Education and sustainability: an integrative and ecological approach

By Marli Santos* 

Translation by Hedley Richards

I will recount here an experience as the facilitator of an environmental education workshop for 15- to 17-year-old students enrolled in a public school in the city of Campinas (São Paulo State).

 

It was a hot and sunny afternoon of October 2012. The breathtaking indigo-blue sky was matched by the beauty of the various tones of green displayed by the exuberant yet well-kept vegetation that surrounded the school facilities. This struck me as a quasi-irresistible invitation by nature to bring educational activities outside the classroom (“outdoor education”).

 

The architecture of the school building was similar to countless other public schools — a modular, building block design with rectangular rooms, filled with lines of chairs and most of the time lacking in natural light or ventilation.

 

When I entered the classroom, I realized it contained no free space — it was a sea of tightly packed chairs. The students, who were in the second and third years of their program, had not yet entered the room. I took a deep breath and asked the program coordinator if we could rearrange the room to open up space at the front and allow participants to move more freely during the activities.

 

Students started entering the room as we were rearranging the space. This caused quite a commotion and even some insecurity among some students who did not seem very happy with the scene. There I was, sweating and trying to think of a way to assuage their concerns while also finishing as quickly as possible to prepare the room, which had become truly chaotic, with some chairs piled up in the back while other ones were being dragged in every direction. The intense noise inside the room contrasted with the silence outside.

 

In general, when facilitating environmental education workshops, I prefer to alternate outdoor activities with activities held in rooms with enough open space for participants to move about freely. This allows for greater interaction and supports the deconstruction of barriers commonly found in learning environments, not only among students, but also between students and educators, as well as between all participants and the natural environment. In this pedagogical approach, contents can be more easily absorbed when they are delivered through student-centered experiential activities. Furthermore, the environment (i.e., context) can exert a significant influence on the learning process.

 

So, there we were, 45 people grouped within this rectangular classroom, where we worked intensely for four hours without a minute free to observe the green landscape that was just outside the room. With all the students standing in a circle, I kicked off the workshop by asking them whether they were breathing. They laughed in unison, perhaps thinking the question a little weird. Some answered: “Of course we’re breathing!” I then asked: “And how exactly? Can you tell me?” From that point on, we began to build bridges among ourselves, creating space for the first ice-breaking activity, which focused on conscious breathing. And so, we breathed and moved vigorously during this first activity, aimed at welcoming participants, warming up and building self-knowledge, based on a yoga breathing technique called the Breath of Joy. Little by little, the facial expressions of the young students changed while their pulse accelerated due to the energetic breathing and movements they were performing.

 

Together, we shouted and laughed, before slowly quieting down as we moved into the Mountain Posture (another yoga posture). With their feet solidly resting on the ground, eyes closed, and hands centered on their hearts, the class became suddenly quiet, making it easier for each one to listen to their breath, and a feeling of calm overtook the hearts and minds of participants. The students’ initial apprehension soon dissipated, and the slight reddening of some faces signaled a heightened vitality and curiosity. They now seemed ready for a slightly “offbeat” journey!

 

During one of the activities, called Going Dotty, students’ behavior drew my attention. After inviting participants to close their eyes, the facilitator placed a colored sticker on each one’s forehead without revealing its color to them. Participants were asked to form groups comprising those with stickers of the same color, without knowing what the color of their sticker was. They were instructed to proceed in silence, without engaging in any verbal communication, but they could keep their eyes open.

 

As soon as the groups were formed, we started the process called debriefing, during which students were invited to reflect on how the activity unfolded and the strategies used to address the challenge they were presented with. During the time set aside for reflection, participants are encouraged to talk about their feelings throughout the problem-solving process. Many expressed clearly and assertively their unhappiness over the fact that one colleague was left alone since he was given a sticker whose color was unique to him, which made it impossible to form a group. It was fascinating to hear some students position themselves in this respect and question my motives for isolating a student. It was clear that they were genuinely concerned for the other.

 

This simple, fun but rich activity gave students the opportunity to reflect on the feeling of being cast aside and the crucial role of cooperating in solving problems. In addition, it helped students identify and debate the ecological principle of interdependence, which is at the heart of ensuring the sustainability of life on our planet, and the notions of empathy and compassion. Students were able to connect the dots and relate various concepts with the activity, thus demonstrating their openness to this form of interactive learning. I was deeply moved by how readily these young people became engaged and their spirit of cooperation.

 

Although we are taught human nature is compassionate, in general this inner quality is not sufficiently nurtured, and we end up forgetting just how important it is in our journey on this planet.

 

This experience made me reflect on what could be achieved if schools were open to more interactive forms of teaching and learning. What if students had more opportunities for experiential learning? What if the curriculum incorporated activities aimed at developing their inner ecology? What if they had more opportunities to develop mindfulness, through contemplative practices such as meditation and yoga?

 

I wonder whether these young people would be happier and more centered if these activities had already been included in their education at that time? Scientific research carried out in the last decade has shown that such an integrative approach can help us become more compassionate, more self-aware and kinder, improve our ability to concentrate and to self-regulate, and improve academic performance as well. Improvements in self-esteem have also been observed. These are some of the skills needed to lead a life that is more balanced socially and emotionally.

 

In order to deal with environmental issues and face the multiple and complex challenges they pose, it is necessary to adopt a global approach, through which students are considered holistically, taking into account their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions. The environment required to support quality learning must be welcoming, democratic, participative and supportive of kindness. 

 

As I wrote this account of that day, I pictured how many of the participants must already have entered the workforce. Who knows, some may have chosen to work as educators, formal or otherwise. Who knows, some may have become teachers, in the same school or elsewhere. Who knows, some may already be engaged in supporting life on our planet, showing compassion, empathy and solidarity, with open eyes and minds. Who knows, some may be committed to reducing their ecological footprint, aware of the finiteness of natural resources. Who knows, we may meet again one day to breathe together and shout “ha!” in joy and respect for the Earth, our mother. Oxalá (meaning: may this come to be)!

 

In the next chapter of this series, I will recount other interesting experiences that highlight the importance of integrative and holistic approaches in the processes of teaching and learning.

 

* Educator, author and instructor of contemplative practices and environmentally sustainable cuisine  

M.A. in Education (OISE, University of Toronto)