Sept 28 Entrance Slip Math and Science Teaching & Climate Crisis

Our responsibility as educators is to make sure the students will be able to take care of themselves and make decisions that are wise and suitable to those around them. When it comes to the accelerated growth in productions, the planet is being depleted of its natural resources and is being hurt a lot through the tons of gas emissions/pollutants. It is important to remind the students that the present day isn't as it used to be. The world we live on is a delicate piece of earth and we as humans have a duty to take care of it. Reminding students to be mindful of what they do in their daily lives that may contribute to climate change will allow them to be more vigilant. Let them know that life would be much more difficult when the environment isn't appropriate to grow crops, and that food needs to be imported worldwide as scarce/expensive resources. Students can be more mindful of this situation by understanding/implementing mathematical tools to model/analyze the current climate situation and relate it with observations that correspond to the scientific data obtained. I believe we are able to make changes to the traditional ways subjects are taught to us, though it'll be difficult. Consider the shift from rote learning to more interactive and student-centered pedagogies. The proposed shift towards an authentic/relevant mathematics education (particularly in the context of climate change) is timely and essential. Climate change is definitely a pressing matter, and integrating it into the curriculum can equip future generations with the tools to understand and combat it. Improving the learning outcomes for a deeper connection between students and real-world issues builds more awareness. However, traditional practices are often deeply entrenched in the education system. Changes require resources and training. Overcoming these challenges requires collective will and lots of investments. I recall that the usage of the term climate change is important. People generally say global warming (and indeed there's the 1.5°C that is often mentioned), but that isn't the correct term. Not all places are experiencing high temperatures. There are lots of tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, and chilly winter days below minus 40 (in Edmonton my hometown just several years ago!). Hence the unbalanced weather is evidence for climate change, and as we follow the trend we continue to have today, one may ponder sentimentally on "the good ol' days".