June Evans-Caulfield strongly believes that school communities and students can be powerful influencers in creating change, as her involvement in the IB programme demonstrates.
Her journey as an educator and her passion for teaching and learning has taken her to many parts of the world. At both a national and international level, she has carved her way through the British, Canadian, American and Australian curriculums. She is now working closely with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in her role as Head of Teaching & Learning – Middle Years Programme at Caulfield Grammar School (Caulfield Campus).
“Education today is being used as a powerful transformative tool in shaping our future leaders and thinkers in ways that allow them to action meaningful change. What is so unique and educationally valued about these IB programmes is the emphasis on interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches to education,” she says.
June strongly believes that school communities and students can be powerful influencers in creating change, and that we, as a school, can encourage our community to build understanding of how positive actions can promote a better world. One such example is our Year 9 Community Project (CP), which encourages students to find a cause they are passionate about and lead a service initiative that addresses a need within a community.
“The process develops international mindedness and aims to instil a sense of cultural awareness, connection and compassion; a desire to make a difference to the world around us,” June says.
This year the CP has seen students organise an arts supplies fundraiser to expand the Jabiru Area School arts program, run footy clinics and after-school tutoring for disadvantaged kids, deliver care packages for health care workers, and organise bake sales with proceeds going to Cancer Council Victoria.
“The IB incorporates ‘Creativity, Activity and Service’ as part of learning, and I have seen a great shift in our young people driving and actioning change. They are empowered in the learning process because they are given more responsibility for their own learning, with direct and indirect positive impacts on others.”
June has been involved in successful local and global service initiatives at many schools. In the Philippines, students created a kitchen garden, cooking produce in the kitchen to entice hungry kids to school so they could be educated. She is also an IB Educator Network Member, IB workshop leader and presenter.
Her passion for fostering change and leadership in youth saw her selected this year as one of only 40 educators across the world, and within the IB worldwide regions, to participate in an inaugural UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Youth initiative.
This six-month train-the-trainer program involved educators working with 300 selected youth from 48 countries to drive change through projects and initiatives that address needs in their local and global communities with a focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program has been an incredible experience for June, both as a teacher and a learner.
“It’s exciting to be part of something real and actionable. Seeing what our young people can develop when given the tools and strategies, while also being empowered in the process, is quite amazing. The Australian group I’m working with is focusing on the SDG that targets responsible consumption and production. Their fashion sustainability initiative is using a circular business model to redesign the way clothes are made and used. Other group initiatives I’m working with – based in Singapore, South Korea and Nigeria – focus on quality and equitable education for all, upcycling food products and reducing waste,” she says.
For June, the key to this initiative is that although the educator is the facilitator who guides and supports, it is our young people who are actioning and leading real change.
“Education is the key to unlocking the full potential of our young people to positively action change. I hope it continues to be used as a positive change catalyst and we continue to guide and support future generations through such flagship initiatives. There are so many amazing young people who want to change the world, and working with them across the planet to make a difference, assisting them and mentoring them so they can take that learning and action it without us, is an incredible experience.”
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