Environmental education in the classroom

mobilizing teaching knowledge through an outreach project with stingless bees in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

This article reports on how elementary school teachers mobilise their knowledge of Environmental Education (EE) in the classroom. In addition, it sought to verify whether and how an outreach project with stingless bees can broaden discussions among participating teachers and promote collective reflections on EE. This is a qualitative research study that used conversation circles as a data collection methodology; two circles were held online, via Google Meet, with five teachers and two facilitators. The results indicated that, in addition to contributing to the mobilisation of teachers’ knowledge about EE, the project fostered reflection on the relationship between theory and practice and encouraged an interdisciplinary approach to the subject. Furthermore, it enabled the exchange of experiences between teachers and strengthened the dialogue between school, community, and university, consolidating EE as a collective and continuous process. Thus, it is concluded that the initiative acted as a catalyst in the formation of critical environmental awareness, broadening teachers’ perspectives and promoting the democratisation of access to scientific knowledge in schools.