Schooling in the 'Fifth Season'

In "The Fifth Season," the Afro-futurist and speculative fiction writer N.K. Jemisin (2015) describes a world upended by massive climactic events that end typical seasonal cycles--introducing a fifth season of climatic emergency--and require a reorganization of society. As our planet Earth rapidly accelerates climatic change, educators and citizens need to imagine how we can create more flexible, resilient institutions that serve young people during a tumultuous and challenging period. All communities will be affected differently, but in the spirit of starting to plan for an uncertain future, this article discusses four possible principles for schooling during Earth's possible fifth season: (1) universal broadband and technology access; (2) pedagogies that are robust to interruption; (3) teach fewer topics in greater depth; and (4) social welfare for children and families.