Kappa Delta Pi Announces New Affiliate Chapter: The United States Teacher Education for Sustainable Development Network
Indianapolis (PRWEB) November 29, 2013 -- Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), International Honor Society in Education, is pleased to announce the addition of the United States Teacher Education for Sustainable Development (USTESD) Network to its select group of affiliate chapters. The Network joins the Simon Youth Foundation and the National Network of State Teachers of the Year as KDP’s third affiliate chapter.
The purpose of KDP affiliate chapters is to broaden partnerships and collaborative efforts within education both nationally and globally. These chapters promote the excellence in, and outstanding contributions to, the education profession.
“I am both thrilled and humbled by the USTESD Network decision to formally strengthen its relationship with KDP,” said KDP Executive Director Faye Snodgress. “I look forward to building on our collective efforts in advancing the incorporation of sustainability into our schools and teacher preparation programs throughout the United States.”
The Network is a council of teacher educators and institutions that focus on the advancement of education for sustainable development (ESD)—the practice of engaging students in U.S. schools in critical thinking to solve environmental, societal, and economic issues as they relate to sustainability. Kappa Delta Pi has been a member organization of USTESD, which is associated with the UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability, since USTESD was formed at the International Network of Teacher Education Institutions’ biennial meeting in 2012.
“Education for sustainable development is premised on the goal of ensuring that all children have access to a high quality education that will help them negotiate the tensions and challenges associated with creating a safe and just space for humanity now and in the future,” said Victor Nolet, professor in secondary education at Western Washington University. “KDP has shown repeatedly over the years that it is deeply committed to the preparation and ongoing professional development of teachers who exemplify this ideal. The USTESD is extremely pleased to be affiliated with KDP, and we look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration in the years ahead.”
This October, KDP and USTESD released a white paper on the importance of teaching sustainability in U.S. classrooms titled Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability: The U.S. Context. The announcement of the new affiliate chapter promises to further advance the organizations’ joint commitment to advance ESD, particularly in the United States.
The USTESD Network will make the official chapter announcement at the upcoming American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Annual Meeting, March 1–3, in Indianapolis.
To learn more about KDP’s commitment to ESD, head to http://www.kdp.org/initiatives/sustainabledevelopment.php.
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About Kappa Delta Pi
Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, is a 501 (c) (3) organization established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education, provide a reasoned voice for significant issues, and link learning communities of educators. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, KDP supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership that exceeds 40,000 worldwide.
About USTESD
The United States Teacher Education for Sustainable Development (USTESD) Network is a voluntary organization of teacher educators and teacher education institutions. This group focuses on the advancement of education for sustainable development in teacher education institutions in the United States. Members of the USTESD Network are affiliates of the following teacher education institutions: James Madison University, Maryville University, Montclair State University, North Carolina Central University, University of Idaho, University of Vermont, University of Wyoming, Webster University, Western Washington University, Whitworth University, and Wright State University. Members of the USTESD Network are affiliates with the following nonprofit organizations: the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) International Honor Society in Education, the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER), the International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI), and the America Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
Laura Stelsel, Kappa Delta Pi, http://www.kdp.org/, +1 (317) 829-1550, [email protected]
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