Views of ECE experts and teaching interns on curriculum greening and its alignment with the Philippine professional standards for teachers

Abstract

In the Philippines, teacher preparation programs often include environmental education, also known as "curriculum greening," to prepare early childhood educators to deliver engaging lessons. This study determined the views of Early Childhood Education experts and teaching interns regarding (a) curriculum greening and (b) how curriculum greening aligns with, and adds value to, the indicators of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) in the context of ECE. It employed a quantitative descriptive design to examine ECE experts’ and teaching interns’ perceptions of curriculum greening and its alignment with PPST, conducted at a state university in Cebu City, and analyzed using weighted means. The results showed general agreement (overall WM = 4.32, Agree), especially regarding encouraging environmentally conscious values (WM = 4.63), problem-solving skills (WM = 4.71), and sustainable activities (WM = 4.63). However, the integration of curriculum greening into PPST domains was rated as Moderately Evident (ME), with Learning Environment (WM = 3.46) ranked highest and Diversity of Learners (WM = 3.11) ranked lowest. Overall, the study concludes that curriculum greening is widely recognized as vital by both ECE experts and interns, yet its integration with PPST competencies remains moderate.