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By Racquel Palmese

With the U.S. facing economic and environmental challenges, teachers are increasingly eager to find ways to give their students the keys, not only to meaningful careers, but to lives of environmental stewardship in which considerations of sustainability influence job selection, consumption choices, and lifestyle habits.

At the first-ever Green Technology “Pathways to the Future” Teacher Institute, held at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, educators and curriculum specialists joined professionals in green businesses to talk about the real world of green industries and to explore how to structure school curricula that inspire students to embrace a sustainable future and green jobs.

“Participants told us that this was the first time all these stakeholders had been brought together,” said Dave Hendry, director of Teacher Institutes for Green Technology. “We felt they should all be at the table if we really wanted to help teachers prepare their students for life in a green economy – whether as innovators, in the workforce, or as consumers of sustainable products.”

Each day of the two-day Institute was divided into two parts. Following a morning general session, breakout sessions featured panel presentations by professionals from an array of green technology companies, whose products ranged from electric cars to solar panels. Company representatives spoke to teachers about their jobs, and about present and future trends in their industries.

Among the panelists was Jim Parks, program manager for Energy Efficiency and Customer Research and Development at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Parks addressed electric transportation—plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles and their impact on his company.  “It’s important to reach out to teachers because the changes we’re talking about now will take a generation, and teachers need to understand this so they can reach out to their students. We must change the way students think by making them aware of these issues. They are the future.”

Kim Matsoukis, Sustainability manager, for Bentley Prince Street, Inc. also spoke. Her company, which manufactures sustainable carpet, has made a commitment to eliminate any negative impact it might have on the environment by the year 2020.

“I wanted to explain what I do for the company and what kind of skills and knowledge someone needs to get a position as head of sustainability,” she said. “It’s a new job title and not a lot of people understand what it means. It’s only going to get more important, so teachers need to know how to prepare their students.”

“Right now, when you say green jobs it sounds so nebulous,” said Matsoukis. “I tried to give them concrete examples of what I do and the skills someone would need to do it successfully. Teachers were engaged and really appreciated hearing about it. They all want to prepare their students.”

“I really enjoyed the industry speakers,” said Valerie Arkle, a teacher from Thousand Oaks High School. “They gave some very useful information about the skills they’re looking for in students. We’re looking to give students the possibility for entering into a green career, so it was useful to see what industry is doing to be as green as possible--and how we can facilitate that.” 

Chelsea Crawford, a high school teacher, was interested in getting the perspective of industry people on the green economy. “I teach an AP environmental science class and have attended a lot of curricular workshops,” she said, “but nothing where I can gain that kind of knowledge.”

“I appreciated being exposed to cutting-edge design and engineering and the solving of real-world infrastructure problems in green ways,” she said. “It was very eye-opening to learn what kinds of industries and jobs are out there, and to get up-to-date knowledge on projects and companies such as Project Frog and the Living Wall company."

Creating Real World-Based Green Curriculum

During the Institute’s afternoon sessions, curriculum developers presented teaching and learning resources related to the green business applications discussed in the morning.

Attendees included classroom teachers, district, county, and state-level administrators, and representatives of a variety of educational organizations; many were just beginning to create green projects and lessons in their schools and found the sessions to be an invaluable step in the right direction.

“I loved the idea of bringing a garden into my school, since that’s something I can work with,” said Michelle Lucich, a science teacher at East Nicolaus Joint Union High School. “We’re actually getting that implemented this year as part of my curriculum.”

“It was great to see how Environmental Charter High School was able to build an entire school around these green ideas and work them into all aspects of the curriculum,” said Lucich. “It was also nice to hear everybody talking and know that I’m not alone in thinking that this is a shift that needs to happen.”

Keynotes: Interfacing with Leaders

It’s rare for teachers, who spend most of their time in the classroom, to have opportunities to interface with leaders in government and in the private sector. During general sessions, the Institute also provided that opportunity.

On day one, Marty Keller, director of the office of the small business advocate in the Governor’s Office of Planning & Research, and a member of the newly-formed California Green Collar Jobs Council, addressed the ways that teachers can help foster an environment where the green economy can grow quickly. Following him, Sarah Laimon, founder of the Green Ambassadors Program at the Environmental Charter High School, offered inspiring examples of the ways that students can become advocates for the implementation of sustainable practices and have a positive impact on their communities.

Gillian Christie, founder and CEO of Christie Communications, green product marketing specialists, was the keynote speaker on the second day of the Institute. Armed with a host of new green products, she spoke about career opportunities and product ideas related to the green marketplace.

“Her message was very upbeat and hopeful,” said Norm Hieger, a science teacher at Edison High School. “She was just full of ideas on green thinking. I was talking with somebody about carpeting, since I’m replacing my own, wondering if I could do anything with it besides just throw it in a landfill. Christie came up to us and said, ‘you know, you can reuse it at least once more.’ She said I might be able to bring it to an animal shelter and have it used for padding. She was just full of ideas.”

The general session on this day also include a panel of speakers representing some of California’s leading edge environmental education programs: the Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale, CA; Santa Monica High School; Will Rogers Middle School, Fair Oaks, CA and Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy.

Teachers, the Most Valuable Resource

Among the curriculum workshop leaders was Barry Scott, coordinator for the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. Scott discussed the strategy of promoting an energy-conscious and educated society by creating networks of students and educators, businesses, government and community organizations.

 “In California, where there are thousands of schools and districts, the challenge is to find those individuals who are willing and interested in taking the students and the school in a green direction,” he said. “They are the most valuable resource.”

“The green schools event is a great example of a place to find these individuals,” Scott said. “Having been to several Green Technology events, I’m happy with the results – this was the first of its kind.”

More Pathways to Come

The next Green Pathways Institute will be held in Pasadena in December, in conjunction with the 2009 Green California Schools Summit. For details on this event, click here.

“In an area that is growing as rapidly as green technology, it’s especially important that we give teachers opportunities to interact directly with the innovators and organizations that are on the leading edge,” said Hendry.

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