Matt Wysock, Environmental Science and Regional Planning
In order to meet the
objectives that have been laid out for environmental education (EE), it
has been advocated that EE be provided for all ages at all levels of education
both formal and informal (Engleson, 1985). Though implementation
of EE programs has been inconsistent, there have been efforts to incorporate
it into middle school, high school, and university level instruction.
The preschool years have been almost completely overlooked (Wilson, 1996)
and the elementary school years have been slow in adopting it (Ham and
Sewing, 1987). This is unfortunate because the early years of childhood
are important periods in the development of empathy for others, and the
development of positive attitudes towards the natural environment (Montessori,
1967; Sebba, 1991; Stapp, 1978; Tanner, 1980). Childhood experiences
in the natural environment can help to shape adult behavior (Sebba, 1991;
Tanner, 1980).
In order to facilitate the
incorporation of EE into more kinds and levels of curricula, a series of
strategies have been developed. These strategies include infusing
EE into all subjects, providing for daily interaction with natural materials,
providing time and space for outdoor experiences (Wilson, 1994), and taking
action on behalf of the environment (Hungerford and Volk, 1990).
Indicators, Strategies and Benefits
The indicators (I's in bold and underlined) measure progress towards achieving successful environmental education programs. The strategies (S's in bold) are recommended actions to improve each indicator. The I's and S's are followed by brief statements of benefit.
I.1. Apply EE to all levels of education
S.1.a. Infuse environmental education into all subjects (Wilson,
1994).
Environmental issues are
multifaceted and interdisciplinary in nature. For this reason it
has always been the objective of environmental education to become infused
into all subjects across the curriculum, from science to art (Engleson,
1985). In early childhood education, this is perhaps more important.
It has been recognized that young children are holistic learners who learn
best through a variety of mediums and experiences (Bredekamp, 1987).
There are many ways of incorporating
EE into diverse subjects even for young children. Books such as the
Magic School Bus series teach children about the habits and importance
of insects, micro-organisms, and bats. Using age appropriate information
that is popular and interesting provides an easy starting point for parents
and educators to develop activities that carry ideas further into an action
that brings the subject to life. For example, children develop an
appreciation for bats through viewing a program, action is taken to build
bat boxes and have students watch daily bat activities. This is an
effective lesson for wildlife biology students learning observation methods
in a college setting as it is a science or art project for elementary students
S.1.b. Provide for daily interaction with natural material (Wilson,
1994).
In our culture, we tend
to draw a distinct line between what is humanly-made and what is natural.
In reality, this line is not so distinct. Much can be accomplished
by blurring this line and allowing the natural world to come indoors.
Natural materials like rocks, sticks, lichens, mosses, etc. can be brought
indoors for study and decoration. Plants can be introduced into the
classroom to create a softer more natural feeling. Animals can also
be introduced into the classroom. Fish and hamsters are inexpensive
pets that are easy to care for, yet can stimulate a child's curiosity.
Insects and spiders can be collected outdoors and kept, temporarily, in
jars for observation (caution: wild animals, even insects, should be provided
with water and some food and should eventually be released back into the
natural environment). By caring for plants and animals themselves,
young children can learn about the needs that plants and animals have and
they can develop a sense of empathy for other living things. It is
important to mention that these should not be passive experiences as is
too frequently the case. An animal in a cage in the corner is more of a
lesson of how EE should not take place. Have students keep a pair
of animals and breed them, monitoring the development of the newborns into
adulthood. Have the students also develop a more natural habitat
for the animal and learn the history of the animal. Cages and pre-packaged
food developed for human convenience should not be mistaken as a hamster's
preferred lifestyle.
S.1.c. Providing time and space for outdoor experiences (Wilson,
1994).
Children in our culture
are provided with fewer opportunities for direct interaction with the natural
environment compared to children in many other cultures around the world
(Sobel, 1995). Providing for experiences in the outdoors does not
require forests, lakes, rivers, and mountains. Frequent field trips
to pristine environments are not necessary, although it is important to
expose children to as wide a variety of environments as possible.
Children can benefit from learning experiences that occur in the environment
that surrounds their homes and schools. This is true even in urban
settings. A spider's web behind a garbage can or a colony of ants
on the playground can become the source of numerous learning experiences.
Adults can and should facilitate these experiences. They should encourage
exploration and experimentation in the outdoor environment. They
can enhance experiences in the local environment by enhancing ecological
diversity. This can be accomplished by planting flowers or vegetables,
importing a variety of soils and rocks, or building a compost pile with
food and plant wastes.
S.1.d. Taking action on behalf of the environment.
The standard approach to
EE with any age group has been to give people knowledge about the environment
and environmental issues (Hungerford and Volk, 1990). The assumption
has been that knowledge leads to awareness and more positive attitudes
which leads to a change in behavior towards the natural environment (Hungerford
and Volk, 1990). In reality, knowledge is but one of many variables
important to the development of responsible environmental behavior. Variables
include positive environmental attitudes, internal control, a sense of
personal responsibility for an environmental problem, action taking skills,
as well as knowledge of issues and of action strategies (Hines, Hungerford,
and Tomera, 1986). One method that appears to be successful in addressing
all of these variables is taking action to solve some perceived problem
(Ramsey, Hungerford, and Tomera, 1981). This approach can be used
successfully with children as young as 4 or 5.
In choosing a problem, one
must be considered the age and abilities of the children. With older
children and young adults, developing strategies for dealing with automobile
emissions, deforestation in the Amazon, or acid rain may be appropriate.
Young children, on the other hand, need concrete experiences (Bredekamp,
1987), so something local and small in scale is most appropriate.
Children themselves may have observed some problems and, therefore, may
be the best sources of possible projects. Some possible projects
that may provide meaningful experiences for young children include cleaning
up litter, organizing a recycling center for home or school, providing
food or shelter for birds, and increasing habitat around the school by
planting trees, flowers, and bushes.
An EE program which incorporates
the above suggestions was implemented in a private pre-school and elementary
school in Moscow, ID. It was titled Turning Point School. Evidence
suggests that the children have not only gained an increased understanding
of their environment but it has influenced their behavior. Previous
to the implementation of this program, the children, the same as children
anywhere, could be cruel towards insects and other animal life. Reports
from parents and teachers suggest that not only are the children kinder
towards insects but they are actively attempting to preserve them.
The children of the school have formed a club called the Grasshopper Club,
which is dedicated to educating others to be nice to grasshoppers and to
preserving them from people’s careless footsteps. This may at first
glance appear to be an inconsequential incident, but early childhood is
an important period in the development of children's attitudes about the
natural environment. This may represent a first step in the development
of an attitude which values the natural environment, and seeks to preserve
and enhance it.
Conclusions
Washington State University
(WSU) can help the local community improve EE by offering the assistance
of its many experts and professionals, and by incorporating EE into its
teacher training program. WSU is an integral part of Palouse communities,
yet it often seems isolated from those communities. Universities
could become active participants in the communities in which they are located
for the purpose of initiating positive change. WSU can become more
active in two ways. First, it can offer teacher training programs
in EE for interested teachers in all specialties and at all levels of education.
Second, it can offer the expertise of its faculty and students, both in
and out of the classroom, to assist teachers in teaching children about
the environment.
As an institution which
is dedicated to training future teachers and school administrators, the
WSU college of education should incorporate EE into its curriculum.
Currently EE is primarily relegated to the sciences, specifically biology
and is usually taught to older children (Ramsey, Hungerford, and Volk,
1992). WSU can help to move EE out of the sciences and towards full
incorporation into all levels of education by incorporating it into the
training of all new teachers.
Institutions like WSU can
play a critical role in insuring the success of EE. By incorporating
the suggestions listed above, they can help educators to incorporate EE
into their curricula. By infusing EE into the curriculum for training
future teachers and administrators they can insure that in the future schools
and educators will be better able to teach children about the environment
and environmental issues.
References
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Environmental Education Team Report