Graduate Certificate in PK-12 Climate Justice Education

Overview

The 12-unit/one year Graduate Certificate in PK-12 Climate Justice Education serves the needs of current classroom teachers (grades PK-12) during a time when the need for climate education far exceeds what most teachers have been prepared to do in their classrooms.

While 86% of teachers and 80% of parents nationwide believe that climate science should be taught in PK-12 schools, fewer than half of teachers at this level report any climate-related content in their teaching (IPSOS/NPR, 2019).

The most frequently given reasons are lack of preparation/ knowledge base and the feeling that it falls outside educators’ subject area expertise. PK-12 teachers need access to content knowledge; culturally responsive, developmentally sensitive pedagogies; and supportive communities of practice in order to engage in teaching for climate justice.

The coursework in the certificate will culminate in collaborative action research projects in which educators enrolled in the program will work in small groups to integrate climate justice education and evaluate its impact in their educational setting.

The goal of the certificate program is to develop leadership capacity among practicing educators so that they are able to serve as leaders in climate justice education in their schools and districts as well as at the state and national level.