Why are we still not listening to Generation Tomorrow?

It is no secret that Climate Change is the biggest threat to our planet in modern times.

The irony of this colossal problem, is that more than likely it will not be the “adults” of this generation that will suffer the worst effects and consequences, of the current broken systems for safeguarding our planet. It is in fact, Generation Tomorrow that will have to deal with this devastation.

Even armed with this knowledge, we are still choosing to rest on our laurels and remain permanently stuck in our old ways of thinking about our educational system.

We continue to work and push the agenda of the old frameworks of recognition and accreditation for our students. We continue to provide linear learning from teacher to student even while knowing that this is not what the teachers and students want.

Last month I had the privilege to connect with Kirsty Knowles, a visionary, dynamic and astute education leader based in the UK. Kirsty has written an Education piece titled “The 3R’s are just not Sustainable” . In her article Kirsty states;

“Not only does the teaching profession need to be more sustainable but also our vision, curricula and pedagogy for affording our students a real purpose for learning and fostering immersion. Children in primary settings are already generating creative ideas and demonstrating active interest in helping adults ensure they grow up in a world that is protecting their future, and adolescence is the pivotal time for developing their “executive function skills” (developingchild.harvard.edu, 2012)”

I have been blessed to have the opportunity to meet and work with young students, secondary school teachers and educators of Ireland with our schools programme “Building a Greener Future” which is funded by Kildare Wicklow Education & Training Board.

Rather than students learning from me, I have found myself learning FROM THEM, which is ironic as I am supposed to be the expert!

However, that learning has enabled me to adapt not only my own mindset, but also our teaching techniques. 

It is 2021. It is time to review what the education parameters are with our now antiquated framework systems. It is time for collective thinking and collaboration so we can create a system that truly works for Generation Tomorrow. 

Education is about learning skills and knowledge. It also means helping people to learn how to do things and support them to think about what they are learning and why.

Traditional education and training, heavily anchored in the systems of the past, should now be challenged. 

Environmental education requires a proactive circular model which includes the measurement of learning outcomes when applied (behavioural change) and the resulting impact (results) of their implementation into households, workplaces or communities.

The Fridays for Future movement should not exist, not because their claims are not valid, but because children should not have to tell adults how to behave resonsibly. Many people criticise Gretta Thumberg, they say she is too radical and angry, they say she only presents the problems but never comes up with any solutions. This type of thinking puzzles me.

Do people seriously think that a teenager can come up with solutions to a global problem? It is not her responsibility to come bearing solutions and answers, it is our elected world leader’s responsibility to do so.

Gretta and Fridays for Future are screaming for their human rights to have a future filled with hope, it is us, the older generations, that need to stop, listen and act accordingly.