Scientific progress and science teaching:
Basic knowledge, interdisciplinary and ethical issues

Living School: Solid waste recycling in educational centers of the north cone of Lima

North Cone of Lima, Peru (districts of Ancón, Carabayllo, Comas and Los Olivos)

The project focuses on the deployment of an interactive pedagogy of the student with his/her environmental surrounding, developing the students' capacities applied to a rational and sustainable treatment of the resources available in their regions. Students carry out the solid waste recycling (organic matter), generated at school on a daily basis, favoring an adequate waste segregation within an integral system proposal to handle solid waste. Likewise, campaigns of a merely operative way have been implemented, which require development that is in agreement with the integral educational process. The project promotes processes of change of attitudes and behavior of school children in dealing with the treatment of their principal solid wastes.

The project consists of the concrete implementation of a pedagogical sequence, led by the teachers themselves, which includes theoretical-practical learning and the students' participation in the adequate treatment of solid wastes generated in the school area (compost pools, bio-market gardens, hydroponics, mini-farms). It also promotes the formation and organization of an educational center network defending the environment. There are teaching materials such as: methodological guide "Living School", teaching game "The Little Road to my ecological school", video "Good Environmental Practices at School" and CD ROM "We are all responsible".

It is admitted that the building of a culture in favor of environmental and public health care requires changing and modifying certain inadequate population's inadequate behaviors, which, in their turn, need long terms for their consolidation. It is proposed that sustained actions be developed through boys and girls' training in their first years of initial and elementary education. They are believed to have the best attitude to learn and get prepared to take on new behavioral habits and patterns. The program intends to give solutions to problems of environmental pollution derived from poverty and improve the living conditions, with an equitable and integral human development perspective.

Mr. Jorge Correas Solís
Good Environmental Practices Coordinator in Educational Centers
Member of the Habitat and Environment department of the NGO ALTERNATIVE:
Popular Education and Social Research Center
31 San Martín de Porres, Lima, Peru
481 5801/481 1585
jcorrea@alter.org.pe or direcc@alter.org.pe
http://www.alter.org.pe/

ALTERNATIVE (NGO) is defined as an entity without profitable aims, whose mission is to contribute to the country's development, promoting capacities, dynamics and initiatives deployed by the population and their institutions. It is located in the area of the north cone of Metropolitan Lima, in order to satisfy their needs, promoting their organized participation through the proposition of creative and innovative proposals in accordance with their reality.

Good disposition on the part of the Ministry of Education of Peru to formalize actions.

1999-2000

Choosing as good practice (innovative project) in education in Peru. This will be done by schools and teachers in Peru ("Summary of the Best Practices", January 2001).