Creating cultures of sustainability : a contribution to defining education for sustainability in the Norwegian kindergarten context

The Kindergarten Act and the Framework Plan establish that care, upbringing and learning in kindergartens shall promote an understanding of sustainable development. A weakness in this is that ESD has not been defined for the Norwegian kindergarten context, and it seems that few kindergartens are actively engaging with the concept. There may be confusion about the difference between environmental education and Education for Sustainability. This research is a contribution to the discussion about what Education for Sustainability may be in the Norwegian kindergarten context. The concept builds on a view of learning as being life-long, life-wide and where children are seen as competent agents in their own lives. Education for Sustainability places the notion of citizenship among its primary objectives, and should support children in contextualizing the concept of sustainability to their local communities. I argue that practising philosophy with children should be part of the approach to EfS in the Norwegian kindergarten context, to promote critical reflection and empower people to do their own analysis