A Principal’s Vision for Environmental Literacy: Empowering Teachers, Students, and Communities to Be Solutionary
Podcast Summary
The podcast features Ryan Hansen, principal of Nesbitt School, discussing how her K–8 school integrated environmental literacy and solutionary teaching across grade levels to increase student engagement and academic rigor. By providing teachers with resources, professional development, and funding, Nesbitt transformed its curriculum, enabling students to tackle real-world environmental challenges and develop critical problem-solving skills. This approach not only empowered students to make meaningful community impacts, but also reinvigorated teachers’ approach to learning and literacy.
Featured ELA Superhero
Ryan Hansen
Ryan Hansen is the principal of Nesbit School, a unique TK–8 campus in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District on the San Francisco Peninsula. With twenty-three years of experience in education, she has served as both an elementary school teacher and a middle school administrator. Ms. Hansen is a student-centered leader focused on building school cultures that support the social, emotional, and academic needs of all children. Her leadership prioritizes supporting teachers and strengthening family engagement to collectively ensure the best learning outcomes for every student.
Teaching Snapshot
This teaching snapshot highlights how Principal Ryan Hansen has led a transformative schoolwide initiative at Nesbit Elementary to integrate environmental literacy into English language arts (ELA) instruction across grades TK–8. Rooted in California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Zoe Weil’s solutionary framework, this initiative empowers teachers and students to connect literacy with real-world environmental and social issues.
Additional Information
- The World Becomes What We Teach – Zoe Weil
