What is Place-based Education?
Place-based education is a holistic approach to education, conservation and community development that uses the local community as an integrating context for learning at all ages. It fosters vibrant partnerships between schools and communities to both boost student achievement and improve community health and vitality--environmental, social and economic. Project-focused and inherently tailored by local people to local realities, place-based education is relevant to anyone, anywhere.
Professional Development Opportunities
- Do you want to learn more about place-based education? This spring and summer Shelburne Farms hosts several professional development institutes and workshops, including Principles and Best Practices of Place-based Education, the Education for Sustainability Institute, Project Seasons Summer Workshop, and the Institute on Service-Learning. Check out the calendar section for these and other professional development opportunities around the country
- Shelburne FarmsPrinciples and Best Practices of Place-based Education Workshop can also come to you! Nature centers, schools, and other community organizations have found this workshop to be a powerful tool for starting place-based intiatives. For more information about this option email us at contact@promiseofplace.org.
What's New?
- No Child Left Inside (NCLI) legislation is moving forward. On April 22, there was a Congressional field hearing “Environmental Education: Teaching Our Children To Preserve Our Future” at the Patuxent Research Refuge National Wildlife Visitor Center in Laurel, Maryland. The hearing is sponsored by a subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee. Check out the NCLI website for more information on this important bill.
- This winter the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative (PEEC) published a report, "The Benefits of Place-based Education". The report summarizes five years of PEEC's evaluation findings, based upon close to two thousand surveys and interviews with educators and students from 100 rural, urban, and suburban schools. What does it say? Place-based education energizes teachers, transforms school culture, helps students learn, connects schools and communities, encourages students to become environmental stewards, and invites students to become active citizens To learn more about research that supports place-based education go to Research and Evaluation.
- Greogry Smith has written a new book, "Place-based Education in the Global Age: Local Diversity." Stephen Preskill of the University of New Mexico said, "Polished, clear, insightful, and meaningful... This volume amounts to nothing less than a complete rethinking of what progressive education can be at its best and how education can be reconceptualized as one of the central practices of a genuinely democratic and sustainable society. ... It is the kind of book that has the potential to be transformative. For books and articles about place-based education go to Bibliography.
- A new report from the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design presents compelling research about the benefits of place-based education.
Network! Place-based Education and Related Organizations
- The Sustainable Schools Project based out of Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont, helps schools use sustainability as an integrating context for curriculum, community partnerships, and campus practices. They work closely with schools and communities to identify priorities, provide professional development and curriculum support, and help to identify funding sources for school sustainability. The website is full of inspiring stories, curriculum, and other resources.
- Facing the Future is a solutions-based program designed by and for teachers. This national organization works within the education system to help teachers help students achieve academic success, while preparing them to create and maintain positive, healthy and sustainable communities. They offer trainings and support, as well as numerous online resources such as grade specific activities and units.
- To find an organization from your region, or with a particular focus go to the Links and Resources sections.
Contact Us
We want to learn about YOU! Tell us about interesting projects and organizations, share how you use this site, and how we can make this a more useful resource. Send your thoughts to: contact@promiseofplace.org