Teaching Green: Promoting Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Practicesin the classroom

Nowadays we are living in a critical time in history where we cannot ignore the topics of climate change and environmental sustainability. Because the consequences of the state of the environment will be mainly faced by the future generations, it is essential that teachers learn how to bring out these matters inside the classroom. Moreover, it is even more important to learn how to address these topics, encouraging a sense of possibility of change rather than despair.

This new course session of “Des compétences vertes pour l'éducation : promouvoir la sensibilisation à l'environnement et les actions durables en classe”, took place in Palerme de 15/03/2026 to 21/03/2026, with participants from different EU countries: Mirjana, Marija and Bojan from Gimnazija in Serbia, Susanne, Ida et Monica from Kunskapsförbundet Väst vuxenutbildning in Sweden, Liis et Viivika from Kotka Lasteaed in Estonia, Diana, Ilona et Lina from Ukmerges r.Taujenu pagrindine mokykla in Lithuania, María Luisa from Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria Jacaranda in Spain, Virginie et Inge from Go! Next het atheneum Hasselt in Belgium.

At the beginning of the week we focused on what are considered to be Green Skills and why they are vital in nowadays society. During the first day the goal was to reflect on the words that make up the green vocabulary and this is why we also discussed the concept of Développement durable and sustainable development. 

Another focus of the week was the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants discussed in groups the 7 goals that are related to environmental sustainability. They also learned that every activity, game or theoretical topic of the course was specifically related to different SDGs. 

The participants personally experienced how small actions can make a difference while also exploring effective ways to engage both young learners and adults in sustainable development. Through the activities, they reflected on key topics such as global warming, carbon footprint, tipping points, consumerism and other aspects related to climate change. 

Two days of the course were dedicated to non-formal approaches to climate education. On Tuesday, the session focused on outdoor education, emphasizing that spending time in nature is essential to develop care and responsibility for the environment.

Another session was devoted to Project Based Learning (PBL). Participants explored its core principles and main characteristics while analyzing examples of PBL related to sustainability and green skills, reflecting on how this approach can promote a greener mindset.

On Thursday, the focus shifted to the GreenComp framework and the development of critical thinking skills. Participants explored key sustainability concepts, including responsible consumption and greenwashing. They had the chance to do their own research on brands from their countries to recognize legit sustainable products from unethical productions advertised as “green”.

Finally, one of the most enriching aspects of this course was mainly sharing the best of practices that allowed participants to exchange their experiences in the field of sustainability and to learn from different cultural backgrounds  gaining inspiration from projects and activities implemented by fellow colleagues while also improving their green skills and learning about useful tools (other than mentioned previously) that can be applied to classroom management and everyday teaching practice towards a greener teaching approach.

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