New Jersey Learns for a Sustainable Future
Leadership ProgramThe New Jersey Learns Leadership Training (NJ Learns) is a consecutive series of year-long certification programs designed to prepare educators and community leaders to introduce their communities to Education for Sustainability (EfS). Through a series of transformative learning activities and content that includes: systems thinking, sustainable economics, and the science of sustainability, we:
• Inspire and prepare K-12 teachers and community leaders to educate for sustainability
• Create a shared understanding of sustainability and Education for Sustainability (EfS)
• Introduce participants to the knowledge, skills and attitudes that characterize EfS
• Link schools with their communities as strategic partners for sustainability.
Certified NJ Learns trainers will:
• Facilitate introductory sustainability education programs
• Facilitate learning communities for sustainability
• Build school community partnerships
NJ Learns is part of a series of efforts in New Jersey to link teaching and learning in our K-12 schools with sustainable community development. Partners in this effort include the Cloud Institute, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Sustainable Jersey*, and Earthwatch. NJ Learns links schools and communities to learn together for a sustainable future by equipping educator and community leadership teams with the capacity to educate for sustainability through curricular, institutional, and organizational innovation. This program is based on the recognition that a sustainable future is not possible without deeply involving our young people and their schools to innovate and lead their growing community based efforts toward a sustainable future.
In just two years, we have graduated 68 trainers who have conducted trainings to over 4,000 constituents. We now represent 23 different New Jersey communities with a shared understanding of EfS and a leadership network reaching across the state. Eighty percent of our NJ Learns teams are connected to Sustainable Jersey.
NJ Learns also provides special opportunities to strategically link Sustainable Jersey Green Teams and Earthwatch Action Teams with leadership development and content of EfS. These Action teams will be provided support, best practices and the leadership to catalyze their community actions and generate local social change. Tools include building a shared understanding of sustainability, metrics and tracking, best practices, and leadership tools and support.
Due to our growing success with NJ Learns, we see the ability to further pioneer this training in other cities and states that are ready for EfS. The increasing number of certified Cloud Institute trainers, in New Jersey and beyond furthers our mission to strengthen school-community partnerships and build the capacity to educate for sustainability and learn together to create a sustainable future. If you are interested to start a program in your city or state please contact Leah Mayor, Director of Education and Research.
In addition to receiving certification from The Cloud Institute, participants are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to create transformative learning experiences for communities and schools to learn together to create a sustainable future. See a list of our certified NJ Learns trainers here.
2010-2011: Introduction to Education for Sustainability
2010-2011: Leading Change
2011-2012: Creativity and Sustainability (coming soon)
We will be accepting applications for next year’s program on February 18, 2011
NJ Learns Spotlight: To lean more about schools and communities learning together to create a sustainable future go to the Dodge blog here
Read what our 2009 program participants are saying.
Read what our 2009 trainers are doing.
New Jersey Learns Journal 2009
We are grateful to the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for their continued support in building a strong foundation, linking schools and communities across the state of New Jersey in the shift toward sustainability.
*Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for New Jersey municipalities in New Jersey to enhance their quality of life through sustainability. Municipalities implement actions that address global warming, pollution, biodiversity, buying locally, green building and sustainable agriculture to achieve certification.
