Showcasing excellence: professional teacher standards and learning in environmental education

Since the 1990s professional teaching associations have commenced the process of developing teacher and/or teaching standards1 and associated professional learning and assessment models in the key discipline areas. The intent of this approach is to capture the depth and range of accomplished educators’ teaching. Despite the increasing work on teacher standards in Australia, currently there are no professional teacher standards in environmental education (Cutter-Mackenzie, 2005). Up until the recent implementation of the sustainable schools initiative there was little or no recognition of environmental education practice in Australia. Through an accreditation process, the programme recognises schools as ‘sustainable schools’. However, such recognition focuses upon environmental management, rather than students’ or teachers’ ‘understanding of, and concern for, stewardship of the natural environment, and the knowledge and skills to contribute to sustainable development’ (Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs, 1999).