Teacher's day: classe verte

Greetings, I am glad to share my first report on this platform! I chose Teacher's day: "classe verte" as a topic for this report; to cover how teacher’s day is celebrated in Lebanon. In addition to many responsabilities schools have in the environmental field. Happy reading! :))

The following will answer these questions: 

I-What is teacher's day?

II-What is the purpose of green classes?

III-What are the other environmental activities needed in youth life?

I- Teacher's day

You may be wondering why we are talking about this topic today. Well it is simple, Lebanese celebrate teacher's day on ninth of March. But why not the five of September like most regions as  Europe and the North of America and India etc...? Indians pay tribute to their president the educationist Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was born on 5 September. Today is the perfect day to thank your teacher for their continuous work, for educating you, even though you are the reason they are exhausted, especially in this pandemic... Every year, Lebanese learners and educators take that day off. However, exceptionally in 2021, teachers are striking with the president of the education ministry Mr. TM to take their basic rights. Hence, Tarek Majzoub announced the stoppage of school from 8 to 14 March 2021. The strikes are caused by small salaries (20$/1h), lack of employee fixation as in paying teachers monthly, late payday, lack of teachers, etc. In most countries, students show their love for their "second mother" by giving her adorable gifts, spending time in mother nature such as the educational green class event.

II- Classe verte

A green class or "classe verte" is a chance to explore and study the environment. It is an outdoor classroom where young children go outside, not necessarily touristic places but greenery spaces. For example, eighth graders can go to study the geology of Haqel, a landscape located in Lebanon. With the help of their biology teacher, they discovered fossils, plaques, and collisions. That's why we must educate the young generation to love the environment. Not only green classes are fun and educational, but also encouraging and play a major role in supporting environmental jobs. Allowing kids to start building their dreams at a small age, accompanied by their new like-minded friends. To let them gain experience, as well as to prove the studies are correct through remaking experiments during the activity. It is important to teach everyone the problems our environment is facing and to help them take action such as recycling and reusing items, reducing plastic waste, reduce meat consumption, replacing cars with bicycles, etc.

III- Environmental activities in schools

This type of activity is also hold in non-greenery spaces, with the same purpose as green ones. There is no doubt that we need schools' help in spreading awareness of the current world. That is why we suggest all schools make everyone interested in the environment. Through teaching the following the 3R's (reduce, reuse, recycle), the importance of planting trees, lights' dangers, to stop wasting water. Therefore, teachers require scientific knowledge to educate the younger generation, knowing that we are in a climate emergency. Other than that, we must inform people that our oceans produce the majority of the air, and their death is irreversible. There are millions of ways to raise awareness, as listed above.

To summarize, the world celebrates teacher's day on different dates, the Lebanese government is not treating educators right. In addition to the French words "classe verte" which mean green classes, it is important to educate kids while they have fun. Schools are responsible for spreading environmental awareness. Thank you and happy teacher’s day! :)

Sources: 

How To Cultivate Environmental Awareness In Schools - Green Schools Alliance

http://sioufi.sscc.edu.lb/sioufi/asp/calendrier/type.asp?id=8

When is Teachers' Day 2020? History, Significance, Facts, Celebration and all you need to know - Times of India (indiatimes.com)