APPENDIX 19
Memorandum from David Fellows
I have just retired after 40 years teaching
and remain a key member of the National Association for Environmental
Education and our Cumbrian Regional branch. I have been a headteacher
since 1984. I have also just written two ks1&2 units for ESD
in geography. This was funded by Government, through CEE to GA
(Geography Association).
Q1. Yes—educationalists overwhelmed
by more urgent issues—SATS, targets, litigation and safety
issues etc etc. General public only take note when flooding or
a new care story hits the headlines.
Q2. Back any demands by clear examples of
what government (and our fellow governments) are doing—actions
not words!
Q4. It was very enlightening to find that,
after I had agreed to contribute to specifically ESD geography
units, that I took time to analyse all 25 existing QCA Geography
units for ks1&2. As I teach I'd never had the time to do this.
There are lots of ESD elements already in these. Several units
simply need the ESD element highlighting or emphasising. Teachers
are snowed under with "advice". "More" will
probably not be more effective but less so. Nonetheless, I have
written the units and hope to see them on a website in the Spring.
Q5. Yes, agree. No government needs to do
more.
Q6. Yes, slowly, but very slowly while the
commercial world and the mantra of economic growth moves on and
still dominates our priority thinking.
Q7. No, especially not in the case of our
National Association for Environmental Education, still the only
one run by teachers and educationalists specifically for them.
We lost our "Defra" grant in 1999 while I was in New
Zealand. I fly back there in a few hours for five months. The
contrast in support and activity is noticeable. I'd love to come
back and find we had gained a grant and could once again support
a small office staff (I'm a very slow typist in any case) but
am still keen to work for the course.
I hope you can make sense of this scribble.
NAEE has been supporting keen environmentally minded staff in
schools for almost 40 years. We have seen a large decline in interest
in the last 10 years. The sympathy is there but time and energy
are not. As I am almost at the airport I close wishing the Committee
well and that a positive outcome brings ESD back to life.
November 2004
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