Teachers are stuck between the climate emergency and the end of the program

After the peak of the summer heat of 2022, 16-year-old Nina decided to apply to become an eco-delegate. This election is mandatory in each class, from 6^e in the terminal, from the beginning of the 2020 academic year. The goal is for each institution to develop at least one project to combat global warming. in 1^d At the General Fustel-de-Coulanges high school in Strasbourg, Nina was the only one to introduce herself. “Many students think that eco-delegate means a lot of meetings and not action”she sums it up.

The high school student plans to pass on what he’s learned about how to reduce his environmental impact by watching videos, reading social media posts, and talking to his mom a lot about it. He no longer eats meat, dresses “To Combat Textile Pollution in Thrift Stores” and gave up “Fast fashion from brands like Shein that don’t respect human rights”. his “consumer power” console. “Inaction of states and certain large companies” sorry What about high school programs? “If you tell us about today’s world and explain what is happening and what we can do, students who are not interested in the lessons will pay attention.”, A piece of Nina.

However, the concept of environmental education and sustainable development is uniquely presented in middle and high school programs. But this is not enough to solve the problem of his teaching, explained Solenn Pichardy, an SES (Economic and Social Sciences) teacher at Kerauli High School in Paimpol, Côte d’Armor. “In the last year, there is a big chapter about growth, which has become close to the concept of competitiveness and is completely detached from the concept of sustainable development. And the issue of compatibility between growth and sustainability has not even been raised.”Sturmit is the co-president of APSI (Economics and Social Sciences Teachers’ Association). Last year, the subject offered at the undergraduate level was controversial. “We had to show that innovation could help push back the ecological limits to growth.” The subject posed in this way completely ignored the debate on this topic in the scientific field., Solen Pichard summarizes.

Debate simulation

The teachers interviewed often seemed torn between the urgency of the climate and the urgency of completing the program. “We don’t have time to prepare students to take a position on the choice of energy mix when we talk about nuclear power in 1.^dfor example “, Illustrated by Pascal Challet, a SNES-FSU activist who teaches physics and chemistry at the Lycée des Brudes in Haute-Loire. The logistical question also arises in high school to work on a concept that integrates different disciplines that have become specialty lessons in 1.^d and terminal after secondary school reform. In addition to Common Core subjects, there is no longer one teacher per grade and subject, but several specialist teachers who teach students from multiple grades. “Neither overly demanding programs nor the organization of the school allow us to teach this subject ambitiously and by carrying out interdisciplinary projects with our colleagues. A piece by Solène Pichardie.