“To teach environment one has to change the very approach to teaching and learning, and not merely change content, while retaining existing teaching methodologies.” Kartikeya V. Sarabhai, The Green Teacher
What is environmental education (EE) ? and why the thrust of our EE is action?
Environmental Education (EE) aims to get the participants informed, inspired and get them involved in environmental protection. The first intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education held at Tbilisi in 1977 and Congress on Environmental Education and Training held by the UNESCO-UNEP in 1987 gave a greater emphasis to Action.
Environmental Education aims to develop the following qualities in the participants such as: students, teachers, youth and women.
- An awareness of the environment and its problems.
- Basic knowledge and understanding of the environment and its inter-relationship with human being.
- Social values and attitudes which are in harmony with environmental quality.
- Skills to solve environmental problems.
- Ability to evaluate environmental measures and education programmes.
- A sense of responsibility and urgency towards the environment so as to ensure appropriate actions to solve environmental problems.
The teacher’s role here is that of a guide, who enables students to learn through participation, discovery and personal experience. Outdoor environmental education programs offer immense possibilities, for example: experiments, research findings and inspirational people.
Outside the classroom can be used to facilitate Education for Sustainable Development.
In Environmental education, it is important to take the students outdoor and organize activity-based programme.
Going from awareness to action pose a challenge.
The Challenge to Environmental Education for Action | How LEAF Program is Addressing those Challenges |
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LEAF (Leaders in Environmental Action Force) program initiated by GJEM & Green the Blue Charitable Trust is primarily a leadership and environmental education program with innovative pedagogy. The program enables the children to learn about key environmental issues and develop solutions to mitigate them. Some of the sustainable practices they learn are put into use in the schools and at their houses.
LEAF program consists of 8 day long workshops conducted within a span of 10 months.
The workshops are conducted outside the classroom often in places such as organic farm, bio-reserves, solar hubs, herbal garden and institutions where sustainable practices are implemented. In this way, students get firsthand experience of eco-friendly practices.
•Bio-diversity
•Organic farming-kitchen garden
•Alternative energy
•Eco-Art Programs & Art from Waste
•Global warming & Climate Change
•Water harvesting
•Solid waste Management
•Campaign on environmental issues
•Eco-Journalism
To read in more detail about the LEAF program please download the PPT Presentation “Environment Education for Action”.