Green backpack: bridging sustainability through a cross-cultural case study of Polish teachers’ experiences with Norwegian outdoor education

The challenges of addressing sustainability in education seem not to be a deficiency of suitable knowledge and values, rather a lack of practice options. This article explores nine Polish teachers’ reflections on outdoor education practices observed during a seminar in Norway. Using qualitative data, the study highlights how these experiences challenged and inspired teachers’ professional identities. Findings reveal an unsustainable tension: while teachers personally valued sustainability, the rigid, classroom-centered Polish education system limited their ability to enact these values. Exposure to Norwegian approaches – grounded in outdoor education, democratic participation, and holistic pedagogy – provided practical insights into how sustainability can be embodied in everyday teaching. Teachers reported transformative shifts in their understanding of professional responsibility, child autonomy, and relational connections to nature. Returning to Poland, they envisioned a reorientation toward more sustainable practices. This demonstrates the potential of cross-cultural exchange to foster professional renewal and strengthen sustainability-oriented teaching identities.