SPARE was established in Turkmenistan in 2000 by the Environmental NGO "Dashoguz Ecological Guardians". The main goals of the project are increasing environmental awareness and knowledge as well as getting public attention to problems of energy using, energy economizing, natural resources and environmental protection in Turkmenistan.
Working with SPARE is work for the future of the planet. We want to get children’s attention on global problems (global warming, energy crisis, environmental damage) and to show them that they can help themselves solve these complex problems, and they can do it in their everyday activities. In this project we work from local towards global, allocating the thoughts of children from themselves to the biosphere.
Basic set of materials for the program:
1. basic learning material
2. national-specific additional material
3. working notebooks
4. for teachers – information on SPARE
5. video materials for SPARE
6. additional material – games, interactive material
+ possibly – solar collector (heats the water up to 90 degrees), school and international certificates, posters
Description
It is important not only to provide children with knowledge in energy and environment but also to build motivation for saving resources and energy, promote environmentally friendly habits, include them into useful work in energy saving in order to make today’s school children future experts which will be coming up with new solutions.
Working within this project is teaching children to apply useful energy saving technologies that have the least impact on the environment and does not reduce the quality of life.
SPARE is giving much more than regular school program. It is stimulating interest towards scientific research and application of practical solutions obtained at school, and is establishing interdisciplinary links.
Children from many countries participate in SPARE, which gives a feeling of direct participation and international character. Participants in the project understand that their contribution to the sustainable development is necessary today as much as it is for the future.
Over the years the information and methodical materials of SPARE developed with participation of enthusiastic teachers, taking into an account the specific energy situations and systems in each country, tradition of energy use, life standard and specific school systems as well.
Materials for SPARE school program is made out of many methodical materials from project participants, and adjusted to the conditions in Turkmenistan.
We are grateful to the authors and participants of the SPARE project for their great effort to create educational materials, and also to Norwegian society for conservation of nature, for help in spreading project SPARE in Turkmenistan.
Work in the project can be divided in three main stages:
1. Introduction. Mastering the concept, preliminary introduction into the issues, planning activities (discussion, wall newspaper, producing materials for distribution, visits to energy using companies). Motto: ’Work locally, think globally).
2. Research – active stage. Mastering theoretical part, conducting a research, announcing the results (reports, seminars, games, wall newspaper). Motto: ‘Who, if not us? When, if not now?’
3. Productive – active. Activating and broadening areas of activity. Including as many people as possible. Taking these measures out of the class, ad school (lessons, presentations, conferences, wall newspapers, local press releases, celebrating Day of alternative energy). Motto: ‘Work with us! Work, as we work! Work better than us!’
No orders, no aggression, no pressure
At the first stage, we suggest to introduce the pupils to the concept – terminology, concerning issues in energy and energy saving. Moreover, information needs to be accessible and suitable to the age of pupils, in order not to discourage them from the start with too complex information.
If work goes on regularly, the majority of the pupils will gradually get involved in educational process, even though they may be passive observers at the start. The main thing is that they learn everything about the issue, and about their classmates’ work, so they can get involved in each given moment. Well implanted knowledge always gives wanted educational effect.
We recommend to the teachers and pedagogues to have parents and teachers meeting, before starting, where parents can get familiar with the program, they will be ask to take children’s home work seriously and to take active part in them. Unfortunately, there is often a lack of communication between children and parents. Parents’ involvement into the project forces communication in the family, and their participation is highly recommended.
