Complementary curriculum: the work of ecologically minded teachers

Abstract

Myriad international efforts exist to infuse and reform schools with ecological perspectives, but in the US those efforts remain largely on the fringes of schooling. The purpose of this study is to offer a perspective on this issue from inside schools. If one looks to the future success of environmental education, one must consider the work of teachers. To that end, this qualitative study explores the intentions and practices of three ecologically‐minded teachers in traditional public high schools in the US. The research methodology used was eco‐educational criticism, an arts‐based inquiry method with an ecological lens. The teachers were interviewed about their intentions for their students, and then observed to see how those intentions were manifested in the classroom. A follow‐up interview then synthesized the connection between their ecological beliefs and their general intentions for students.

Keywords:

• curriculum research
• environmental education
• teacher beliefs
• teacher education

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to Bruce Uhrmacher of the University of Denver and Peter Hlebowitsh of the University of Iowa for their thoughtful and constructive feedback on drafts of this paper.

Notes

1. By ‘non‐environmental’ I simply mean educational contexts and models that are not explicitly focused on teaching environmental themes and ideas, such as a traditional school or an English classroom focused on the Western canon. Certainly all contexts can be considered ecological, although Orr (1992: 90) has said that ‘all education is environmental education,’. In other words, it is impossible to separate humans and our constructed worlds from the planet on which we live.

2. It is important to note that many environmental education reforms call for integration of disciplines (see Orr 1992, Smith and Williams 1999, Jardine 2000). While this may indeed be an appropriate and necessary recommendation, the current reality of public schooling is that most US secondary schools are structured with disciplinary separation.

3. The current war in Iraq (Flinders 2006), some religious concepts, and in some cases evolution are all examples of what is not taught in US schools.

4. Eisner (1998) developed educational connoisseurship and criticism (henceforth called educational criticism) as method of qualitative inquiry intended to improve education. Connoisseurship is the art of appreciation and criticism the art of disclosure (Eisner 2002). Therefore, connoisseurship requires that the researcher have enough educational knowledge to be able to observe the subtleties and intricacies of the educational setting. The criticism, then, illuminates the connoisseur’s perspective with the aim of educational improvement in mind.

5. See note 1.

6. The campus of SLHS boasts a collegiate setting with four separate buildings, three cafeterias, a variety of outdoor spaces to congregate, and extensive sports facilities. The school is situated on 80 acres adjacent to a large state park, and several of its classrooms overlook the reservoir. Students have a generous amount of autonomy. Of the 3700 students, approximately 86% are White, 2% are African American, 7% are Asian, and 5% are Hispanic.

7. HHS lies on 32 acres near a large public park and wetlands refuge. The single, more traditional high‐school building has been recently remodelled to include an Academic Success Centre, a new athletic area, and refurbished entrances. Of the approximately 2000 students at Highline, 1% is Native American, 32% are African American, 6% are Asian, 16% are Hispanic, and 45% are White. Furthermore, students speak 52 home languages and come from 110 countries. Both schools have an average class size of about 25 students. SLHS and HHS participate in their district’s large‐scale curriculum implementation project in which all classes provide an opportunity to learn certain essential components in the core areas (English, mathematics, social studies, and science). Teachers are provided with extensive curriculum binders, but in most cases are not directed how to teach the essential core content. The formal curriculum is a compilation of the state of Colorado’s standards as well as university‐preparatory skills, and a major focus of the district is to improve performance on standardized state tests.

8. Ms Snow was trained by Native American teachers in various ceremonies for a number of years. For purposes of confidentiality, I have eliminated all other identifying details.

9. Zelig is the story of a man who transforms himself to be like those who surround him in order to gain approval.

10. Eisner (2002: 32–34) described that which actually happens in a classroom as the ‘operationalized curriculum’.

11. After the conclusion of this study, HHS did resurrect the Environment Club. Many members came from Mrs Avila’s class.

12. See, for example, the Portland Environmental Middle School (Smith 2004).

13. ‘Complementary’ literally means ‘forming a complement, completing, perfecting’ or ‘of two (or more) things: mutually complementing or completing each other’s deficiencies’ (Oxford English Dictionary 1989). We might think of complementary angles, which when paired together make a right angle. We might also think of complementary colours, ‘which, in combination, produce white or colourless light’ (Oxford English Dictionary 1989).