Topic Exploration: Place Based Learning
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How is Place Based Learning Alive in the World?
Every place has something to value and to teach. Place-based teaching is a learning approach that supports students in gaining a sense of belonging to build roots that has positive local consequences. Students are building agency and entrepreneurial skills to better their communities through connecting to the places in which they live.
Place-based learning is defined by David Sobel (2010) as “the process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and other subjects across the curriculum. Emphasizing hands-on, real-world learning experiences, this approach to education increases academic achievement, helps students develop stronger ties to their community, enhances students’ appreciation for the natural world, and creates a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing” (Smith and Sobel, 2010). Place based learning values learning from the community by connecting students’ curriculum to the places where they live.
The benefits of place-based education is that “not only do students develop environmental awareness and the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for environmental stewardship, but they also perform better on tests and show greater ability to transfer learning to unfamiliar contexts. Because place-based education involves students working on real environmental problems in their own communities, it also strengthens community support for schools and teaches children the skills and rewards of good citizens” (Armbruster, 2006, p. 4). Teaching relevant and engaging topics encourages students to be motivated and naturally they do well. When students can connect to the content they can retain more information and gain skills which allows them to be active participants in the learning process.
Place-based learning also helps students understand the unfolding of their worlds, so they will not only honor the earth, but themselves and each other. Cythinia Chambers share a different perspective of place-based learning. Chambers (2006) illustrates that the land we live in has a history, a culture that has come before us and we are mere visitors to this land. In place based learning we visit places, we seek to listen in these places for what they tell us about who we are, where we come from and where we are going. The learning that occurs renews our Western views of the place. In turn, reclaiming traditional knowledge and changing ways of seeing so that it is not primarily eurocentric. Cynthia Chambers (2006) in the article, “ ‘The Land is the Best Teacher I Have Ever Had’: Place as Pedagogy for Precarious Times” explains in a narrative story format the importance of place based learning. She explores the important questions, “What is the significance of place? What can these places teach us? What is the curriculum of these places?” (p. 35). Chamber explores knowing where you are, where you belong, and the importance of identity. Place-based learning is a self-reflective process where you understand your individual position within the place.
The History of Place Based Learning
Dewey warned against the disconnect between school and community. His educational approach believed that the two needed to be merged together to utilize and connect the two experiences (Smith and Sobel, 2010). John Dewey believed that community involvement is fundamental for their learning. Academic disciplines need to incorporate cooking, gardening, carpentry and other hands-on learning in order to problem solve and investigate through math, science, art, and social studies. Maria Montessori also believed in this type of learning through her practical life curriculum. Students make sense of their world through hands on experiences and need to be provided with authentic real world learning opportunities.
There have been different theories of education that have added to place-based learning such as experiential learning, learner-centered education, deeper learning, service learning, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, work-based learning, and informal learning. (Getting Smart, 2016). As well, environmental and natural learning that stemmed from a place-based educational approach. All of these approaches to learning show how education is adapting and changing to be more inquiry-based, hands on and experiential. The 21st century learner is gaining skills and competencies to integrate learning from their classroom to their communities and world. They are no longer two separate domains, but are intertwined to connect content to skills that can be used to create change.
As I think more and more about place-based education I am reminded of “The First People’s Principles of Learning”. In the documentation it states that “Learning supports the well-being of the self, the family, and the community” and “Learning is holistic, reflexive, experiential, and relational” (Fnesc, 2015). The principles explore how learning is holistic, requires active participation, takes patiences and time, and occurs within our lived experiences of place. The First Peoples’ Principles of Learning supports understanding who we are, where we come from, our cultures, and communities. By incorporating Indigenous content the BC curriculum is making way for a different way of seeing and knowing about our histories and stories of place.
The documentary “The Land is Teacher” shows that land based teaching is rooted in cultures, values, and relationships. It is a way to connect the knowledge of the culture and pass it down to the younger generations. This type of inquiry-based learning stems from the importance of place and shows the relationship to self, others, and the land, and the healing power of nature and humans. Learning from elders and experts on different ways of learning helps students experience inter-generational teachings of teaching and learning.
Questions for Place Based Learning
Exploring a place begins with a student’s understanding of themselves and then grows to their understanding of the world around them. At first students need to sit in a place and think about what they see, what they think and what they wonder. This will give them a voice and choice in determining what, how, when and where they learn.
In order to foster an inquiry approach I will be observing and listening to discover, “What local topics, issues, or projects are likely to be meaningful for students and give them an opportunity to participate in learning activities that others will value?” (Smith, 2004). Incorporating place-based learning into the classroom involves exploring local topics that would be meaningful for the students and that will add value to the community. It will involve researching how the curriculum supports place-based learning and what specific prescribed learning outcomes I can connect to the BC curriculum. What are the cross curricular subjects that the topic can include. There will always be the topic of how to assess a place-based project that would need to be considered. I would also be interested in what community contacts I can get to share their knowledge of the place or topic. How do I continue to encourage them in their learning when their interest dies down? What are the essential questions I need to ask to motivate their inquiry-based learning. As well, I am curious about how this can support the community and how can it be publicized.
Experiencing the “Joy” of this Topic
As a teacher, creating lessons and activities that motivates and engages students is exciting. I love the idea of creating communities into classrooms where students are involved in a hands on process where they are investigating, collecting information, problem solving, and contributing.
More importantly, I believe it is important for children to have opportunities to disconnect from their busy lives and technology to slow down and absorb the world around them. We can only do this when we are sitting in a place and practicing our mindful meditation. It is in the place of stillness students listen, watch and feel what is around them and they begin to ask questions. As a teacher I have this responsibility to transfer this social emotional learning through connection of place, so that they can better be able to understand the unfolding of their worlds. When I can build in place-based activities in my classroom I can help students to honor places so that they can take care of the earth, themselves, and each other. Place-based teaching is a responsibility and an act of kindness viewed as a movement towards connectivity, learning and relationality.
References
Armbruster, Karla (2006). Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities David Sobel. Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, 13(1), 238.
Chambers, Cynthia (2006). “The Land is the Best Teacher I Have Ever Had”: Places as Pedagogy for Precarious Times, Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, p.27-38.
First People’s Principles of Learning (2015). http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11×17.pdf
Getting Smart (November. 28, 2016). What is Place Based Education
and Why Does it Matter? Experiencing Place-Based Education at Teton Science Schools https://www.gettingsmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/What-is-Place-Based-Education-and-Why-Does-it-Matter-3.pdf
Smith, Gregory (June 12, 2014). 10 Questions to Ask When Developing Place-based Learning Experiences. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/9994
Smith, Gregory A., and David Sobel. Place- and Community-Based
Education in Schools : Place and Community-Based Education in
Schools, Taylor & Francis Group, 2010. ProQuest
Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/trulibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=481055.
The Land and Sea Network- CBC Gem (n.d.). The Land as Teacher.
Season 17, Episode 28
://gem.cbc.ca/media/land-and-sea-network/season-17/episode-28/38e815a-00e95c54824?
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