On optimism and good governance - Greek students sound off

Another month, and a lot of great contacts in Greek schools and environmental education. I’ve enjoyed presenting for students across the Thessaloniki region, as well as Athens, and being an observer with the Environmental Education Centers as they deliver action based curriculum to students. 

I’ve enjoyed spending time in both secondary, and junior classrooms, getting to know Greek schools, and helping Greek students understand America. A key difference in structure for Greek schools compared to my classrooms, is that students spend most of their day with one class, in the same classroom. Teachers move from class to class, rather than students. What I’ve found is that these classes become small communities, even like a family. As a visitor this means no one is afraid to ask questions. Repeat questions include - Do your schools have lockers? Do your schools have sports and dances? Have you had shootings at your school? What’s your favorite sports team? How does one get to go to America to study? 

The most qualitative data I’ve collected has been through small focus group interviews with junior and senior high students. I’ve asked a series of questions to establish what they know about climate change and sustainability, what kinds of activities they have participated in around the environment, and what things have stood out to them. I’ve also asked them about who is responsible for addressing climate change, and what can anyone do? I always end with a question about whether they are optimistic, αισιόδοξοι, about the future. 

The initial results indicate students have a number of opportunities for students to learn about issues surrounding climate change. Regular lessons in primary, and junior high school were regularly reported as the first place students learn about these issues. Also, a number of students get a lot of information from social media, Tik-Tok, Youtube, and Google searches. Overall, students I spoke to were relatively well informed about the mechanisms of the greenhouse effect, and human’s impact on CO2 the planet.

Locally, students often identified hot local summers, wildfires, and a lack of snowy winters as impacts of climate change. Recycling programs, and trash pick-ups were the most popular out of class activity that students had experienced. Many of the students in school eco-clubs had also participated in regional gatherings that included creative ways of communicating about climate change, including
schools involved with theater, posters, design, and fashion. 

On optimism - it’s been a mixed result. Many students suggested that their own generation is far more educated on the climate change threats we face in the future, in comparison with the previous generation. Optimistic students would cite this, and often advancing technology that can be trusted to solve some of our energy struggles. While most students could name both individual actions, as well as governmental actions that could be taken for a more sustainable community, doubt was cast on both groups. Many students suggested that from their own experience, not enough people care about the environment. Several groups suggested that the only way people care is if they are directly impacted by something. 

On government, there was more pessimism from most groups, with very few reports of government involvement in projects around the environment, and mostly skepticism for the government to take much action. 

In my second half of research, I will be focusing more on island communities, and have plans to speak directly with government officials about their understanding of climate change, and policy responses.

Best Practices in Climate Change Education

1st Secondary School of Alonis

Thanks so much to the schools and educators who have already welcomed me into their classes here in Greece. My research is focused on best practices, and this has meant I have had the opportunity to meet some incredible educators, who have prioritized providing their students with the tools they will need to manage a changing climate. 

Observing incredible teachers

Special thanks to schools in Athens, the First Secondary School of Alonis, where Fulbright Alum Ilianna Anagnostakou welcomed me and my Fulbright colleague Julia Puckett into her classes, where students peppered us with questions about life and school in America.

Director Photis Mylonas at work

Also, thanks to the director of the 1st Primary School of Nikaia, and my friend Photis Mylonas, who I met last summer in Skyros, who helped me understand the challenges and opportunities facing schools in Greece.

First Bioclimatic Building in Greece

I had a great introduction to environmental education programs in Thessaloniki, hosted by Geoge Ylfantis, and George Slafkidis, where I had the opportunity to observe them at work the first Environmental Education Center in the country. These Centers spread across Greece, and are resources for teachers of all grades to bring students to learn about climate change, and how they can take action. These are incredibly fun, interactive lessons that have students up, and moving around the room.

Students try to fit on a shrinking "island"

George and George were great facilitators, who said that their goal is not just to impart information to students, but rather to empower them to be leaders, and take action in their world. 

The kids are alright!

3rd JH of Thessaloniki

Thank you to another Fulbright Alum, Vasso Michailidou, an English and music teacher, at the 3rd Junior High School of Thessoloniki who helped me organize two focus groups of students. One group was selected students from her classes, and the other group were involved in the school's Environmental Club. I also enjoyed presenting to several of her classes throughout the day. It was great to be in a classroom again, the students were actively engaged, asking all sorts of really smart questions, like, What about the jobs lost when we transition?  What about nuclear power? Does everyone in America have a gun?

Fulbright Rock Star Vasiliki!

In both of the focus groups students said that they learn about climate change, and actions to help in their communities, their schools, and in their families. From international programs such as Erasmus, and eTwinning, to lessons on energy consumption in their classes, to grassroots community groups organizing for local clean-ups, to parents teaching about recycling and waste management, these kids demonstrated a firm understanding of the challenges in their future. 

Policy Makers - Policy Implementers

The Greek educational system is like a lot of EU countries, with centralized decision makers who make choices on curriculum that are implemented locally by many of the folks I've met so far. This model is different from most places in the U.S., where local school boards have significant leeway in determining curricular priorities. Since the central government has made environmental education, and climate change education a priority, there seem to be many opportunities for teachers and students to be engaged in conversation, and actions around sustainability. 

This centralized model is repeated in governance, with local municipal leaders also being asked to focus on sustainability, and actions related to climate change. This is notable across Greece, where the public recycling infrastructure is everywhere. While the integrity of these programs are not always as they were likely drawn up, the commitment is clear. Climate change is real for Greek policy makers, and folks are committed to creating a sustainable future.

Where is the Math? Polynomials on melting icebergs

Don't say climate change.

I've put together a one pager to try and distill down my Fulbright research project. The project is essentially best practices in responding to transition, and change. I hope this document helps folks in Greece understand what the heck I am doing there. I also post it here as a place holder.

What Is The Project?

The project takes me to Greece, where, because of climate change, both sea levels and environmental threats are rising, which, in turn threaten key industries such as fishing and tourism, which combine to nearly 30% of their economy. I've written about the people in the port city of Linaria on the island of Skyros, who responded  to these threats by embracing model sustainable policy, and finding that this has attracted more tourism, and expanded fisheries. 

My research starts there, and expands to many other coastal communities which may have very different experiences. I'll be based outside of the second largest city in Greece, Thessaloniki, who's beaches are among the many categorized as Blue Star Beaches, which has conditions not only on water quality, but also on public accessibly options such as clean public bathrooms, and safety.

These policy choices were informed by local data, and the policy themselves are valuable documents. I hope to collect these individual data sets to present authentic policy challenges as lessons, providing opportunities to use a level of data analysis as a tool for decision making.

This conversation about how to adapt to change is always an essential skill, including for todays students. For my students, climate change is leading to more rain which can be tracked across the region in terms of public money spent on stormwater management. But, the biggest impact from climate change in Western Pennsylvania is economic. With fossil fuel extraction industries shifting, and shrinking, our students are adapting to change here in Indiana County. 

One region in Greece I hope to visit is Kozani, where a non-profit called The Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia (CluBE) has been partnering with governments and school districts to adopt sustainable policy. It is my hope to provide opportunities for students to understand these policy choices through the lens of math.

A week with Environmental Educators on Skyros

In researching sustainable public policy in Mediterranean communities it is impossible not to come across the work of Dr. Constantina Skanavis. Over three decades of advocacy and research on the interconnection between public health and the environment, Dr. Skanavis has built a reputation as an expert on sustainable solutions in practice. She is the dean of Public Health at the University of West Attica, and one of the co-founders of the The Skyros Project. 

The Skyros Project is a collaboration between a port on the island of Skyros, and the University of West Attica. The port itself has adopted sustainable public policy, earning it the distinction as a "blue port." and the Best Port in Greece! In addition, Dr. Skanavis runs a summer Environmental Education Academy as part of a Masters Program. The participants are mostly educators and health professionals from across Greece who are interested in including environmental education in their day jobs. This is where I come in. To my great fortune, Dr. Skanavis was interested in helping me with my Fulbright project, agreed to be my advisor, and invited me to be a part of this year's Academy on Skyros.

Despite the fact that this was outside the timeline of my Fulbright award, this was an incredible opportunity to learn about environmental education in Greece from expert presenters gathered by Dr. Skanavis, and also to network with people across the country. And, did I mention Greek island?

I spent the first week in July this summer on Skyros as part of the Academy. It was an incredible experience, and the contacts I made will help me jump start my research. I met some incredible professionals thinking about new energy like hydrogen, building environmental programing in elementary, and secondary schools, and helping to transition cities as part of EU initiatives. 

Among the most interesting conversations I had was with the elected head of the award winning port on Skyros, who said that while climate change may or may not be happening, sustainable policies make sense because it's what customers want. The status of his port as a Blue Port is good for business, and good for the island economy of Skyros, dependent on tourism. These are the kinds of market based solutions that I think are valuable.

Thank you to Dr. Skanavis, and all the dedicated educators and health professionals I had the opportunity to meet. I'm looking forward to meeting you all again next year!

Thank You, Fulbright, for the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Fellowship!

Great news! I was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Fellowship, which will bring me and my family to Greece for six months during my sabbatical year, 23-24. I'll use this blog to document the experience, and this site will host the final product of my research. 

For this research project, I'm interested in how we communicate climate change challenges and solutions to secondary students. I have lived and taught here in coal country for over a decade. The impacts of our changing climate in my region are direct, and subtle. Our storms are getting bigger, with so-called 100 year storms happening several times a decade. 

As chair of our small town's Public Works Committee (an elected, volunteer position) I see this in rising costs of flood prevention, and overall stormwater management. This means increased taxes for improved infrastructure. It should also mean changes to buildings codes, and public policy dealing with stormwater runoff. Think rain gardens, permeable pavers and rain barrels. It also means education about how to protect our watershed.

A more subtle, yet damaging impact of climate change is the dramatic reduction of coal as a means to produce electricity. Southwest PA is coal country, and as the use of coal has crashed, so has the local economy. We're feeling these impacts in real time; last month (June 2023) one of the largest coal fired generating plants in the country, and one of three in our county, turned off for good. One hundred twenty nine jobs lost directly, hundreds more in the supporting businesses, like truckers and restaurants. Many students at my school have family who had a job at the end of the year, but won't in the fall. 

Transition economies require new thinking, new inspiration, and new skills. Our community is in transition and has an opportunity to build a new sustainable economy. Our students today inherit economic challenges their families were able to weather thanks to strong demand for fossil fuels, and strong unions.

My project is looking outside of Indiana, PA to other communities facing immediate challenges, not just to the physical landscape around them, but to their economic livelihoods. To that end, I researched coastal communities facing sea level rise and other challenges to economic drivers like tourism. In regions dependent on pristine beaches and coast lines, sustainable, "eco" solutions make a lot of sense.

To my great fortune, I came across a great Eco-model at a deep water port on one of the many Grecian islands, called Skyros. The Skyros Project is an award winning collaboration between public health researchers at the University of West. Attica and the deep water port on Skyros Island. 

I've managed to team up with the incredible folks behind this project, and they've already proved to be an incredible resource to connect with educators across Greece who are leading the way in preparing students to face the challenges to come. I'm looking forward to being able to use that project as a jumping off point for my research. More on that in the next post.

Equity and inclusion are good for math, and America

Taraji P. Henson's portrayal of Katherine Johnson
dumbfounds the white establishment.

A favorite go-to movie in my math class is the 2018 film, Hidden Figures. It is a great film for math class, because it tells the story of incredible people using the tools they had to think outside the box, to solve a real life challenge. The challenge the film recreates takes place at NASA in the 1940s, when our country's best engineers were racing the Russians to space during the cold war tensions. The mathematics of predicting the motion of a object as it moves from a parabolic path, a launch, to an elliptical path, orbit and back again didn't exist. It was invented/discovered by the now less hidden, Katherine Johnson. 

The movie highlights the excellence of her and other black women who were the literal calculators launching America into space, while living under the male dominated world of NASA, and the dramatic racial oppression of the late Jim-Crow era. 

Dr. Taimina's beautiful crocheted models of
hyperbolic planes launched new fields of study.
 

Another mathematical hero of mine I share with my students is Dr. Daina Taimina, a retired Professor of Mathematics at Cornell University. Her groundbreaking work used crochet to conceptualize hyperbolic geometry, illuminating a problem that had baffled two millennia of mathematicians, including myself. 

Her solution took the best drawing that the best mathematicians since Euclid could muster (line drawing at the left), and demonstrated that an ages old craft (and coral reef) have been comfortably demonstrating hyperbolic planes in the living rooms of craftswomen the entire time.

Win Win Win

Historically, people of color, and women have been both implicitly, and explicitly denied access to top education in mathematics and engineering. The simple point I make to my students is that these two women mathematicians are shining examples of what happens when barriers to mathematics are overcome. It is not just that their personal lives were improved, but in fact through their ingenuity, they actively moved forward our understanding of the world. 

Efforts for equity and inclusion are not just about improving individual outcomes. In fact, we are ALL better off when we are all included.

Katherine Johnson and @DainaTaimina featured in my #endoftheyear activities - powerful reminders that representation, equity and inclusion aren't just to make us feel good - we're literally smarter when we're #AllIncluded #ITeachMath @IndianaAreaSD pic.twitter.com/1dToXEdwaA

— Gerald Smith (@mrgesmith) June 4, 2021

#awesomegraphs7 COVID19 Edition

#Awesomegraphs7

Teaching hybrid during the COVID19 pandemic is intense. In addition to the daily heavy weight of managing multiple tech software and hardware devices to try and offer as equitable and quality lessons as possible, as a math teacher I feel a responsibility to help students understand the how data is impacting our response to the virus.

A go-to source for local COVID19 data is my #awesomegraphs7.

Alison Simmons, MPH is an alum of my school, and currently is a PhD student at the Dalla Lana school of Public Health at the University of Toronto studying infectious disease epidemiology. She's been maintaining an Indiana County public dashboard of COVID related statistics since March.

Last fall, she was a guest speaker for my Integrated III class, where she let my seniors know of some high school math that will help them understand the pandemic. This included exponential growth.

Her most recent update is much cheerier data.

What do you Notice? What do you Wonder?