The significance of trainee teachers learning through pupils

This session aims to gain insight into trainee teachers learning from pupils and the impact on their teaching practice. This research investigates how science trainee teachers learn from a group of five Key Stage 3 pupils, who teach them about climate change and related topics. Following the reverse teaching session, we explore the trainee teachers’ thoughts, feelings and assumptions when they found out they were going to be taught about climate action by pupils. The session will be 10–15-minute talk based upon the trainee teachers’ reflections on the following. -If their learning about climate change was different, because the session was delivered by pupils and if so, in what way. -Their thoughts about pupil voice in designing teaching and learning. -The impact on trainee teachers pedagogical content knowledge and/or overall practice. Outcomes: The intended outcomes of this session are outlined below: -To reflect upon how climate change and associated issues are taught in the National curriculum and how we, as educators can improve this. -To think about how, as teachers and teacher educators we can learn from pupils and the importance of pupil voice in design and delivery of the curriculum. ‘Teach the Teacher’ is an international, youth-led campaign ran by ‘students organising for sustainability (SoS)’ which encourages pupils to talk to their educators about climate change. Studies by UNICEF have recognised climate change to be a significant concern for young people, with many believing that their views are not being listened to. The ‘Teach the Teacher’ programme involves pupils’ teaching educators about what it's like being a young person in the climate crisis and the need for climate education for all. With a greater push on teaching sustainability and climate action in education, it was a particular interest to start this project early on, during initial teacher training, with the view to give aspiring teachers the tools to teach topics on climate change creatively, effectively and with the pupils’ ideas, voice and needs at the centre.