Environmental Education for Pre-Service Educators
Teachers with licenses in early childhood regular education, elementary and middle school regular education, science, and social studies must demonstrate knowledge and understanding in environmental education including the conservation of natural resources. [PI 34.022(2)]
To learn more about individual educator licenses, visit the licensing home page. To learn more about the environmental education stipulation, visit the Environmental Education Stipulation webpage.
To learn more about educator preparation program requirements, visit the Approved Educator Preparation Programs webpage.
Connect with other teacher educators through the Teacher Education Network for Environmental Education Google Group or join the NAAEE EE Pro Higher Education Group!
Curriculum Resources to Support Education Preparation Programs
In-state educator preparation programs outline how they meet the state's environmental education requirement in their program approval submitted to DPI licensing. Some EPPs have stand-alone courses for environmental education, some integrate it into other content areas including science, social studies, art, and health. A 2010 study examined the various ways in which EPPs have addressed this requirement. However your program chooses to address environmental education, the resources below may support your efforts.
TENFEE WISELearn Resources
Activity and Curriculum Guides
Teacher Educator Network for Environmental Education
The Teacher Educator Network for Environmental Education (TENFEE) is a grassroots network of instructors in educators preparation programs (EPPs) working to advance education for environmental literacy and sustainability by hosting:
- A communication hub for environmental education in teacher education programs to share information from EPPs and other agencies through the TENFEE List-serv;
- Annual meetings to maintain communication and aim to improve EPPs in EE, including regional networking, advocating for EPPs inclusion of EE, and provide input to DPI regarding licensing, and assist teacher education programs to be accountable for including EE in teacher education programs, utilize the NAAEE Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, and Create support materials to guide teacher educators; and
- Research opportunities in higher education including research of graduates from EPPs, environmental literacy of pre-service teachers, EPP implementation of environmental education.
TENFEE is free and open to any instructor in a Wisconsin educator preparation program to join.
- Contact Becca Franzen to learn more
- Join the conversation and share resources on our Facebook Group (need to be logged in).
- Get email updates through the TENFEE List-serv (Google Group). Subscribe or view past messages (may need to be signed into Google).
- Join the National Conversation through EE Pro from NAAEE