The educator

As Education Team Lead, Robbie Kirkman gets to teach in one of the world’s most inspirational ‘classrooms’. He shares what it's like to be part of Eden.

"I love teaching – and my role at Eden gives me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for the things I care about the most. I work as part of a super creative team in a unique setting and, together, we shape the stories we share with young people about the environment and our place in it.

It’s such a varied job that there really isn’t a typical day. I could find myself beaming into a primary school classroom in the morning to deliver a virtual workshop on climate change… and then taking an A level group around the Rainforest Biome learning about biodiversity in the afternoon!

What makes Eden such a great classroom is that you’re immersed in the thing you’re learning about. You can see, hear, feel, smell and even taste it. The Rainforest Biome, for example, has a magnitude and beauty that captivates learners and piques their curiosity.

A view of two school pupils through the greenery they are both smelling the inner part of the flowers

“What makes Eden such a great classroom is that you’re immersed in the thing you are learning about. You can see, hear, feel, smell and even taste it”

It’s so important that young people see themselves as part of the story when it comes to environmental issues and the Eden site provides the stage for those stories and a place for conversations to happen. It’s the ultimate teaching resource.

It’s so satisfying to witness the moment when a student comes to realise that the things we depend on in order to be happy, heathy and alive on this planet actually come from the natural world; it’s the environment around us that underpins our survival, not something that just provides us with ‘stuff’.

Teachers live for lightbulb moments and, luckily for me, at Eden I get more than my fair share.

The most memorable day of my time at Eden so far would have to be the Global Climate Strike in September 2019 when the whole Education Team headed out on foot, bus, bike – any sustainable form of transport – to deliver our Climate Response workshop, giving young people the chance to see how they could be part of the solution to the climate emergency. The buzz from the students, their teachers and the Eden team that day was electric."