 | arizona association for Environmental Education |
ABOUT THE ARIZONA ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
As one of the 56 Affiliates within the Affiliate Network of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), the Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) supports formal and informal educators providing programming and content to a wide variety of citizens of all ages. We are a PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION for anyone teaching in and about the environment in Arizona.
As an Affiliate of NAAEE, we host a variety of networking and professional learning opportunities in state, as well as collaborate with other NAAEE Affiliates to host events at the annual NAAEE conference as well as webinars, online discussions, and blogs. AAEE strives to provide professional development opportunities, such as the Environmental Education Certification Program, across the state of Arizona.
Cultivating environmental literacy in Arizona and empowering everyone to improve the collective effectiveness of environmental education in Arizona.
OUR VISION Environmental educators in Arizona are connected to each other and have the skills, knowledge, and resources to work collaboratively toward a vibrant, equitable, and socially just future. | OUR MISSION Connect and equip environmental education (EE) providers, new and seasoned, with their community and their place. We provide training, mentoring, and resources, to actively and equitably grow a healthy, environmentally sustainable, and just Arizona for all. |
We believe professional associations, such as ours and the North American Association for Environmental Education, are critical to furthering our field, and our personal skills, knowledge, and abilities. Professional associations provide a number of benefits including:
- Job Opportunities
- Networking Opportunities
- Staying up to date on industry best practices, research, and trends
- Helping people stand out to potential employers (for both paid and volunteer work)
Professional associations are not only appropriate for young professionals, rather they are beneficial to anyone, of any age, in any stage of their journey. Those who have been in the field for some time have the added benefit of serving in a mentorship role for the up and coming members. Additionally, seasoned members will find they learn from the younger generation as well.
OUR PURPOSE
The Arizona Association for Environmental Education has served as a framework for educators in Arizona who provide environmental education since 1970. Today AAEE serves as a professional association and network hub for environmental educators, connecting them to jobs, professional development opportunities, learning experiences, and each other. We set the standard for environmental education in practice through our eeCertification Program, recognized by the North American Association for Environmental Education.
What is environmental education? We are all EE! Environmental Education is a collective movement to empower ourselves and our communities to cultivate a healthy, environmentally sustainable, and just world through all types of learning and educational experiences. EE provides us with the knowledge, skills, and agency to inclusively address past, present, and future interconnected and systemic environmental & social issues in our communities and world. |
OUR STRATEGY
As outlined by the North American Association for Environmental Education, environmental education focuses on the importance of experiential, interdisciplinary education. These key pillars help to ensure that all EE learners develop problem solving and decision-making skills, understand how to be a civically engaged citizen as well as how to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable society. We provide professional learning to formal, non-formal, and non-traditional educators teaching people of all ages. Our strategy assists educators in helping learners understand the complex systems and environmental issues we face, allowing them to make informed, balanced, and responsible decisions for themselves and their communities.
Focus on systems thinking Lifelong learning: cradle to grave Focus on sound science Built on a sustainability platform | Informed decision making Sense of place Reflects best practice in education (learner-centered, experiential, and project-based learning) Interdisiplinary |
Foundational Resources
As a professional association for anyone teaching in and about the environment in Arizona, we provide resources and workshops designed to assist educators (and those who may not formally identify as educators but teach environmental, sustainability, and outdoor education concepts) in developing sound and accessible content designed to improve participant critical thinking skills. These resources are appropriate for teaching people of all ages, in formal and non-formal settings, about the natural world.
The resources linked below are Guidelines developed by our team of experts and those at the North American Association for Environmental Education. When designing new programs and curricula we recommend referencing these materials.
