M Not competent

While some of the teachers considered themselves competent in teaching environmental education, there were teachers who felt that they were not competent. The results revealed two sub-categories indicated that teachers do not feel competent to teach environmental education first because they lack training and second because of the changing nature of the environment. As a result, the teachers in this category reflect the need for training in environmental education for teachers. They suggested that they need to be trained through workshops, seminars and short courses if they are to teach environmental education in the primary schools effectively.

C-M1. Lack of training

The basic idea characterizing this sub-category is lack of training in environmental education among teachers in primary schools. The teachers claim that they were not taught environmental education while training as teachers in teacher training colleges. They added that they have not even attended any in- service course or seminars in environmental education As a result, they do not feel competent to teach environmental education. The teachers concerns can be supported by the following excerpts:

“To tell the truth, I do not have the knowledge and skills to teach environmental education, because I was not taught in school and in teacher training college. If there were frequent seminars for all the teachers, it would be a good thing. It is important to train all the teachers because if only one teacher from a school attends the seminar, if he/she is not available, then nothing will be done. Therefore, all the teachers should attend the seminars. Alternatively, seminar organizers can go to the schools to run seminars for teachers. If this is done, I am sure every teacher will be able to teach environmental education as intended by the curriculum.” (Wamo, F).

“I do not have enough knowledge to teach environmental education. I think I need to be educated on the subject more because I have never been taught in college. And it is not only me. A lot of teachers have never been trained in environmental education. It is necessary for teachers to be trained so that they can be shown what and how to integrate environmental education into their teaching.” (Tunu, F)

“I do not think that I have enough knowledge to enable me teach environmental education comfortably. I think so because there are things that I do not know, as I was not taught them in college. Therefore, I need to be taught about many things. For example, I do not know what the problem of greenhouse effect is in the environment, although I very often hear it mentioned. As a result, I cannot teach it because I do not know what it is.” (Salase, F).

On the basis of what the teachers said, it is evident that teachers experience difficulties in teaching environmental education, since some of the teachers do not even know some of the concepts used in environmental education like the concept of greenhouse effect, as one teacher said. However, they indicate that the teaching of environmental education can be implemented effectively in primary schools if teachers receive training both in pre-service and in-service programs.

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C-M2. Changing nature of the environment

The teachers in this sub-category stressed that the environment is constantly changing, it is not static. As a result, what we know about the environment at a particular time may not be true after some time. Thus, teachers need to keep in pace with these changes. This can be seen from the following statements:

“I can say that I have adequate skills and knowledge to teach environmental education at the moment, but since things are constantly changing, I think I need constant training to update my knowledge and skills.” (Kinara, M)

“What I know about the environment in Morogoro is not the same as the environment in another place like Mwanza. If I go to teach in Mwanza I have to find out what the environment in Mwanza is like. An even what I find may change over time. So I can say that I am not adequately competent to teach environmental education because the environment is always changing.” (Mangowi, F)

These teachers’ voices indicate that teachers attribute their lack of competence in the teaching of environmental education to the changing nature of the environment. They suggest that they have to update their knowledge in order to keep in pace with the changes.

While discussing further with the teachers about their competence in teaching environmental education in primary school, the responses revealed that there are variations among the teachers. There are those who feel that they are competent and some who feel that they are not competent. The basic idea characterizing the first category is that teachers feel that they are competent in teaching environmental education at primary school level. According to what they say, these teachers seem to be innovative and confident. The second category is characterized by teachers who say that they are not competent to teach environmental education. They attribute this to the changing nature of the environment and inadequate training. Unlike teachers who feel that they are competent, these teachers seem to be desperate and rather helpless and need to be rescued from the situation through seminars and workshops. This is a critical issue because if teachers do not feel that they are competent to teach environmental education it is likely that it will not be taught as planned in the primary schools.

4.4.2 Teachers' classroom practices in teaching environmental

education in different subjects.

Apart from investigating the teachers' competence in teaching environmental education, the teachers were encouraged to discuss how they teach environmental education in the subjects that they teach. They admitted that there is no uniform way in which they can include environmental education in their various subjects because the approaches differ from one subject to another. They discussed how they integrated environmental education when teaching their various subjects. Their responses were categorized into two main categories. Some said that they taught environmental education as subject content, while others said that they used it as teaching and learning resource. Within the two categories, five sub-categories could be identified, as shown in Figure 14. In the category of subject content, there were three sub-categories namely as specific

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topics, as integrated into subject content and as content for skills development. In the category as teaching and learning resource there are two sub-categories, namely source of teaching materials and learning context.

Figure 14. Teaching environmental education in different subjects