Environmental Education (EE) in non-formal spaces of education: the potential of Sunday School (SS) for the formation of environmental values

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how the SS may contribute to the formation of environmental values and an active environmental citizenship. The methodology investigated the socioeconomic profile and the conception of EE and environment of SS teachers of God-Temple Providence Assembly located in Maracangalha neighborhood in Belém-PA through a semi-structured questionnaire and what relationship established between Bible and EE through interviews with a sample group, it was posteriorly offered a workshop of three meetings, and finally took place new interviews with the sample group seeking to evaluate the results of the action. It found through research that teachers in majority, are women, brown, students, Pará born in Bethlehem, singles, attend church in question between 0 and 10 years and deliver the Protestant faith at the same time, they are volunteer teachers SS for the period from 0 to 5 years, the subjects understand environment as a place to live and EE as the construction of conscious actions. The sample group said that the Bible talks about EE and feel responsible for making her also the neighborhood where they live is not environmentally care. During the workshop, the use of biblical presuppositions to build environmental awareness, was positive, arousing the interest of the audience to the topic and approaching the culture and reality. Interviews after the action showed that the participants understand better the subject and were more willing to talk to your students about EE, demosntrando the potential of SS.