Leading and educating for sustainability in Western Australian secondary schools

In this paper we report on research that examined the leadership involved ineducating for sustainability in three Western Australian secondary schools. Using semi-structuredinterviews, the experiences of teachers reputedly leading education for sustainability wereexplored, to gather descriptions of 'the lived experience' from them. The research indicates thatsecondary schools in Western Australia may not be taking up the education for sustainabilityagenda, perhaps due to a lack ofunderstanding ofboth leadership and sustainability itself In theschools of this study. the concept ofeducation for sustainability is not widely embraced. In somecases, the leadership ofeducation for sustainability occurs whimsically, with little vision for thefuture and with little evidence of alliance building or collaboration among colleagues. Such anapproach does not facilitate shared leadership nor progress the sustainability agenda. In otherinstances, the leadership ofeducation for sustainability occurs with a clear, shared vision, strongcollaboration among colleagues and shared responsibilities.