A educação ambiental que me transformou: narrativas de uma licencianda entre a praia e a sala de aula

Abstract

This undergraduate conclusion work presents a narrative experience about working in non- formal environmental education and its effects on teacher education. The research, which adopts a qualitative and autobiographical approach, aims to analyze how the practices developed at the NGO Tartarugas do Futuro, at Greenpeace, and at Sesc Iparana transformed the teaching practice and professional identity of an undergraduate student in Biological Sciences. The methodology is based on narrative research, as proposed by Lima; Geraldi; Geraldi (2015), with content analysis grounded in Mayring (2002). The data were constructed from memories, informal records, and photographs of her work as an environmental educator. The discussion, organized into three analytical categories, shows that non-formal Environmental Education provided the construction of experiential knowledge, the adaptation of scientific language for different audiences, the appreciation of touch and concrete materials as teaching strategies, and the understanding that material and institutional conditions are decisive for successful teaching practice. It is concluded that the experience in non-formal spaces not only rescued the desire to teach but also reshaped the understanding of what it means to be a teacher, expanding the possibilities of action beyond the traditional classroom.