The contribution intends to explore the concepts of education and teaching by observing, in particular, how they have been interpreted in the context of the school curriculum in Italy. The reconstruction of the meanings assumed by the concept of education and by that of instruction intends to clarify what their function may be today. The study of the dynamics and evolution of these concepts leads to clarify the meaning of ‘educating by teaching’ and to identify an implementation example in the recent perspective of sustainable education and Human Development Approach.