[Eenc-board] Guidelines & EENC Conference--Lois' edits

[Lois Nixon]

Dear Dee, et. al.,

I'm glad you are formalizing the Board's adoption of the Guidelines.  I do have a couple of edits and/or questions to ponder!

First of all, I'm not sure I agree with your second sentence, "it is important that we use Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Eduators."  That sentence is fine, but I think it infers that the other 3 Guidelines documents are less important in professional development of educators, and I don't think that is true and is not what we intend to convey.  For example, I think a real value of the conference is in helping our members to improve their programs (Program Guidelines) and the materials they use (Materials Guidelines).  And as I think of past conference sessions, I can think of many that come closer to addressing the Learner Guidelines than the Educator Guidelines.  Are we prepared to reject these sessions?  --a simple example would be Tom Shepherd's outstanding and VERY popular session at Kanuga on growing mushrooms on a roll of toilet paper!  I guess that would fit Educator Guideline 1.2 (Environmental Literacy--Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems), but I'm not sure those submitting proposals would get that, if they are new to the Guidelines!  It's easier to say it addresses Strand 2.2 under the Learner Guidelines, The Living Environment.  I don't think we should lose sight of the "mantra" on pps. 2-3 of the Educator Guidelines booklet.

So can we expand the focus and include all of the Guidelines documents?  I'll try an edited, longer(!) paragraph below.  My edits are in red.
"By adopting the Guidelines for Excellence, EENC has committed to providing our members appropriate training opportunities that will help them provide high-quality environmental education.  Please review your session or workshop proposal and let us know which Guideline, and which Theme or Strand or Key Characteristic it addresses.  You will note that the Guidelines for Excellence includes a set of four separate components:  #1) Environmental Education Materials, #2) Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, #3) Guidelines for Learners, and #4) Environmental Education Programs.  

All sessions and workshops need to address or relate to at least one of the themes, key characteristics, or strands within one of the four Guidelines for Excellence documents.  We expect that the conference sessions and workshops will most often fit best into #2) Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Enviornmental Educators or #3) Guidelines for Learners.  We realize that some sessions or workshops may align with more than one Guideline, so you may mark 2 areas, if appropriate.

My workshop most clearly addresses:

_______Guideline     _________Theme/Characteristic/Strand  _______Indicator, if applicable

My workshop also adresses:

_______Guideline     _________Theme/Characteristic/Strand  _______Indicator, if applicable

Not familiar with the Guidelines for Excellence?  Visit www.naaee.org for more information about the Guidelines for Excellence and to download your own copies for free."

Dee, I realize this is more complicated and detailed, but I think it will more clearly and accurately explain what we are trying to achieve.  To make it easier for people, we might want to put a PDF of each of the four 1-page summaries (from the Program Guidelines) on our web page under the conference tab--where the link to the proposal form is located.

Lois

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dee Thonnard Rudolph 
  To: EENC Board 
  Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:47 AM
  Subject: [Eenc-board] Guidelines & EENC Conference


  Dear Board:

  As discussed in previous board meetings, we want to make sure that our organization is encouraging educators to use the Guidelines for Excellence.  In addition, it is important that we use Guidelines for the Preparations and Professional Development of Environmental Educators for our conferences and workshops.

  The following information and question will be placed within the workshop and session proposal forms.  Please take a look at the information and let me know if you think it is sufficient and understandable for people who may not be familiar with the Guidelines.  Remember that we do not want to make the proposal form to difficult.  However, we want to make sure that those who are not familiar with the Guidelines, become familiar with them.

  Thanks!  Dee
  _______________________________________________________________________

  NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence

  By adopting the Guidelines for Excellence, EENC has committed to providing our members appropriate training opportunities that will help them provide high-quality environmental education.  All sessions and workshops need to fall under at least one of the six themes in the Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators.

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> 

  Theme #1---Environmental Literacy

  Theme #2---Foundations of EE

  Theme #3-Professional Responsibilities of the Environmental Educator

  Theme #4-Planning and Implementing Environmental Education

  Theme #5-Fostering Learning

  Theme #6-Assessment and Evaluation 

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> 

  Which theme does your proposed workshop fall under? Please be specific by including any appropriate guidelines and indicators within each theme.

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

  Not familiar with the Guidelines for Excellence?  Visit www.naaee.org for more information about the Guidelines for Excellence and to download your own copies for free.

  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->





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