Eco-narratives as a pedagogical device challenging the 2030 Agenda

Educating for environmental sustainability: from cosmic tales to green books

Abstract

The article investigates the potential of eco-narratives to be included in the civic education curricula of schools to mobilise citizenship competences and promote the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The environment and the stories to tell it become the focus of analysis and reflection on green competences through the description of schools that have built their mission on green. Maria Montessori's cosmic fables and a wide selection of green books at national and international level enter into teaching practices through reading aloud, which becomes a powerful pedagogical device also for activating sustainable green behaviour. As demonstrated by numerous experimental researches and neuroscience studies, the exposure to reading aloud not only acts on cognitive functions and neural connections, but also brings significant benefits in terms of identity construction of empowerment; reflective abilities, orientation, control and structuring of reality.