FROM THEORY TO LINE

HOW EDUCATORS IN DUQUE DE CAXIAS SEE (AND TEACH) THE SOCIOENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

Abstract

This study investigated the perceptions of teachers at a public school in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, on socio-environmental issues, using the analysis of drawings produced by teachers during study groups as its primary methodological tool. The main objectives were to understand how teachers graphically represent society-nature relationships; analyze the contradictions and potentialities of these representations; and discuss implications for pedagogical practice in contexts of environmental injustice. The results revealed three main axes in teachers' representations: (a) a duality between idealized natures and urban scenes of degradation (pollution, waste); (b) the striking presence of local elements (such as sewage pipes emptying directly into rivers), indicating a heightened awareness of the territory's environmental conflicts; and (c) the absence of representations of collective actions or structural solutions, with a predominant focus on individual environmental care actions. The analysis demonstrated that, although teachers clearly recognize the socio-environmental problems in their context, their representations are still marked by traditional dichotomies (nature/society) that hinder a more complex and politicized understanding of the issues. The conclusion is that teacher training in environmental education needs to advance toward overcoming romanticized views of nature, addressing the political ecology of urban territories; connecting environmental critique to local struggles for socio-environmental justice; and developing methodologies that help teachers translate their critical awareness into transformative pedagogical practices. The study highlights the potential of visual languages as a diagnostic and intervention tool in teacher training, paving the way for future research exploring creative environmental education strategies in peripheral contexts.