The teaching of Earth Sciences (ES) is particularly delicate and seems to be problematic for both learners and Moroccan teachers for multiple reasons. Based on this observation, this study aims at identifying the difficulties related to the teaching of ES by exploring the points of view of the Moroccan teachers toward this field. As an investigative tool, we used a questionnaire and semi-directive interviews with nearly 122 secondary school teachers of Life and Earth Sciences (LES). The results of our survey revealed that the major difficulties that hinder the teaching of natural sciences are mainly related to the teachers’ university studies. Most of them had training in biology as well as in the relationship that the natural sciences maintain within time and space, the limited abstraction capacity of unmotivated learners, and the inadequacy of their prerequisites in these sciences. On the other hand, they were aware of the demotivating geological knowledge taught to the learners and the lack of initial and continuous training for teachers, especially for those who specialized in natural sciences.

This exploratory study aims to verify whether the current use of scientific experiments in the Moroccan high-school science curriculum meets students' needs for experimental scientific learning. For that purpose, a sample chapter of the official science textbook was analysed in detail. The analysis was carried out using a didactic model of the French didactician Coquide, which categorizes teaching objectives into three modes: practical familiarisation, empirical investigation and conceptual construction. Analysis grids were built based on a selection of the three didactical modes' attributes. These grids were used to identify the presence and the weight of these three didactical modes within the chosen sample chapter. Results reveal that experiments in the high-school scientific curriculum are not presented in a balanced way and rarely implemented according to a didactic logic. The study also shows that the experiments analysed are essentially focused on the conceptual construction mode while neglecting practical familiarisation and empirical investigation.

CONTEXT: Well-being in schools is often considered in relation to the educational and academic success of students. However, it is difficult, at present, not to consider the well-being of a student without an ecological and holistic perspective, in view of the interaction principles implemented in schools. This research aimed to identify the representations hold by Moroccan teenagers about well-being. It aimed, also, to do a comparison between two groups of teenagers: one belonging to urban and the other to rural areas. METHODS: This quantitative study concerns a sample of 1444 pupils (755 girls and 689 boys) enrolled in middle school. Research instrument for this study was questionnaire that includes 15 questions relating to well-being at school, relationships with the teacher, relationships between students, violence experienced, and coeducation. RESULTS: From the analysis of data, pupils in the rural areas seem to be most sensitive to the “emotional” aspects of the teacher–pupil relationship. The girls are more satisfied in middle school than boys. This fact seems to be a very important factor in their retention and in reducing their dropout rate. As expected, academic success is highlighted in the two groups of students as an indicator of well-being. However, the fact of not knowing which orientation to choose constitutes a factor of ill-being for pupils, especially for girls. The results show also that well-being is not taken care of in the two environments (urban and rural). This will explain the results of Moroccan students assessed by the Program for the Monitoring of Student Achievement. CONCLUSIONS: Training programs should focus on the development of teachers communication skills, ability to manage behavioral problems of their students and use teaching approaches to develop positive relationships between students.

In this study, we are interested in teachers’ practices related to health education (HE) in school. In our survey, we used a questionnaire as an investigative tool with a sample of 300 teachers from three levels of education: Primary, middle and qualifying high schools. According to the teachers' statements, our study reveals that the majority practice HE in class despite having no training in this area. They generally practice it in a thematic approach that is limited to pedagogical sequences within the framework of the program. In addition, it appears that teachers’ training and seniority have a positive effect on their practice and the self-assessment of their competence in this area. This study also suggests that a school’s lack of openness with the family and other external partners. These factors constitute some of the main obstacles that prevent the implementation of HE in class, in addition to training, lack of time and lack of adequate teaching materials.