Environmental Education and Waldorf Pedagogy in Elementary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18675/2177-580X.2023-16709Abstract
This article aims to understand how Environmental Education (EE) impacts the curriculum and the performance of Waldorf Pedagogy Schools (PW) in Elementary School. The tools, strategies and methodologies oriented to EE initiatives, which aim to change attitudes and behaviors focused on the human being/nature relationship, were brought to the context of Waldorf Schools to verify possible correspondences between these and PW in their approaches and curricular guidelines. The present study arose from a master's research and was based on the investigation of a theoretical framework and semi-structured interviews with teachers and teacher trainers of PW and analyzed using the resources of content analysis adapted from Bardin (1997). It was concluded that EE receives more attention from researchers, continuously and not occasionally, having its different nuances as possibilities for work. At PW there is no tradition of continuous studies; there is still a lot to be built, and the bases of PW are aware of the search for human and planetary health. The EE tools are used and there are some common practices and many possibilities to be developed in the PW. There is a need for systematization, study, and guidance of educators to update the curriculum and new practices; for this purpose, EE can be very useful, in addition to what already exists. It is essential that there is investment in teacher training, allowing them to take advantage of the possibilities offered by the curriculum guidelines. The search for self-education in terms of its individual relationship with the rest of nature can diversify the pedagogical practice.