Q&A with Joseph Baust Sr. of the North American Association for Environmental Education. (Science).Q: Where should environmental studies fit into the school curriculum? A: Environmental education [fits] nicely into any component of a classroom curriculum, as the umbrella from which all subjects can be taught or as a part of social studies, science, mathematics, language arts language arts pl.n. The subjects, including reading, spelling, and composition, aimed at developing reading and writing skills, usually taught in elementary and secondary school. , health, physical education [or] the arts. Q: What are U.S. schools doing right in environmental education? A: Many schools are making strides in producing environmentally literate citizens. Some have concentrated on using the environment as the theme for studies. In such a situation all or many of the school subjects are subsumed. Students [use] the skills and concepts from traditional subjects or disciplines to answer questions about stream health, forest ecosystems Forest ecosystem The entire assemblage of organisms (trees, shrubs, herbs, bacteria, fungi, and animals, including people) together with their environmental substrate (the surrounding air, soil, water, organic debris, and rocks), interacting inside a defined [or] animal life. Q: What improvements do we need in environmental education? A: We need to encourage [its] use in more classrooms. Research [shows] that when students are using the environment as a way of connecting school subjects, they perform better in the classroom and have higher scores on standardized tests A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a standard manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the "questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent" [1] . [A 1998 study found] that student attendance increased in these schools, and teachers reported [improved] "quality of interactions with students." Teachers [are reluctant to try things they're not certain would positively] influence student testing. There is also the perception that anything new translates into more to [squeeze into] the school day. Environmental education can ... help students focus on scientific and mathematical concepts, [allowing] them to connect their learning. Q: What is the NAAEE NAAEE North American Association for Environmental Education doing to help prepare educators? A: Working with [pre-service] teachers is the only long-term solution to infusing environmental education into classrooms. The NAAEE has developed standards for training ... environmental [educators]. We are moving in the direction of a certification program for non-formal environmental educators [such as those in zoos.] Q: How should teachers introduce local environmental concerns? A: We must [help] students look at all sides of an issue-see a complete picture and make up their minds on the basis of [fact. Exploring] local issues is a motivator for students. For example, students at [a middle school in Lacey lac·ey adj. Variant of lacy. , Wash.] have studied erosion control Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture, land development and construction. This usually involves the creation of some sort of physical barrier, such as vegetation or rock, to absorb some of the energy of the wind or water as it connects to local creeks. Q: What types of staff development might teachers of environmental education pursue? A: We suggest workshops [such as those from] Project WILD (www.projectwild.org), Project Learning Tree (www.plt.org) or Project WET (www.projectwet.org). Some universities have centers for environmental education [providing] services such as on-site visitation VISITATION. The act of examining into the affairs of a corporation. 2. The power of visitation is applicable only to ecclesiastical and eleemosynary corporations. 1 Bl. Com. 480; 2 Kid on Corp. 174. , workshops, courses and consultation for teachers and administrators. Joe Baust is chairman of the Higher Education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. Commission for the NAAEE and director of the Murray (Ky.) State University Center for Environmental Education. |
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