Com-U Course Speeded up Work with the Eco-Schools Programme One year ago, when the staff at the preschool Enbacken decided to go in for the Eco- Schools programme, they invited an educator from the Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation for an EU environmental policy course within the Com-U project. That was the starting point, and from that evening on, all the teachers were highly motivated. TEXT AND PHOTO OLA JACOBSEN 16 the keep sweden tidy foundation – school and preschool/inspiration
Facts / Enbacken Preschool Fakta/Enbackens Location: Edvalla Municipality: förskolathe Municipality of Tierp Number of children/pupils: 24. Number of years with Eco- Schools: 1 “once we got started with the Eco- Schools programme that was it, everything else had to fit into that,” says team leader Carina Ederyd. To carry out the theme as efficiently as possible, all other objectives regarding for instance languages, mathematics, motoric skills and physical movement, were linked together with the the Eco-Schools programme. “Going in for the Eco-Schools programme was a common decision and all of us have been educated by the Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation. One of the main reasons why we prioritize working with nature and environment, as we do in the Eco-Schools programme, is that it reflects the objectives and guidelines in the revised curriculum. Working actively with the different themes within the Eco- Schools programme allows us to work more explicitly towards the objectives regarding natural sciences, technology and the environment,” says preschool teacher Cecilia Jacobsson. the teachers have received a lot of help by teaching material from both the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation. Especially the Lightning Patrol material has been much appreciated by the children. (Read more about the Lightning Patrol on page 26.) “The children have become the Lightning Patrol themselves. It is exciting to be part of a secret environmental club that goes out looking for litter,” says Cecilia Jacobsson. “We already had this interest for nature and for the environment, but through the Com-U project we have become more eco-conscious, and it rubs off on the children. They are very engaged, and they also teach each other things they have learnt at home,” says Cecilia Jacobsson. Today the preschool class gathers round the fireplace out by Eneboa, the shelter right at the edge of the forest on the large outdoor yard of the Enbacken Preschool. “What happens with the earth if there is too much pollution?” Cecilia Jacobsson asks. “It will have a fever!” the children call back. It’s time for the Eco-Schools gathering, and the five year olds are going to make an experiment within the theme Energy and climate. They are going to pour salt on big blocks of ice, in order to simulate global warming. The water from the melting ice is colored red to make it easier to see. “It’s breaking! Now the polar bears will drown!” the children cry after a while. “The Preschool magazine had a theme issue on sustainable development, and there was a story in it that made us realize that we can work with the Climate and energy theme also with the younger children,” says Carina Ederyd. According to her, Eco-Schools is also a good tool for teaching the children basic democratic values. “We must teach them that there is hope for the future and that all people can make a difference, no matter what age they are.” By concretely trying, discovering and doing different things, the Eco-Schools programme improves the action competence of the children. When they have tried something at the preschool, they want to do the same thing at home. Furthermore, the wish and the knowledge to change things do not go away. “The children turn into Environmental Police Officers at home, it can almost be a bit tiresome. But the children really do influence their parents, I find that pretty awesome,” says Cecilia Jacobsson. a Theme/ Climate and energy Tema/Klimat and energi The schools work with, for example: global warming, energy sources, energy efficiency, transports. Through their work, the schools and preschools help obtaining: the Swedish Environmental Quality Objectives: Reduced Climate Impact, A Good Built Environment, Clean Air, A Magnificent Mountain Landscape, Natural Acidification Only. The EU environmental policy: Climate change, Nature and biodiversity, Natural resources and waste. school and preschool/inspiration – the keep sweden tidy foundation 17
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