Teaching Environmental Literacy in Early Childhood Education to Improve the Character of Environmental Care

Abstract

This study aimed to describe environmental literacy teaching in early childhood education, which consists of teacher competence and the implementation of ecological literacy learning. This study used a qualitative case study design, with data collected from interviews, observations, and reflective journals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four teachers, two children, and one parent. This research was conducted at Sabilina Islamic Kindergarten, an Early Childhood Education institution in Bekasi City, West Java Province, which carries out the flagship Sabilina Sayangi Bumi (Sasami) program. The Sasami Program aims to build a caring character for the environment through various environmental activities designed by teachers. Interviews were conducted on teacher competence, implementation of ecological literacy learning in schools, instilling environmental literacy values, and assessment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with instructors, students, and parents to gather data. The results indicated that the teachers had good pedagogical skills. Teachers can master effective learning management by developing a curriculum that supports environmental literacy learning, preparing learning plans, selecting appropriate materials based on the child's age, conducting assessments, and paying attention to early childhood learning principles. The implementation of ecological literacy through sorting trash, reduce-reuse-recycle (3R), a little gardening, animal lovers, instill the value of environmental literacy, and conducting assessments.