Teachers' perspectives on environmental education in an urban school context

This article presents the results of a study aimed at understanding the perspectives of teachers on environmental education in an urban school context and the strategies they implement. For this purpose, from a qualitative interpretative approach, six focus groups were formed with the participation of twenty-five teachers. With the support of Nvivo software, a thematic analysis was carried out, from which the following categories emerged: beliefs and practices on environmental education, environmental concerns, and construction of meaning. The results show both hybrid perspectives oriented to naturalistic and anthropocentric currents, and a preference for educational practices oriented to conservationism and activism. It is concluded that, although these conceptions and proposals do not favor the development of environmental education, there is a construction of meaning in teachers oriented to the recognition of natural and social aspects, to the critique of the consumer society, and to a reflexive look on their scope and limitations to approach environmental education, which makes its conceptual and scientific training imperative.