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Teacher Education Quarterly, Fall 2010

A Critical Analysisof Sustainability Educationin Schooling’s Bureaucracy:

Barriers and Small Openingsin Teacher Educa tion

By David Greenwood

Introduction:

Confronting (Un)sustainability Education Intheeraofclimatechange,economicunrest,peakoil,perpetualwar,andmassextinctions,teachereducatorshavetobeginaskingeachother:areourworkplacesrelevanttothecomplexrealitiesofachangingplanet?Or,dotheymainlyservethebureaucraciesandtheunquestionedassumptionsthatsurroundandincreasinglydeterminethecultureofschooling? OnplanetEarthoverthelastfewdecades,theglaciershavebeenmeltingfaster

David A. Greenwood is an associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Education at Lakewood University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

than education has been changing to meet seriousnewcrises.Withfewexceptions,thefieldofteachereducationhasbeennonresponsivetoawidearrayofglobalized sustainability problems impacting localenvironmentseverywhere.Thisissoinpartbecauseteachereducation,inpractice,islessafieldofculturalandecologicalinquirythanitisanetworkofbureaucra-ciesthatoperatesunderalargelyunexaminedculturallogic.Epitomizedbythesuper-pervasiveNoChildLeft

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BehindAct,teachereducationbureaucracyexplicitlyandimplicitlyreflectspoliti-calandeconomicidealsthatarefundamentallyatoddswithavisionforsocialandecologicalsustainabilityatlocalandgloballevels.EspeciallysincetheA Nation at Riskreport,thepoliticalrationaleforthehugesumsofmoneycommittedtoschool-inghasbeentooutcompeteoureconomicrivals(andenemies)intheincreasinglyglobaleconomiccompetition.ThisunderlyingnationalisticandmilitaristicrationalemeansthatthefundamentalofpurposeofeducationintheU.S.andelsewhereisnottoeducateyoungpeopletobetterunderstandthemselvesandtheirrelationstootherswithwhomtheysharetheplanet,humanandother-than-human,buttopreparethemfortheeconomicmarketplace,anenterprisethathasalwaysbeengroundedinquestionableintentionsandhasalwaysproducedquestionableresultsforpeopleandplacesworldwide.Furthermore,thecommonpracticesofteachereducationandschoolingreproduceandreinforceeducationalstructures,curricula,andpedagogicalpracticesthatdomoretocontributetotheproblemsofunsustain-abilitythantheydotoacknowledgeandrespondtotheseproblems(Gruenewald,2004;Gruenwald&Manteaw,2007;Kahn,2010;Stevenson,1987). Still,theculturalpoliticsofeducationcanattimesberesponsivetothelargerculturalpoliticsaroundtheglobe,inthenation,andatstateandregionallevels.Inthisseconddecadeofthenewmillennium,aroundtheworldandintheU.S.,manycitizens,educators,aswellasgovernmentandbusinessleadersandnon-govern-mentorganizations,havebeguntopayattentiontothecomplexnetworkofsocialandecologicalproblemsfacinghumansandotherspecies in theeraofclimatechange,peakoil,globaleconomicunrest,perpetualwar,andmassextinction.OnequicksearchontheInternet(usingthekeywordsenvironmental,place-based,orsustainabilityeducation, forexample)candemonstrate thateverywherearoundtheworldeducatorsaredefiningtheirrolesasmuchmorethanagentsofastatebureaucracyobsessedwithcompetitiveachievement,butasculturalorecologicalworkersdedicatedtoasanervisionofhumanityandthehuman-naturerelationshipthanthatwhichispromotedbyacultureofstandardizedtestingalone. AsPaulHawken(2007)describesitinhisbookBlessed Unrest,theenviron-mental-social justice-civil rights-labor rights-Indigenous rights movement cur-rentlycreatingchangeonplanetEarth,thoughunnamed,maybethelargestsocialmovementinthehistoryoftheworld.Peopleeverywherewantandareworkingforchange—formorejustsocialrelationsandforhealthierenvironmentsforpeopleandtheotherspeciesnowandinthefuture.Unfortunately,ournation’sschoolsand colleges of teacher education continue to function as if themost pressingproblemwefaceishowtogeteveryonereading“atgradelevel”(aritualizedgoalthathasfailedmanytimesinrecentdecades),orcollegeorworkplace“ready”(atargetmanufacturedbybusinessleadersastheyexertpoweroverthecurriculum).Frequently thisnarrowfocusonprescribeddefinitionsofachievementhas leadtoanincreasinglyhomogenizedcurriculumthatisunresponsivetothediversityof place, culture, and geography, unresponsive to the fast changing social and

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ecologicalenvironmentsinwhichwelive,andmoreresponsivetothedesiresandassumptionsofthecorporatesector. Butevenso,thesocialandecologicalpoliticsofthelargerculturehavebeguntoimpacteducationalbureaucracieswithavisionofamoresustainablesocietyandaneducationthatismoreresponsivetothehugechallengesfacinghumanityandthemore-than-humanworldinthe21stCentury.InthisarticleIreflectonmylast15yearsofexperienceasanenvironmentaleducationresearcherandteachereducationfacultymember.Throughthepersonalreflectionsofnarrativeinquiry,IobserveandinterpretthechangesIhavewitnessedandparticipatedinatthestate,university,college,anddepartmentlevel,andalsoonthebureaucraticforcesthatmakemoresweepingchangeunlikelyintheshortterm.AlthoughthechangesIdiscusshavenotfundamentallytransformedwhatIconsidertobeaneducationalsystemthatreproducesunsustainableculturalpatterns,theymayofferinsightintotheprocessofchangeandthepossibilitiesforcreatingcounter-spaceswithintheeducationalestablishmentwhereeducationforsustainabilitymighttakeroot.Asnarrativeinquiry,theobservationsandinterpretationsaremyown.OtheractorsinvolvedinthesamecontextsthatIhaveattemptedtodescribeandanalyzewouldundoubtedlyseethingsdifferently.

Teacher Education Bureaucracy:

The Context of Faculty Work

Wanted: Scholars or Bureaucrats? Thedifficultybeginswithfindinganacademicjobinthefieldofeducation,whichIfortunatelyaccomplishedduringthesemesterIcompletedmydisserta-tion.Thoughthejobmarketwasvastlybetter10to15yearsagothanitisnow,thedynamicsofjobhuntinginthefieldofeducationareessentiallythesame:onehastopositiononeselfasmarketablewithinthecultureofschooling.Toputitbluntly,collegesofeducationexistbecausetheytrainteachersandadministratorsforser-viceinpublicschoolsastheyare,notastheyshouldbe;therefore,formanyPh.D.candidateslookingforjobs,thetrickistoshowacollegehowyoucanfitinandcontributetoanexistingculture,evenonethatmaynotrecognizesustainabilityastheseriouseducationalissuethatitis.HavingaPh.D.ineducationorrelatedfieldisrarelyenoughtogetaninterview.Acandidatecommonlyneedstoshowthreeyearsofexperience“intheclassroom”inordertopassasearchcommittee’sinitialscreening,whicharebydesigngearedtoseparateschooling’sinsidersfromitsout-siders,critics,orreformers.Further,jobdescriptionsinteachereducationusuallycorrelatedirectlywithtraditionalschoolcontentareaexpertisesuchasliteracy,socialstudies,science,math,specialeducation,orEnglishlanguagelearning.Theexceptiontothisnormisthe“foundations,”“diversity,”or“multicultural”educa-tionspecialist,categoriesthatareincreasinglyrareasthejobmarkettightensand

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narrows.Ihaveneverseenajobvacancyforateachereducationfacultypositionwithprimaryspecializationinenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation,thoughitispossiblethatsuchpositionsexistsomewhere.Simplyput,environmentalandsustainabilityeducationhaveneverbeencentraltothecultureofteachereducation,iftheyhavebeenpartofitatall.Veryfewfacultymembershavedeepacademicorpracticalexperiencewiththecomplexinterdisciplinaryworkofsustainability. Whatthismeansisthatthereisanestablishedsetofnormsandwaysofdoingbusinessinteachereducation,whatFoucaultcalleddisciplinarypracticesandwhatBourdieucalledhabitus,thatmakeitexceedinglydifficulttodeeplyexaminetheprac-ticesofthefieldandtheassumptionsuponwhichtheyarebased.Peoplearehiredintothefieldbecausetheydemonstrate,moreorless,allegiancetoschooling’straditionsandcompetenceinoneofschooling’sestablishedspecialtiesareas.Asenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationopenupnewterrainaroundthepurposeandpracticeofteachingandlearning,itisusefultomakeadistinctionbetweenschoolingandeducation.Whenmostpeopletalkabouteducation,theyareactuallytalkingaboutschooling.Sinceschoolingisonlyoneaspectofthemuchbroaderfieldofeducation,termssuchas“educationalresearch,”forexample,aremisleading.Inmostcases,thepropertermshouldbe“schoolresearch,”oreven,“governmentschoolresearch,”ineachinstanceanarrowerandinstitutionalizedformofeducationlimitedbycountlesstaken-for-grantedrulesandconventions.Thefactthateducationandschoolingareconfused,evenbythosewhoidentifyaseducationalresearchersorteachereducators,reflectsthepowerofinstitutionstoshapeourlanguagepracticesandconfineourthinkingtotheusualacceptablecategories.Whileitmakesgoodintellectualsensethatthebroaderfieldofeducationshouldinformthenarrowersubfieldsofschoolingandteaching,thecurrentpoliticalcaseisthatthenarrowersubfieldof(government)schoolingdominatesanddistortsthebroaderfieldsofeducationalresearch,theory,andpractice.Theresultisthatthediscourses,practices,andhabitsofschoolinglimitthepossibilitiesforeducationalchange,evenwhen,inthecaseofglobalecologicalcollapse,widespreadsocialinequityandunrest,anddeepeconomicuncertainty,itseemsobviousthatchangesareneeded. Moreover,althoughmostteachereducationfacultymembershavetodemonstratesomeabilityinresearchandscholarshiptoearntheirpositionsandtheirtenure,mostoftheresearchandscholarshipinteachereducationisentirelyschool-centricandfranklyblindtothelargerecologicalandculturalupheavalsmountingworld-wideintheageofclimatechange,peakoil,police/clientstates,andmulti-nationdebtcrises.Teachereducationisthusnarrowedbyaschool-centricworldview,andisfurthercontrolledbyarelationshipwithstategovernment.Nootherdisciplineinhighereducationisastightlyregulatedasteachereducation/schooling,norisanyotherprofessionsubjecttosuchconstantscrutinyandcritiquebythemedia.While bureaucracy is common to all university departments,many are profes-sionalbureaucraciesthatpreservetherelativeautonomyandtraditionalacademicfreedomofaprofessionalgroupofdisciplinaryexperts.Departmentsofeduca-

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tion/schoolingretainsomeelementsofatraditionalprofessionalbureaucracy,buttheirorganizationalstructureisbetterdescribedbywhatSkrticandWare(1992)calledthe“machinebureaucracy”ofeducation:

Organizationsconfigurethemselvesasmachinebureaucracieswhentheirworkissimpleenoughtoberationaleintoaseriesofseparatesubtasks,eachofwhichcanbedonebyaseparateworker.Thistypeofworkiscoordinatedbystandardizingtheworkprocesses,whichisaccomplishedthroughformalization,orthespecificationofpreciserulesfordoingeachsubtaskinasequence.(p.210)

Such abureaucracycircumscribesthepracticeandthinkingofgroupsandindividu-als,developsdisciplinaryregimesof truth,andconstantlysurveillesforcomplianceto the rules and for deficiencies. In this regulatory atmosphere, conforming tonationalandstatemandatesunderNCLB,orstrategizingtomeetAYPortopassanNCATEreview,literallybecometheaimsofeducation.Asaresult,theteachereducationfacultymemberisconstructedmoreasabureaucratthananeducator,scholar,intellectual,oragentofchange. Thisinterpretationoffacultyworkinteachereducationdoesnotmeanthatthefieldtotallycontrolsthemindsandbodiesofdeepthinkingandcaringpro-fessorsandinstructors.AsSkrticandWare(1992)pointedout,thefieldretainssomeelementsofaprofessionalbureaucracy;indeed,itisexactlytheprofessionalautonomyinpartsofthejobthatattractpeopletotheworkinthefirstplaceandhelpstoretainthemdespitetheoverallclimateofregulation.Thepointisthattheteachereducationworkplaceistightlycontrolled,andthismakesdeepthinkingorsubstantivechangeverydifficult. Theregulatoryenvironmentinspiresfew,yetmanyshowtheirallegiancetoitineverydayactsofexpedienceandcomplicity.Indeed,themostcommonresponsetothebureaucracythatgovernsteachereducationamongmycolleaguesisthatitisgenerallydespisedasanti-intellectualandevenanti-educational,butatthesametimeitisembraced,internalized,andreproducedconsciouslyandunconsciously:weseemtoendureandreproduceaSartrianconditionof“noexit.”Myownuneasyrelation-shipwiththeteachereducationbureaucracyisnicelycapturedbyThoreau(1947,p.609)inhisobservationsofthecultureofhistime:“Thegreaterpartofwhatmyneighborscallgood,”Thoreauwrote,“Ibelieveinmysoultobebad,andifIrepentofanything,itismygoodbehavior.”IlikewiserepentatmyownmanycompromisesofconformitytoaregulatedsystemthathaslittletodowithwhatItrulyvalue.Themostcommonactsofcomplicitythatreproduceaculturethatonemightsimultaneouslycritiqueincludealigningandrealigning(adnauseum)programandcoursecontentwithstateandnationalstandards,andtailoringcourseswiththegoalofreceivingpositivecourseandprogramevaluations fromstudents.Courseevaluationsoftenamounttolittlemorethanstudentsatisfactionsurveys,buttheycanmakeorbreakafacultymember’sattemptatjobsecurityinthetenuresystemand“auditculture”(Sparkes,2007)thatfurtherintensifiesthecultureofregulation.

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In thisenvironmentofstatecontrolandself-regulation, it isnotsurprisingthatenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationaremarginaltoteachereducationdiscourseiftheyarepartofitatall.However,theprofessionalautonomyavailabletofacultymembersdoesmakeitpossibletocreatespaceatthegrassrootswithintheotherwiseregulatedsystemtopursueeducationalaimsthatareneglectedbyconventionandbydesign.Overtime,grassrootsworkcanbegintochangelocalculturalpracticesandcancoalesce intomeaningfulchanges inpolicy.BelowIdiscussseveralentrypointsintotheworkofsustainabilityeducationincluding:courseexperimentationandrevision,culturalchangesatthedepartmentandcol-legelevel,andpolicychangesaroundteachereducationrequirementsatthestatelevel.Eachoftheseentrypointsarestoriesoftheirown,andtakentogether,theydescribesignificantchanges inmyexperienceof teachereducation inmystateanduniversity.Thesechangesalsoarerelatedtolargerstateandnationalinitia-tivesaroundenvironmentaleducationandtoachangingculturalattitudetowardenvironmentalissuesintheageofclimatechangeandpeakoil.

Small Openings

Course Revision and Program Politics OneofthesadfactssurroundingtheteachereducationprogramsIhavetaughtinforthelastfifteenyearsattwouniversitiesisthatneitherprogramoffersasingleeducationelectiveattheundergraduatelevelforpreserviceteachers.Thislackofchoiceandlackofdiversityisanalarmingindicatoroftightlycontrolledregula-tionand ithaspedagogicalconsequences: studentsoften feel that theyhave to“getthrough”asequenceofcoursesoverwhichtheyhavenocontrol,andwhichisobviouslyprescribedbysomedistantbureaucracy.Thehiddencurriculumhere,thepoliticalmessagethatwemaybeunwittinglysendingourstudents,isthateducationonlyreallymatterswhenitisapprovedbythestate,orworse,thattheonlykindofeducationcoursetheuniversityknowsaboutisthekindthatisstateapproved.Atmycurrentinstitution,forexample,facultymembersareregularlyinstructedtoshowontheirsyllabihowtheobjectivesoftheircompulsorycoursesarealignedwiththestatestandardsforteachereducation.Therearesimplynocoursesofferedthatdonotcorrelatewithanofficiallistofstatestandardsandcodes.Thesestandardsandcodeshavelittletodowithsustainabilityeducation. Whathappenswhenafacultymemberiscommittedtoexploringeducationalaims—suchashelpingtocreatemoresustainablerelationshipsonatroubledplan-et—thatareoutsidetheboundariesof—orevencontraryto—thestate-sanctionedscript?This,Iimagine,isaquestionthatremainsunaskedinmostteachereducationfaculties,whichareusuallykeptbusypreparingwindowdressingforthenextofficialreview.Toteachonthemarginsoroutsideofthescriptisnotuncommon—allcreativeteachersdoitregularly.Butwhatisuncommonisexplicitconversationwithinteachereducationabouttheeducationallimitsandpoliticalcontentofthestate’sprescriptions

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andtheirunderlyingtheoreticalandideologicalfoundations.Moreuncommonstilliscollectivestrategizingamongeducational academicsresultinginstrategicpoliticalinterventionsthatmightinterrupttheunquestionedauthorityofstatepolicyandthenormalizingdocilityofuniversitycompliance. Myownexperienceisthatalthoughitisnotdifficulttodesigncurriculaoutsidetheboundariesofwhatisprescribed,theboundariessignificantlylimitmyownsenseofautonomybothasanacademicandchangeagent.Infact,theromanticidealofacademicfreedomisincrediblyforeigntomeasateachereducatorbecause,inthecontextofproliferatingprofessionalstandards, theresimplyisn’tany.Whatremains,however,forsomefaculty,isenoughprofessionalautonomytorisktheminorinsurrectionofteachingoutsideofandcontrarytotheexpectationsofstatebureaucracies,whichnowcircumscribemostteachereducationcoursesandpro-grams.Theriskinsuchaninterventionisthatonecouldatanytimebecensoredfornotfollowingtherulescloselyenough.Takingsuchriskscanbeespeciallyhardonuntenuredjuniorfacultymemberswhohavenotyetestablishedapositiverap-portwiththeirstudents.Ifstudentsfeelthattheyarenotgettingwhattheyexpectfromacompulsoryteachereducationcourse,ifforexampletheyexperienceitas“toopolitical”or“tootheoretical,”theycanberuthlesslydisapprovingoffacultymembersoncourseevaluations.Andtoday’steachereducationstudents,havinggraduatedfromhighschoolpost-NCLB,havethemselvesbeenwellschooledinacultureofstate-regulatedstandardsandtesting.Iftoday’steachercandidatesareproductsofaneducationalsystemobsessedwithtestscoresandotheraccount-abilitysystems,itislikelythattheywilltakethesesystemsforgrantedwithoutquestioningtheirvalidityorrecognizingtheirpoliticalcontent. Thepointhereisthatsinglecourserevisionsthatmightfocusonsustainabilitythemesarestillcoursesthatexistonlybecausetheyalignwithpoliciesandobjectivesthataregenerallyunresponsivetothesustainabilitychallengesfacinghumanitypost-9/11,post-Katrina,post-BPoilspill.Further,asinglecourseinaprogram,evenifittotallydisregardedstatepoliciesandobjectivesandbuiltastrongsustainabilitycurriculumfromitsveryfoundations,stillexistsinaprogramthatactivelyseeksitslegitimacybycarefullyaligningitscontenttotheseverypoliciesandobjec-tives.Onemightmaketheargumentthatonecouldcreativelydesignacoursethatmeetsbothstateandprogramexpectationsaswellasthegoalsofenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation.Insomecases,thisiseasilydone,especiallyinfoun-dationsofeducationcourseswherethereremainssomeleewayinframinghowandwhyonemightlearnabouttheculturalandcommunitycontextsofeducation.However,Iwouldarguethattoembracethepoliciesandobjectivesofgovernmentschoolingisoftentoembraceaimsandassumptionsabouteducationthatstandinoppositiontotheaimsofenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation(Gruenewald,2004;Gruenewald&Manteaw, 2007; Stevenson, 1987). In otherwords, addingsustainabilitycontenttoacourseoraprogrammaynotbeasufficientinterventiontogreentheteachereducationcurriculum.Theoverallimpactofastate-regulated

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program,withsomegreendiscourseadded,mightamounttolittlemorethanwhathasbeencalled“greenwashing”inthecorporatesector—agreencover-upofcorepracticesthatareecologicallynegligentanddestructive.Butofcourse,makinganyinterventiontoframeteachereducationinthecontextofourcurrentlocal/globaldilemmasisvital,andtheseinterventions,nomatterhowsmall,canbuildovertimetowarddeeperchangesincourseandprogramcontentandpolicy. Myownresponsetothisdifficultsituationhasbeentoconstantlyexperimentwithintegratingsustainabilitycontentandpedagogyintotherequiredundergradu-atecourseforwhichIhavebeenresponsible,andgraduallylearningtoframethecoursethroughthelensofsustainability.Becausethisisa“socialfoundations”course,ithasnotbeendifficulttodesignexperiencesforstudentsthatintroducethem to place-based, environmental, and sustainability education, and relatededucationaltraditionssuchascriticalpedagogy,throughwhichstudentsbegintoanalyzethecomplexsocioecologicalcontextsofeducationandbegintodevelopideasaboutshapingaculturallyandecologicallyresponsivepedagogy.Likewise,mycolleagueswhoteachscience,socialstudies,andintegratedfineartsmethods,havebeencommittedtoincludingthehumanrelationtotheenvironmentasasig-nificantfocusfortheirteaching.However,asIhearfromthesecolleagues,thereismuchtocoverinsciencemethods,forexample,besidesenvironmentaleducation,sosustainabilitythemesusuallygetlimitedattentiontosaveroomforunitson,forexample,magnetsandrobots.Imakethesamecompromisesforthesakeofcoverageinmyowncourse,thusmutingitsecologicalcontent.AlthoughIwouldliketofocusexclusivelyonenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation,thecourseIamresponsibleforalignswithstatestandardsthatrequireattentiontomanysocialfoundationsthemes,suchasthehistoryofeducation,schoollaw,racialandculturaldiversity,statepoliciesandstandards,andsoforth. Besidescontinualcourserevisionaimedatincreasingecologicalcontent,themosteffectivechangeIfeelIhavebeenabletomakehasbeenchangingthetitleofmycourse.Whenourfacultyreviseditssecondaryeducationprogram,Isub-mittedacoursetitlechangefrom“SocialFoundationsofEducation”to“CulturalandCommunityContextsofEducation.”ThischangehasbeenimportantbecauseInolongerfeelresponsibleforintroducingpreservicestudentstoawatered-downsurveyofsocialfoundationthemes.Instead,Icanexploremoredeeplytheissueofculturalcontextonlocalandgloballevels,whichisagoodconceptualfitforplace-based,environmental,andsustainabilityeducation.Itshouldbenotedthatinordertomakesuchachange,Ifirsthadtoestablishcredibilityasaninstructorandfacultymember.HadInotbeenatenuredassociateprofessor,Iamnotcon-fidentthatIwouldhavebeenabletosuccessfullynegotiatethischangethroughacumbersomeandgatekeepingbureaucracy.Inaddition,therearelikelythoseinthesocialfoundationsfieldwhowoulddisapproveofabandoningthetraditionalsocialfoundationstitleandfocus,whensocialfoundationsrequirementsarealreadyunderattackbythosewhoquestiontheirvaluetostandardizedteachertraining.My

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argumentisthatexploringtheculturalandcommunitycontextsofeducationthatcurrentlysurroundlifeandlearningonplanetEarthalignswellwiththetraditionalpurposesofsocialfoundations,andthatgiventoday’sculturalandecologicalandcommunitycontexts,sustainabilityeducationmaysimplybethemostculturallyrelevantpedagogy.Thecoursetitlechangehasledtobetterconceptualcoherencebetweenrequiredprogramcontentandsustainabilitythemes,andhashelpedmefocuswithmoredepthonthelatter.However,thepressurestocoverwhatthestaterequiresarerealandunrelenting.Despiteconsistentlypositivecourseevaluationsinthiscourse,asaresultofanexpensivecorporateevaluationofourprograminpreparationforNCATEreview,Ihaverecentlybeenencouragedtoattendmoreto“schoollaw”inmycourse,anactofself-regulationwhichIhaveobedientlyperformed(seeGreenwood,Agriss,&Miller,2009).

Program Mission and Rhetoric Evenasuniversityteachereducationprogramsserveonlyatthepleasureofthestate,andevenastheseprogramsareregularlyauditedforcompliancetotherules,thereisstillroomfortransformationalpedagogywithsustainabilitycontentwithinindividualcourses.Theproblemisthatwhenstatemandatesover-determineprogramcontentforstudentsandfaculty,sustainabilityeducationbecomesjustanothertopictobecoveredalongwitheverythingelsethatisrequired.Itispos-sible,however,foracollegefacultytocollectivelynamesustainabilityasavitaleducationalaimacrossallofitsprogramsinawaythatauthoritativelycommunicatesitssignificance.Infact,thisiswhathappenedatmycurrentinstitution,somewhatironically,inpreparationforanNCATEevaluation. AlthoughNCATEreviewisitselfpartoftheteachereducationbureaucracythatkeepsfacultyandstudentsfocusedonnarrowversionsofeducationalsuccess(Greenwood,Agriss,&Miller,2009),preparingfortheordealdoesrequireafac-ultytorevieworrewriteitsconceptualframework.AsamemberoftheConceptualFrameworkCommitteeinmyowncollegeofeducation,Iwaspleasedtofindunani-moussupportforincludingsustainabilityasamajorconceptualcornerstonealongwiththemoretraditionalthemesofdiversity,collaboration,justice,andleadership.BecauseNCATEexaminersexpecttoseethatacollege’sconceptualframeworkisintegratedacrossitsprograms,myowncollegehadmanyfullsizecolorpostersprintedofitsconceptualframework,whichstillhangonhallwaywallsaswellasinseveralclassrooms.Oneachoftheseglass-framedandhighlyvisibleposters,andonallcollegesyllabiconnectedtoteachereducation,studentscanclearlyseethatourcollege’sconceptualframeworkisconcernedwith“asustainableandjustfuture”aswellas“localandglobalresponsibilitiestocommunities,environments,andfuturegenerations”(seeFigure1). Explicitcommitmenttosustainabilitythemesislikelyveryrareintheconceptualframeworksofcollegeseducation.Thepresenceofthesethemesinmyowncollege’sframeworkcanbeattributedtoaprogressivefacultythatcaresaboutthestateof

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theworldanditshumanandnon-humanenvironments.But,infact,theconceptualframeworkwaswritteninresponsetoamandatetoproducedocumentsforNCATEreview.Inotherwords,the opportunitytorewriteourconceptualframeworkwascreatedbyanoutsidemandate,whichcanbeseenasacreativeactofresistance.Inourcase,thedeanappointedacommitteetodraftadocumentandsummarystatement.Theinclusionofsustainabilityasaprominentthemebeganaspartof

Figure 1

Collaborationwith diverse communities

toward a sustainable and just future

WSU College of Education

Conceptual Framework

Learnersin cultural context

EngagedLearningwith meaning and purpose

The College of Education contributes to the theory and practice of the broad

field of education, and dedicates itself to understanding and respecting learners

in diverse cultural contexts. We facilitate engaged learning and ethical leadership

in schools and clinical settings. We seek collaboration with diverse constituen-

cies, recognizing our local and global responsibilities to communities, environ-

ments, and future generations.

EthicalLeadership

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abrainstormingprocessamongahandfulofcommitteemembers.Asamemberofthiscommittee,Iintroducedtheideaofsustainabilityandwasdelighted,andabitsurprised,thateveryoneonthecommitteeagreedthatitwasanimportantidea.Indeed,itwasknownthatseveralfacultymembersalreadytaughtsustainabilityeducationinourcoursesandothersonthecommitteeandamongthefacultyheldwhatcouldbeconsideredastrongenvironmentalethicintheirpersonallives.Still,itismyjudgmentthatsustainabilitywouldnothavebeenincludedinourconceptualframeworkhadInotbeenappointedbyourdeanandhadInotagreedtoserveonthiscommittee,andifmydepartmentchair,aswellastwopreviouschairsandanassociatedeanonthecommittee,hadnotbeenconsistentlysupportiveofmyworkinthisarea.Themessagehereisthatitispossibletoinfluencetheofficialdiscourseof a college simply by serving on the right committee.A college’s conceptualframeworkisusuallywrittenbyasmallgroupofindividualsbeforeitreviewedbythefaculty,andthissmallgrouphasthepowernamewhatitmostvalues.Writingaconceptualframeworkcanthusbeviewedasatransformativegrassrootsefforttoestablishanewsenseofpurposeforadepartmentorcollege.Inourcase,thenewpresenceofsustainabilitydiscourseinnearlyeveryhallwayandoneverysyl-labusgavethoseofuscommittedtoteachingforsustainabilityapowerfulsenseoflegitimacy.Insteadofaradicaldiscourseonthemarginsofconventionaleducation,sustainabilitywassuddenlycenterstage,andremainsso,atleastintherhetoricofthecollege’sofficialconceptualframework. Justasresponsestotheworldwideproblemofclimatechangemustincludebothbottomupandtopdownapproaches,changeinteachereducationmustin-cludebothgrassrootsactivismandpolicylevelchange.Thefactthateducatingfor“asustainableandjustfuture”aswellas“localandglobalresponsibilitiestocommunities,environments,andfuturegenerations”isaprominentfeatureofacollege’smissionnotonlylegitimatesenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation,butsetsamoralexampleofeducationalleadership.Sinceourcollegeofficiallyadoptedthislanguage,facultyfromotheruniversitieshavecommunicatedwithmethattheyviewourconceptualframeworkasuniqueinthefield,onethatshouldbeemulatedinotherschoolsandcollegesofeducation.

Paradox and Possibility: Creating State-Regulated Change Whiletheinclusionofsustainabilitywithinacollege’sconceptualframeworkcanbeviewedasastrategicachievement,itisrelativelymeaninglessunlesssustain-ablyeducationisbeingactivelypromotedbymultiplefacultymembersasacoreeducationaltheme.Inourcase,craftingastrongmissionstatementhasbeenpartofalargerandslowerprocessofcurriculumchangethat,againironically,hasbeencatalyzedbychangesinstatepolicyaroundteachereducation.Concurrenttothedevelopmentofourconceptualframework,theStateofWashingtonalsoreviseditsstandardsforteachereducationtoincludeforthefirsttimeexplicitlanguagearoundsustainability;theStatealsodevelopedandeventuallypassedanewspecialty

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teachingendorsementinEnvironmentalandSustainabilityEducation.TosaythattheStateofWashingtonaccomplishedtheseactsismisleadingmetonymy:whatactuallyhappenedinbothcasesisthatagroupofcommittedindividualsworkedwithinthesystemeffectivelyenoughtocreatechange. Thesetwosignificantchangesareinterestingpoliticalvictoriesinthemselvesthatwillneedtobedescribedmorefullyelsewhere.Eachchangeispartofalargermove-mentforeducationalchangethathopefullywillleadtomoreandbetterenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationinWashingtonState.Thechangeinteachereducationstandardsispartofrenewedfocusonknowledgeoflearnersandtheirdevelopmentinsocialcontexts.Teachereducationprogramsstatewidemustnowdemonstratethattheirteachercandidatesunderstandthe“contextualandcommunitycentered”natureoflearningsothat“allstudentsarepreparedtoberesponsiblecitizensforanenvi-ronmentallysustainable,globallyinterconnected,anddiversesociety”(ProfessionalEducatorStandardsBoard,n.d.,p.3).Whilethisteachereducationstandardisonlyoneamongoveradozennewarticulations,itismorethanmererhetoric:becausestatestandardsarealwaysconnectedtoaregimeofcompliance,eachteacher-certificationprograminthestatemustnowdocumentexactlyhowitismeetingthestandard.This,atleast,isleadingtosomeinterestingconversationsamongfacultyacrossthestate,especiallyasthegoalofresponsiblecitizenshipforanenvironmentallysustainablesocietyhasprovenjustaselusiveasitiscontestedworldwide. TheotherpolicydevelopmentofnoteinWashingtonisanewspecialtyteach-ingendorsementinEnvironmentalandSustainabilityEducation.Forthefirsttimeever,collegesofeducationareabletoofferthisendorsement,furtherlegitimizingenvironmentandsustainabilityasvitaleducationalthemeswithinteachereducation.Stateapprovalforthisendorsementwastheculminationofmanyyearsofworkfrommanygroupsandindividuals,ledinpartbytheEnvironmentalEducationAssociationofWashington(EEAW).ForseveraldecadesmembersofEEAWhaddiscussedthepossibilityofadvocatingforateachingendorsementaroundenvironmentaleducation,andasrecentlyasfiveyearsago,underthecloudofmorestandardsandmoretest-ing,thisdidnotseempoliticallyfeasible.However,severalimportantdevelopmentshelpedsetthestageforcreatingthissignificantchangeinstatepolicy.First,EEAWobtainedasignificantgrantfromtheRussellFamilyFoundationtohireafull-time,paid, executive director.Likemany state environmental education organizations,EEAWpreviouslyreliedonvolunteerdirectors,whousuallylackthetimeandsup-porttobuildtherelationshipsneededtopursuemoresystemicchangesinschools.WashingtonState is fortunate thatEEAW’sdirector isAbbyRuskey,averywellknownandeffectiveleaderinenvironmentaleducation,andtheformerExecutiveDirectoroftheNorthAmericanAssociationofEnvironmentalEducation. Second,asaresultofrelationshipsbetweenEEAWandtheWashingtonStateOfficeoftheSuperintendentofPublicInstruction(OSPI),ahalf-timeprogramco-ordinatorpositionwasreinstatedforenvironmentaleducation,whichisnowcalledtheEnvironmentalandSustainabilityEducationProgram.Thisprogramisdirected

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byGildaWheeler,formerlyofFacingtheFuture,asuccessfulSeattle-basednationalprogramforsustainabilityeducation.AsEEAWbegantoorganizenewstatewideprogramsaroundenvironmentaleducation,andasOSPIbeganarenewed,coordi-natedapproachtosustainabilityeducation,therewasalsoaculturalshiftinattitudestowardenvironmentalissues.AlGore’sbookandmovieaboutclimatechange,An Inconvenient Truth(2006),wasapivotalcatalyst.Whereasin2000GeorgeBushcampaignedasaglobalwarmingdenierandskeptic,bytheendofthedecade,evenhispro-petroladministrationbegantoconcedethatclimatechangeisarealissuethatneedstobeaddressedwithsomekindofaction.Itwasinthiscontext—witheffectiveorganizationalleadershipinplaceandwithchangingculturalattitudestowardtheenvironment—thatasmallgroupofenvironmentaleducatorswasabletoorganize,propose,andeventuallyearnstate-sanctionedsupportforanewSpecialtyTeachingEndorsementinEnvironmentalandSustainabilityEducation. Asamemberofthecommitteethatwrotetheteachercompetenciesforthenewendorsement(seeFigure2),myjudgmentisthatthelongbureaucraticprocesswouldnothavebeensuccessfulwithouttheskillfulleadershipofAbbyRuskeyandGildaWheeler.Inaddition,thecommitteealsoincludedahighlyrespectedcollegedean,whopreviouslyservedonthestatestandardsboardresponsibleforapprovingnewendorsements,aswellasanotherprofessorwhoseparticipationwaspivotalinaddingsustainabilitylanguagetothenewteachingstandardsdescribedabove.Themessagehere,again,isthatitispossibletoworkwithinthestate-regulatedsystemtocreatechange,butfirstindividualsandgroupsneedtobuildrelationships,dem-onstratecredibility,andthenrespondstrategicallytowhateveropeningsexist.

Conclusion:

Can Government Schools Teach Sustainability?AhugemovementexistsonplanetEarthforbetterrelationshipsbetweenpeople,

place,andplanet,andmoreteachereducatorsarebecomingpartofthismovement.TheU.S.PartnershipfortheDecadeofEducationforSustainableDevelopment,theNorthAmericanAssociationforEnvironmentalEducationand itsstateandregionalaffiliates,theAssociationfortheAdvancementofSustainabilityinHigherEducation,aswellastheEnvironmentalEducationSpecialInterestGroupwithintheAmericanAssociationofEducationalResearch,areeachexamplesofsignificantorganizationalworkpromotingpoliciesandpracticesinuniversitiesandschoolsthataremoreresponsivetotheneedsofthehumanandnon-humanenvironment.StatessuchasWashingtonhavebeguntorequirenewsustainabilitystandardsandoffernewteachingendorsementsinEnvironmentalandSustainabilityEducation,andmyowncollegehasputsustainabilityinthecenterofitsconceptualframe-work.Clearlythisrepresentsmovementtowardmoreandbetterenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationinthefieldofteachereducation. Teacher education is constantly changing, usually in response to political

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Figure 2

Teacher Competencies for Washington State’s Environmentaland Sustainability Education Specialty Endorsement

1.0 Common Core—Environmental and Sustainability Education Content:Teachers know and critically analyze the historical development, purposes, interdisciplinary nature, defining characteristics, and guiding principles of environmental and sustainability education. As a result, candidates will provide evidence to demonstrate an understanding of:1.1Theecological,economic,andsocialdimensionsofsustainability.1.2Theinterconnectednessofandsignificantchangesoccurringwithinandamonglocaltoglobalecological,economic,andsocialsystems.1.3Howculture influencespeople’s interactionswith thenaturalandbuilt (humancon-structed)environment.1.3.1Environmentaljustice,includingthecausesofinequitabledistributionofresourcesandimpactsovertime.1.3.2Thevariouswayshumansperceive,learn,andliveintheenvironment,includingthoseoftheIndigenouspeoplesofourregion.1.3.3Theroleofmediaandtechnologyonenvironmentalandsustainabilityissuesandactions.1.4Howtoevaluateavarietyofnaturalandhumansystemsforsustainability.1.4.1Thebasicprinciplesandtoolsofvarioussystemsthinkingmethodologiesincludingecologi-calandorganizationalmodelsastheyapplytoenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation.1.4.2 Interdisciplinary inquirymethods appropriate for investigating environmental andsustainabilityissues.1.4.3Howtheyareconnectedtothecommunitiesinwhichtheylive(place-basedlearning).Theyemploygeographicunderstandingtodescribeandanalyzeecological,economic,social,andhistoricalrelationships.1.5Theneedforactiononspecificenvironmentalandsustainabilityissues.Theyidentifyandfacilitateactionprojects,andevaluatepotentialoutcomesofthoseactionprojects.1.6Howenvironmentalandsustainabilityrelatedpoliciesaredeveloped,implementedandinterrelated.1.6.1 Howlocal,national,andinternationalcooperationisnecessarytoaddressenviron-mentalandsustainabilityissues.1.7Currentandemergingcareerpathsinenvironmentalandsustainabilityfields.

Common Core 2.0—Environmental and Sustainability Education Instructional Meth-odology:Teachers use the unique features of environmental and sustainability education in the design and enrichment of curricula and school programs. They teach and assess environmental and sustainability curricula and create stimulating and motivating learning environments. As a result, candidates will provide evidence to demonstrate an ability to:2.1Alignenvironmentalandsustainabilitycurriculumandinstructionwithdistrict,state,andnationalstandards.2.2 Integrate environmental and sustainability educationwith standards-based curriculaandschoolprograms.2.3Developandimplementcurricula,includingprojects,whicharerelevanttostudents’livesandotherswithinlocalandglobalcommunities.

—continuedonnextpage—

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wranglingaroundaccountabilityandachievement.Whilesuchchangeshavelittletodowithsustainabilityissues,theconstantstateofchangecanbeviewedasanopportunitytomakestrategicpoliticalinterventionsthatbegintoputsustainabilityontheteachereducationmap.Asthisarticleshows,suchchangescanbeginwithsustainability-responsive course revisions, and can connect to more significantchangesincollegeandstateprogramsandpolicies.Teachereducatorsinterestedinjoiningthismovementcanbeginatonceintheirownwork(seeNolet2009),andstartnetworkingandorganizingwithcolleaguesaswellasthemanyprofessionaleducationalorganizationscommittedtoasustainableandjustfuture.

Figure 2 (continued)

2.4Employeffectivestrategiesforenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationinsideandoutsidetheclassroom.2.4.1Teachavarietyofinquirymethodologiesincludingplace-basedlearning,fieldinves-tigation,andactionresearch.2.4.2Teach theuseofgraphsandmodels to representdataandcommunicate resultsofenvironmentalandsustainabilityinvestigations.2.4.3Teachthebasicprinciplesandtoolsofsystemsthinkingforlearningaboutenviron-mentalandsustainabilityissues.2.4.4 Use community resources to promote student learning about environmental andsustainabilityissues.2.4.5Facilitatestudents’acquisitionofmedialiteracytoaccess,analyze,andcreatemes-sagesinavarietyofforms.2.4.6 Create a supportive environment where students are comfortable discussing anddebatingissues.2.4.7Useeffectivestrategiesforconductinginvestigationsthataresafeandenvironmentallysound.2.4.8 Useavarietyofformativeandsummativeassessmenttoolsappropriateforenviron-mentalandsustainabilityeducation.2.5Facilitatestudents’effectivecivicengagementforsustainablecommunities.

Common Core 3.0—Environmental and Sustainability Education Professional Com-petencies:Teachers belong and contribute to the environmental and sustainability educa-tion professional community and understand that professional development is a life-long endeavor. As a result, candidates provide evidence that they: 3.1Identifythebenefitsandrecognizetheimportanceofbelongingtoaprofessionalcom-munityengagedinenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation.3.2Engageinprofessionaldevelopmentand/orleadershipopportunitiesrelatedtoenviron-mentalandsustainabilityeducation.3.3Provideaccurate,balanced,andeffectiveenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationinstruction.3.3.1Criticallyanalyzethetheoriesandcurrentresearchinenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation.3.4Areable toarticulatea rationale forenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducationandreflectupontheirroleintheongoingdevelopmentofthefield.

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Thequestion,however,remainswhetherthesechangeswillbeenoughtocounterthedominantagendaofoureducationalsystem,whichcontinuestoserveaneo-liberaleconomicagenda(Hirsh,2007)whichisunsustainableatcore(Daly,1996;Hawken,2007).Teachereducatorsneedtoseriouslyanalyzetheirwork,andweshouldbealarmedifwediscoverthatourcollectiveworkfailstosignificantlyaddressthemajorsustainabilityissuesofourtime.Further,weshouldnotbeoverlyoptimisticwhenweareabletomakesmalladjustmentsinthecurriculumthatallowustobeginthedifficultworkofenvironmentalandsustainabilityeducation.Teachereducationbureaucracyistightlycontrolled,andthoseatthehelmhavenotdemonstratedthattheyconsidersustainabilitytobeafundamentaleducationalgoal.Untilitbecomesone,anduntilallof thestructuresandprocessessurroundingschoolingreflectadeepawarenessoftheconnectionbetweenalllearningandthefutureoflocalandglobal,socialandecologicalrelationshipsonplanetEarth,schoolingismorelikelytopromoteunsustainabilitythansustainability.Muchworkremainstobedone.

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