Classroom for Life

Many teachers in Europe have a hard time bringing climate and sustainability themes into classrooms. It is expected of them to apply innovative pedagogies to sustainability education when often they do not benefit from these pedagogies as part of their own learning. Furthermore, factory model education is inadequate in addressing the complex challenges we are facing as global citizens. The educational system in Slovenia is limiting teachers to traditional teaching methods while more innovative approaches fall behind. Furthermore, teachers have a poor understanding of how different approaches to sustainability relate to each other. This means that support for teachers at this point is crucial.

As part of the Classroom of Life project in Slovenia, teachers were given access to tools to take on the role of sustainability facilitators - a role that is crucial for all alternative learning approaches (e.g. project-based or inquiry-based learning). To this end, the project team developed a pilot training and a manual for teachers in Slovenian primary and secondary schools, as well as eight practical learning scenarios. It also organized two annual conferences on eco-social education and published a scientific monograph on the project results. With the help of the project, knowledge acquired by environmental NGOs, ecovillages and transition movements was passed on to public schools. In addition, the materials developed are being used in courses at the Faculty of Education at the University of Primorska.

Classroom for Life shares recent developments and updates on their own Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X page as well as on their website.

• Political recognition and tangible impact in the classroom: The project received positive recognition from the Slovene Ministry of Education at one of its online events, emphasising that the interdisciplinary, student-centred approach aligns with ongoing systemic reforms. Teachers also reported greater student engagement when applying the new methods, highlighting the relevance and practical value of the training.
• Broad reach and strengthening of teacher training: The project reached over 570 participants through a variety of events - including 399 people at two international conferences on eco-social education and more than 50 teachers and student teachers in training courses. A pilot training programme with 25 student teachers supported the integration of the project content into future teacher training, thereby significantly exceeding the original objectives.
• Innovative teaching materials for sustainable education created: With the development of eight innovative learning scenarios for primary and secondary schools and the publication of a scientific monograph and a comprehensive teaching manual, the project created lasting tools for teaching sustainability and climate change in the classroom. These materials enable direct application in the classroom and strengthen the quality of climate education in the long term.