Blog entry by Eummena Learn Guru
TAP-TS Faces: Rachel Bowden
Welcome to the first post of the "TAP-TS Faces" series! In this series of blog posts, we will be introducing you to the faces of TAP-TS, outlining their work with the project and their personal ambition related to the project. And in general, anything else that they're willing to share with us! We're kicking off with Rachel, our project coordinator.
A little about me
I have worked as an international development volunteer in Nicaragua, and as an English teacher, teacher trainer and education project manager and researcher in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Rwanda. I have degrees in English, Education for Sustainability and applied linguistics. I am particularly interested in the intersection between decoloniality, multilingual education and sustainability. I am the project coordinator for TAP-TS – or as Mats said, “the spider in the web”!
My work
I am passionate about working towards high quality education and lifelong learning for all, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. I am particularly concerned with educational inequities within and between countries. I find sustainability education endlessly fascinating. For me, it involves understanding current crises – social, economic, and environmental – and how these are connected and their historical roots. It is also about exploring future alternatives and valuing different perspectives and practices. I love the fact that every ‘subject’ at school has important perspectives to contribute. So, of course, do people outside of schools: families, local communities, businesses. Given that un-sustainability has been caused by people with the most power in society today, there is a strong reason to learn from people who have been marginalised. Sustainability can be the frame, the reason, and the challenge to bring different people and perspectives together and forge new understandings and practices”.