Kayla Wicks

4th Year Primary Teaching | EDUC4750

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@AliceDough89 @Seabin_project This looks great! I hadn't heard of the Seabin initiative, very exciting to see more solutions in place for reducing the amount of plastic in our oceans. Love the education option! Recently, I also saw this mesh being placed over drainage to stop plastics reaching the sea!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@ClaudiaRussell4 Thanks for sharing! The yarning circle would have been such an authentic way to learn about the Aboriginal culture and uses of native plants within the garden. Love how you said the students visited the garden by themselves, I aim to create a space that faciliaties just that!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Whilst building my knowledge of #communitygardens and their potential, it was great to see so many schools adapting sustainable projects within their curriculum design. Community-led gardens are ideal #outdoorlearning spaces for embedding #learningacrossthecurriculum #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@emmamurphy96 Have you considered looking at the types of foods we eat now compared to in the past? And also how this may differ depending on ones origin and culture? Imagine the conversations and learning that would occur from these authentic interactions between the elderly and students!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@JaydeRobertson5 Couldn't agree more! So many opportunties to faciliate community engagement within and outside of the school environment. This has become more apparent when exploring ways to empower my students to become mini advocates for change! #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Reimers et al. (2016) advocates for teachers to personalise learning, for schools to build partnerships with communities, and for students to see themselves as agents for innovation and sustainability. I aim to empower students to value their role in our global village #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@SammieL98 @Mrmtothetizzle @nswaecg Couldn't agree more! It's so important to create a school-community partnership with the Aboriginal elders and local community as this faciliates shared education and stories of indigenious history for students #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@LizzieLintott @StephenRitz Yes agree! Love how empowering the students would become from their involvement in transforming communities into happier, healthier places. Students would love the hands-on learning that this project provides! So many great ideas for embedding sustainability into schools.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Urban Gardening Revolution! @StephenRitz highlighting the educational potential of a community garden. An exciting program to get kids engaged in nature and learning about sustainability practices and health and wellbeing. #Powerofaplant #UoNTeach

[Green Bronx Machine @greenBXmachine]

Every child deserves opportunities to help them succeed, succeeding in nature is absolutely critical! We are all part of a larger ecosystem! #GrowHealthyStudents

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 If you're interested in creating sustainable practices within your classroom, this resource was a great starting point for me! The case studies provided aim to bring sustainability alive in the classroom. Check it out > https://t.co/B9JQYgN26g #UoNTeach #learninggardens

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Would love to integrate a community Bush Tucker Garden, think it is a great way to build cultural awareness in a whole school approach. The garden would foster an enriching learning environment for students to discover their local Aboriginal history! #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@Lindle98192700 Thought you may be interested in this resource prepared by @globaledau. Inspiration for my unit of work reflects this issue of food security across the world. Veggie gardens can aid enquiries into nutrition, sustainability, agriculture and history! #UoNTeach #globalperspectives

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Eye-opening article on a school globally responding to #climatechange. Educating students about how kids in Cambodia are growing gardens at their schools to gain agricultural and heath benefits. Great way to compare how different cultures use their veggie garden 🥬🌽🥕#UoNTeach

[UN Environment Programme @UNEP]

As #climatechange causes shifting rain patterns & climate shocks, people in countries that rely mainly on rain-fed agriculture are suffering increasing losses & insecurity.

#ClimateAction to adapt in Cambodia through school vegetable gardens ⏬⏬⏬ https://t.co/OBbqjA2KVU

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 Such a strong link to the QTF! You can see these elements embedded within the students projects they created! So many opportunities for higher order thinking to occur also when students are designing models to represent their understanding of sustainability. #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Reflective of my values as a pre-service teacher, students need opportunities to conceptualise how they are thinking about, doing, and engaging with #sustainability, as this will define how we explore this concept in the classroom #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@MGageler Thought you may also be interested in this eco-friendly book series called 'Little Green Books'. Thanks for sharing @emilyroseshan. Love how they're made out of recycled materials! https://t.co/v5LQkb4Jva

[Emily Shannon @emilyroseshan]

Little Green Books: "Teaching children to be eco-friendly and all made from recycled materials." Some great resources to use when teaching Early Stage 1, Stage 1 and Stage 2 about the importance of sustainability! I will definitely be including these in my unit of work! #UONTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

So many great gardening books for kids! Children's Literature is always a powerful way of creating rich classroom experiences. This resource lists a few books that can be used as a stimulus when exploring gardens. https://t.co/vTmlKwuXMl #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@MGageler Definitely agree! Books are the perfect way to build student's knowledge of a topic when starting a unit of work. So many opportunities for cross-curriculum links!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@IndigenousXLtd If possible, would love to hear the outcome from your meeting with @ThamarrurrDC? Think it has huge potential for sharing stories of our Indigenous history and opens up opportunities for cultural understanding and awareness globally. Thanks in advance! #UoNTeach

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

If this is successful, Technology plays a vital role in connecting different cultures on a global scale and allows Elders to voice stories of our Indigenous culture. #21stCenturyLearning is a powerful tool to allow authentic experiences like these to occur! #UoNTeach

[IndigenousX LTD @IndigenousXLtd]

We are talking to the @ThamarrurrDC board today about the power of online storytelling and Indigenous media. Some of the Kardu here in Wadeye are keen to connect to the wider world, sharing their stories and hearing more from other people around the country and the world.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@JaydeRobertson5 So many ways to imbed intercultural understanding within the school environment. Have you had an opportunity to see students contribute to a community project like this? I know that bush tucker gardens are another way for students to discover their local Aboriginal history!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Fun way of embedding cultural knowledge within the school environment! Great opportunities for community links. Mural-based programs are an enriching hands on experience for students when exploring Aboriginal art and history through Creative Arts #wholeschoolapproach #UoNTeach

[Michelle Drage @michelledrage1]

12 months ago our S3 Aboriginal students designed a mural to illustrate the "story of Braddock" as they saw it. One design was chosen and made in to a mural. For 12 mths a very talented CT, SLSO and AEO worked with students to complete this phenomenal mural.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 Recently saw this community project, I love the concept of each student designing their own tile to contribute to the final artwork to be displayed in the community. This hands on activity would always be a memorable experiences for students.
https://t.co/gVGBGcVc9x

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 I think it is important to model recycling practices in the classroom! Signage around the school and a mini lesson on how to correctly recycle would be beneficial when looking at different ways to live more sustainably.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 Definitely agree! Love seeing students so motivated and excited about creating a sustainable future. It's great to see the potential of our students when teachers set high expectations and promote opportunities for critical and creative thinking!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 I've recently seen the boomerang bags, they're a great idea! Would be great to see larger grocery stores implementing these alternate options.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@reidem6 That's a good point! Have you heard of mesh reusable produce bags? They are a sustainable option you can use instead of the plastic bags they provide. Would be great to move away from unnecessary packaging all together - although the mesh bags are a step forward!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@ClaudiaRussell4 I've recently come across the @Seabin_project - It is a vacuum like suction that collects rubbish from our ocean. How great would it be to get students to design other ways of stopping pollution reaching our waterways! Check it out here > https://t.co/lrP4eAxfgl

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@ClaudiaRussell4 What a great idea! I'll definitely be using this. When students are exposed to experiences where they become mini advocates for change and where they can transfer what they're learning beyond the classroom I've found this learning is more memorable.

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Challenge yourself, refuse single-use plastic for a day! Small steps towards a brighter future for our ocean. Let’s see if we can turn one day into everyday! Great ideas of authentic tasks for topics related to #sustainability and the #environment 🌏#UoNTeach #generationsea

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

@emilyroseshan Agree, it's great to see more and more schools implementing these sustainable practices. Since beginning my enquiry I have also discovered the power of community-school partnerships and the potential for the elderly to facilitate this mutually beneficial experience!

[Kayla Wicks @KaylaWicks8]

Prior to my enquiry into school gardens, my initial thoughts for implementing a veggie garden were solely for the nutritional benefits for students. Since then, the social, health and wellbeing, historical and cognitive benefits have become clear! #UoNTeach