellbeing.

@MaddyPietras Learning to collaborate effectively is a valuable skill, especially for 21st century learners. Will you be promoting collaboration in your unit of work?

Collaboration between students involves two or more students interacting together to complete a task. It requires students to listen, question and negotiate. #UoNTeach #educ4750

@CourtDonaldson What a fantastic way to encourage lifelong habits. Doing these things at school will teach positive habits which students can transfer to their home life.

This is a great example of working towards multiple of the sustainable development goals. The students have been involved in cleaning up waste, caring for their gardens and having a waste free lunch. #educ4750 #UoNTeach #SDG12 #sustainability

@CourtDonaldson @howell_jemma Literature is a powerful tool for teaching and learning! These look like fabulous resources.

This is a great resource for texts that link to plastic pollution. Thanks for sharing @howell_jemma #UoNTeach #EDUC4750