In practice, ecological values often lose out to what are known as the benefits of civilisation, hence the need to raise awareness of these problems and values and to define people's attitudes towards them, starting with the youngest. This is one of the reasons why environmental education is important and essential—especially since it makes it possible to put into practice the principle of “think globally – act locally”, which is of considerable importance for the present and the future. Ecological education—or, better yet, environmental education—cannot be limited to institutionalised forms; the whole of society should undertake these tasks, starting with parents and ending with anyone who has any contact with children and young people.
In school practice, there are many ways of carrying out the tasks mentioned above. A good example is Bolesławiec’s “eight”, whose teachers—the authors of a collection of exercises for teaching mathematics—showed how appropriate content can be incorporated into teaching this subject without placing any additional time burden on pupils. The point is precisely to popularise these forms of work, which usually arise from a school’s work plan.
In my professional work, I have analysed school work plans, numerous teaching units and care activities, and I believe that a considerable part of them consists of gems that could be a source of inspiration for teachers from more than one school, just as are, for example, the models of values and behaviour proposed to pupils in them.
We complain that television promotes negative behaviour, while there is an opportunity to use it to popularise the aforementioned environmental-education work carried out by schools as part of their work plans.
Since the current school year, meetings devoted to environmental education have been held at the City Council, attended predominantly by our teachers.
At the most recent meeting, attended by the Editor-in-Chief of “Głos Bolesławca”, Mr Paweł Śliwka, and the Head of the Bolesławiec Local Government Local Television, Mr Dariusz Wędzina, the principles for popularising the educational and formative work of schools in the field of environmental education through the local mass media were discussed. “Głos Bolesławca” has reserved a regular column for ecology enthusiasts, while the Bolesławiec Local Government Local Television will broadcast a series of their programmes.
The Bolesławiec Forest District, as well as the Nature Protection Guard at the Bolesławiec ZHP Scout Troop Headquarters, offered to cooperate with the teachers.
One may hope that the jointly undertaken activities, which have already won the recognition of the city’s president, Mr Józef Król, MSc Eng., will contribute to popularising a healthy lifestyle among the residents of our city and to protecting nature, which is our shared responsibility.