Embedded Files
2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONARY TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (ESTF)
The Environmental Solutionary Teacher Fellowship (ESTF) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year!
For the last nine years, ESTF has been highly successful in transforming teacher practice to incorporate solutions to climate change, while meeting the content standards and fostering student engagement. This year, the program will incorporate the best of ESTF: providing teachers with a robust, solutions-based experience that interweaves nature-based healing practices, social emotional learning, and climate science with environmental literacy. The fellowship will include classroom and outdoor nature experiences and is available to K-12 teachers at every grade level and subject area. At different times in the program, participants will have the opportunity to connect with colleagues in smaller, more job alike settings: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 by subject area. Special focus this year is on English-Language Arts and ways to incorporate environmental literacy strategies in all subject areas!
Stipends and Continuing Education Units Available!
First-Time Fellows ($1,000 stipend)
Senior Fellows: Return participant - transition to instructional leader and coach
($1,500 stipend for San Mateo County Senior Fellows)
THREE (3) CEUs available from St. Mary's University
PROGRAM FOCUS AND SCHEDULE
PROGRAM FOCUS AND SCHEDULE
Key Focus: San Mateo County communities are experiencing climate change issues first-hand, including high heat, droughts, and storm-based flooding. How do teachers address the topic of climate change in their standards-based curriculum, and create solutions-based opportunities to empower students to think globally and act locally on the climate crisis?
This fellowship will not only empower teachers to lead students through design challenges to create their own solutions to the climate crisis, but it will also give teachers a chance to engage with the outdoors as a healing practice, and as an enrichment opportunity for their students. The focus will also include community partners who can provide curriculum and field trips in the outdoors.
Requirements: Choose ONE of the following:
Develop and implement a solutions-based unit (minimum 5-15 lessons) that integrates an environmental topic: climate change, environmental justice, energy, food, waste, ecosystems, green careers (CTE focus), etc.
Integrate environmental/climate literacy and solutions-based teaching throughout the school year.
Summer Institute
(In-Person)
4 Days
July 15 - 18, 2024
9:00am - 3:00pm each day
Location: SMCOE Office
101 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065
First-Time Fellows
Complete Pre-Learning
Attend Foundational Workshops and one morning Field Trip
Develop and implement a unit or curriculum map that integrates environmental/climate literacy and solutions-based teaching and learning.
Senior Fellows
Same as First Time Fellows and:
Support First-Time Fellows as they create their units
Community-Based Partners Field Trips
July 17, 2024
During Summer Institute
All Fellows
Attend a field trip of your choice at a local environmental education community partner location (Meet at field trip location. 9am - 11:30 am)
Return to SMCOE for lunch (12 - 1 pm)
Curriculum Planning Time in the afternoon
Community-Based Partners Rotations
July 18, 2024
All Fellows
Connect with community partners that offer environmental experiences
Connect with community partners that offer environmental curriculum
Curriculum Planning Time in the afternoon
Guided Support
Coaching TBD
First-Time Fellows
Attend a minimum of three coaching sessions between September - February
Senior Fellows
Facilitate at least three coaching sessions between September - February for a First-Time Fellow, using the Senior Fellow Coaching Guide
Saturday Workshop
(In-Person)
September 28, 2024
9:00am - 3:30pm
Location: Huddart Park
1100 Kings Mountain Road
Woodside, CA 94062
All Fellows
Experience nature activities and healing practices at beautiful Huddart Park in Woodside.
This list of resources will help fellows and others implement Sharing Nature practices as part of their solutionary units or yearlong curriculum.
Community of Practice
Monday, Nov. 4
(Virtual, Optional )
4:30 - 6:00 pm
Tues., Jan. 28 (In-person)
4:30 - 6:30 pm
All Fellows
Come together to build a sense of community, identify common issues, develop skills and strategies, and share best practices in a safe environment for problem-solving.
Past fellows will present their case studies and offer tips on incorporating environmental and solutions-based concepts into curriculum
The in-person Community of Practice will be held at a school that has successfully incorporated environmental literacy programs.
Capstone Event
(In-Person)
March 27, 2025
4:30 - 7:30 pm
Location:
SMCOE Office
101 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065
All Fellows
Share Reflection Case Study, present to your ESTF colleagues and celebrate!
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