Environmental Education in the Schools

Environmental Education in the Schools

I didn’t really understand that environmental education had branches such as conservation and outdoor education. I assumed environmental education was about nature and how we can keep it from being destroyed.

When the article said that environmental education is not only science but “economics, math, geography, ethics, politics and other subjects.” I guess I don’t fully agree on these. I understand each of them but I feel that some of them are loosely associated with environmental science. I understand that sometimes it gets destroyed for economic purposes and numbers are involved when people fight over it [politics] and some people will think it’s terrible or not terrible [ethics]. But this is only if something gets torn down or is argued to be torn down for buildings or factories or something. I ‘m not sure that it is much more than science and geography, in my opinion.

I do agree with experiential learning. While many subjects that people take in college require a lot of preparation in the classroom before they go out in the world it makes sense that those interested in environmental studies get outside and experience it right away. Obviously knowledge of what you’re getting into would be good also but I do agree that you’re not going to learn as much if you’re just sitting in a classroom.

All in all I have no complaints about environmental science. I think it is very important but also broad. I want my students to believe that they are helping the community when they see trash in the grass and they pick it up and throw it away. I guess I’m struggling to decide, (besides a hike or nature walk or some sort of else outdoor activity) what is the best way to teach them about environmental science besides saying that littering is bad.