Description
The project will improve environmental education (EE) in 20 kindergartens. EE is an important tool of environment protection. It is necessary to start with EE in an early age because it is the time when humans create their attitudes and values (e.g. the relationship to the nature and environment). Unfortunately many kindergartens focus on productivity and performance instead of offering the children appropriate examples of healthy life style and space to discover their environment. The participants (20 teachers from 20 different kindergartens) will meet 10 times for 3-6 days and experience 250 hours of informative and motivating seminars, workshops and excursions which will teach them to plan, realize and evaluate EE, to use appropriate methods, tools and resources and to effectively cooperate with colleagues and school partners. They will also benefit from sharing their experiences with introduction and realization of EE in their schools within the group.
Summary of project results
Under this project we realised a long term study for 20 pre-school teachers. The project improved environmental education (EE) in 20 kindergartens from 7 regions of Czech republic. EE is an important tool of environment protection. It is necessary to start with EE in an early age because it is the time when humans create their attitudes and values (e.g. the relationship to the nature and environment). This kind of study is aimed for school coordinators of EE, which, according to instruction of Czech Ministry of Education, should be active in every school. The role of the coordinator is to plan, realize and evaluate EE at school in cooperation with his/her colleagues. The programme of the study offered 250 hours of informative and motivating seminars, workshops and excursions. The participants learned how to plan, realize and evaluate EE, to use appropriate methods, tools and resources and to effectively cooperate with colleagues and school partners. During the study each participant compiled the School plan of EE for his/her own school. The programme was divided into 10 study-blocks, each taking 3-5 days. During April 2015-February 2016 participants visited 3 environmental centres, 6 kindergartens, 4 certified nature gardens. The goal of the project – to train 20 pre-school teachers to be well prepared for coordinating EE in their schools – was achieved and verified through the final exams that the participant passed in March 2016. This project brings benefit not only for 20 involved teachers, but primarily for their schools (children and families attending their schools). Already during the project the teachers started to use what they learned, e.g.: methods and tools useful for educational activities - gardening with children, using of environment friendly cleaners, etc. The participants appreciated that, thanks to their involvement in this project, also the motivation for EE and team spirit of their school colleagues were enhanced.
Summary of bilateral results