Implementing green practices and bringing environmental awareness to the classroom

Undeniably, the state of the planet we live on has been deteriorating further each year for the past decades. We can all, as individuals, participate more in trying to make the world a better place for future generations. To do that, it is vital that each and every one of us become aware of how and what we can do to improve our lifestyles. With this goal in mind, we created a new course aimed at teachers for them to learn, discuss ideas and challenges, and how they can get their pupils to become conscious of the world around them and the state of the planet their children will live on, as well as developing green skills.
This new-brand course “Green skills for education: promoting environmental awareness and sustainable actions in the classroom”, took place in Tenerife from 11/06/2023 to 17/06/2023. We had a small group of 4 participants composed of Lucia and Marguerita from Maison de l’Europe Bordeaux-Aquitaine in France and Sebastian and Bärbel, respectively from KurfürstBalduinRealschule+ and Carlo-Schmid-Oberschule in Germany.
The week began with discussions around definitions of words related to the environment such as sustainability or even greenwashing. As complex as the phenomenon can be, giving a clear definition for some related words can be relatively hard as they depend on each person. Discussion around what each word implies took place to have a better understanding of the level of “green knowledge” each participant had and also to share points of view on various subjects related to the environment.
Following that, the participants explored the Sustainable Development Goals through games, and they learned how to incorporate them into their lessons effectively. This integration helps students understand the global challenges we face and instills a sense of purpose and commitment to working towards achieving these goals.
Through practical activities and simulations, teachers discovered innovative ways to engage students on topical green issues such as global warming, carbon footprint, and sustainable food consumption. Non-formal and experiential learning approaches were emphasized to promote critical thinking and reflection.
One of the last topics was tools that can be used in the classroom. The participants were equipped with strategies to implement better environmental sustainability into their lessons. Application using ICT tools, employing creativity-based approaches, as well as integrating outdoor-inspired activities were used.
And finally, we focused on empowering teachers to lead by example and develop personal and classroom action plans for a green transition using Project-based learning. By planning and implementing sustainable practices, educators can inspire students to embrace sustainability and actively contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
Through this week, teachers did not only gain inspiration and practical strategies but also joined a network of like-minded professionals dedicated to creating positive change. Together, they will now embark on a journey to transform education and foster a sustainable mindset that will shape our societies for years to come.
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Discover more about this course in: https://www.erasmustrainingcourses.com/green-skills.html