Educational Services

Interdisciplinary Place-based Teaching and Learning

In these workshops, MEL facilitators encourage educators to investigate place-based multicultural interdisciplinary methods to connect their students to the local environment and increase their knowledge base of Indigenous and other marginalized peoples. Educators will develop interdisciplinary materials for use in the classroom based on one of Mother Earth Literacies’ (MEL) curriculum guides. Using place-based collaborative approaches (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011) educators cultivate a well-rounded and enriching experience that can impact students’ learning over the long-term. The interdisciplinary nature of these professional development workshops allows educators to link sciences to place-based Environmental Justice Education, explore locally sourced curriculum, and learn ways to build thematic units of their own.

Decolonize Your Curriculum!

Our Decolonizing curriculum work involves MEL facilitator immersion in educator spaces to help guide an auditing process to determine ways to infuse local minoritized histories and visions into curriculum requirements. This work is site specific and often involves whole grade levels or departments. Educators will receive individual and group support that allows them to make curricular changes that are student-led and equity focused. Research shows that professional development must engage educators over a period of time to make sustainable change, and Mother Earth Literacies is available to lead the change. This work takes place over time and is specific to the needs of the organization.

Please contact us to talk about rates and contracted services.

Capacity for Justice in WNY

These workshops take place in the community at various locations across WNY, since place-based community engagement is a cornerstone of Mother Earth Literacies mission. Teams from organizations and/or schools can engage in place-based learning in order to directly connect environmental and other justice issues to their work through facilitated activities designed to question the status quo and promote civic and relational engagement.

Building Equity Leaders: Uncovering your potential for justice action

These workshops focus on 1) understanding each of the behavioral styles team members exhibit and the qualities that make them unique; 2) using that knowledge to create personal equity goals and off er actionable recommendations for team members; and 3) develop a plan to work together on an equity path within their organization. This critical work can help sustain an organization over time, as the personal goals and the organization’s overall plan can be revisited annually. Mother Earth Literacies’ mission is to advance education for environmentally just communities, and this workshop series helps drive that mission.