Climate change, and sustainability is often at the forefront of news reports, and educators share similar concerns regarding the challenges faced by society.  Vare (2020) points out that it is imperative that organisations and educators consider how we need to support school leaders and educators in their roles through their professional learning to shape curricula that enables learners to develop their understanding of how to address future challenges we might face.  We need to be clear on how we need to lead the way forward to shape supportive professional learning opportunities for teacher educators to enable others in this field as well.

This interpretivist qualitative case study, (Cohen et al. 2018 and Yin, 2018) sets out to evaluate how the development of teacher educators need to be reimagined, to enable them to develop future school educators who are more climate conscious and able to reimagine the learning of young people to enable them to engage with the world around them in a more agile way to respond to the challenges we might face in future. The study took place during the development of teacher educators, preparing to deliver climate conscious training to school leaders and teachers to enable them to develop curricula to address this phenomenon. The study was conducted with full ethical clearance and the BERA (2024) guidance was followed in full. Participants consented as volunteers, and were reminded that they could withdraw from the study at any point without any consequences. All data was carefully managed in line with the GDPR (2018) requirements. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, to evaluate what the perspectives and experiences are of teacher educators, their facilitators, as well as school leaders and teachers to evaluate how the training equipped them on their journey. Transcripts were analysed, using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) 6 phase module, and key themes were drawn from the analysis using a grounded theory approach (Cohen et al. 2018). The different semi-structured interview themes, with the different stakeholders where aligned and outcomes were triangulated to strengthen the data (Creswell, 2014).

The study revealed that it is important to equip teacher educators to ensure that they are confident in their role, and knowledge to support school leaders and teachers to enable them to drive the change they want to see within their own classrooms. The study highlighted the importance of mentoring and coaching, and how it can as learning conversations and relationships (Conor and Pokora, 2017), help to enable others to drive positive change forward. The study highlighted that the development of teacher educators’ professional learning is paramount to the successful outcomes of teacher development and leadership development in schools. More resource and time is required to ensure that teacher educators’ professional learning journeys continue to help extend their knowledge and skills to enable others.

Braun, V and Clarke, V (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2). pp.77-101. ISSN 1478-088. BERA (2024) Ethical Guidance, UK: BERA. Connor, M. and Pokora, J. (2017), Coaching and Mentoring at Work: Developing Effective Practice. (3rd edition). London: Open University Press. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Vare, P. (2020), A war for our world: Reframing the climate crisis, UK: BERA.