In What Ways do High School Students Benefit from Teaching Environmental Education Concepts to K-4 Students and How are these Benefits Related to Environmentally Responsible Behavior?

Abstract

The ultimate goal of environmental education (EE) is to help students become citizens who exhibit environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). Many traditional EE programs have focused on the development of knowledge to achieve that goal; however, research indicates that certain skills and attitudes are also important in the formation of ERB. Cross-age teaching is one program that shows potential in targeting some of these often-overlooked areas. The purpose of this project was to give high school students the opportunity to teach environmental concepts to K-4 students, explore what the high school students perceived to be the benefits of those experiences, and determine whether or not those benefits were related to ERB. As a result of this project, 55 high school students planned and presented lessons to 272 elementary students during outdoor nature workshops. The high school students shared feedback through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Their responses indicated that the experiences not only increased their knowledge of the material, but also strengthened their self confidence and belief that their actions make a difference. Because cross-age teaching experiences enhance attributes leading to ERB and are also a low-cost, effective way to infuse EE, it's recommended that other districts implement this program.