Australia Post Kids Teaching Kids Week, 29 August - 2 September
Monday, 29 August 2011
Classrooms will be transformed this week when up to 20,000 kids around the nation reverse roles with their teacher and educate each other about the environment.
At more than 400 schools across Australia, kids will host their own events as part of Australia Post Kids Teaching Kids Week - a free national program where kids work together to help the environment.
Instead of relying on their whiteboard, the kids will deliver their messages through music, comedy, poetry, drama, games and other interactive activities.
Kids Teaching Kids founder and former Young Australian of the Year, Arron Wood, said the program brought together kids from different communities and cultures to work on a common goal of sustainability.
"It doesn't matter what language you speak, how old or young you are or what country you're from, we all face the same issues of water quality and air that is breathable. The wonderful thing about kids teaching kids is that they unite around issues that are common to us all," Mr Wood said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Kids Teaching Kids' peer education model of educating young people about environmental issues played an important role in supporting young Australians.
"By encouraging students to actively interact with each other and the natural world, the program fosters confidence, creativity and optimism and supports participants to learn to become responsible global citizens," the Prime Minister said.
Kids Teaching Kids was founded 12 years ago and has since won multiple awards and inspired more than 35,000 children across Australia to learn and care for their local environment.
Australia Post Head of Stakeholder & Community Engagement, Matthew Foran, said Kids Teaching Kids engaged the next generation in identifying key environmental issues and working collaboratively to develop responses.
"By teaching kids respect for the environment and for each other, Kids Teaching Kids helps students to be more resilient, have a higher self-esteem and to grow up to be better community members," Mr Foran said.
Events this week will range in scale and size, with an emphasis on kids from different schools or different classes getting together to share their knowledge.
Travelling from remote Western Australia to Williamstown, for example, students from Birlirr Ngawiyiwu Catholic School in the Kimberley will today join in activities with kids from more than four schools in Melbourne's western suburbs.
Meanwhile at the Gympie South State School in Queensland, 1000 students will be getting together with their school community and eating bush tucker, lighting fires with friction, planting an indigenous garden and watching their orchestra perform with their recycled instruments.
Kids Teaching Kids events around Australia this week also include:
- Sydney kids from seven schools handling wildlife, planting trees, watching a seal show and recycling materials at Taronga Zoo today;
- Brisbane students creating their own toys from nature as part of a workshop today;
- Canberra students from leading secondary schools today taking part in a conference hosted by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition;
- Tasmania Year 6 students in Riana explaining their "chook care" program to the rest of their school on Wednesday while in Hobart, primary students hosting a science fair on Thursday;
- Perth kids treating dieback in Baldivis Children's Forest and singing about butterflies as part of an event involving five primary schools on Wednesday;
- Darwin primary school students creating animations on Thursday to promote the benefits of sourcing food locally;
- Melbourne Girls College students pedaling bikes to generate power for their school as part of an environment conference involving 12 secondary schools on Friday.
- Adelaide kids building models of own eco-friendly houses, making recycled paper, showing a home-made movie and hosting a game show both today and on Friday.
For more information please visit the Kids Teaching Kids website.