Rediscovering the Significance of Environmental Education: A New Type of Environmental Education Found in Picture Books
This paper aimed to apply Fromm’s theories of social character and insights into the human being as the basis of the educational philosophy of EE. Development of a social character with predominance of the “being mode of existence” is not feasible because of the unpredictability of the outcome. An attempt to contrive another educational philosophy and to build another theory of EE that promises viability would be fruitless. The tale of EE is a failed project. We can see how Fromm’s theories of society and his view of man can update and enrich our visions of education we have in hand. Likewise, now that we look at environmental picture books as a framework, we can recognize the “being mode” more realistically. What then is the significance of EE? Recognizing the pre-existing EE, rediscovering the lost “teaching and learning” practice, is the new significance of EE. “Look! Here are traces of EE!”
