Strained and overwhelmed: teachers’ voices on incorporating climate change education into schools

As climate change intensifies, climate education is being introduced in schools worldwide. However, educational institutions are often already strained, with multiple problems such as staff burnout, stress, time poverty, and the deterioration of mental health. Thus, communicating the climate crisis requires attention to the needs of teachers who navigate the intricacies of climate education, and the school culture in general. Using a qualitative design, we interviewed thirteen biology teachers from Poland, where the introduction of climate education is still at the planning stage. Results show that teachers often fear the subject will put too much strain on students, who already suffer from stress, overwork and lack of agency. Teachers frequently link high-quality climate education with the need to care for the students’ well-being and to create supportive space for teachers’ professional development as climate educators. Further, they identified the need to acquire and systematise knowledge, develop critical emotional competencies, and boost cooperation with other teachers and higher education institutions. Consequently, transformative climate education requires creating adequate space for teachers to grow as climate educators, and reconsidering school culture as a whole.