Principles of Place-Based Learning (from The Rural School & Community Trust)
Place-based learning is rooted in what is local--the unique history, environment, culture, and economy of a particular place. The community provides the context for learning, student work focuses on community needs and interests, and community members serve as resources and partners in every aspect of teaching and learning. We have discovered that this local focus has the power to engage students academically, pairing real-world relevance with intellectual rigor, while promoting genuine citizenship and preparing people to respect and live well wherever they choose.
Place-based learning, as defined by the Rural Trust, is based on the following principles:
· The school and community actively collaborate to make the local place a good one in which to learn, work, and live.
· Students do sustained academic work that draws upon and contributes to the place in which they live. They practice new skills and responsibilities, serving as scholars, workers, and citizens in their community.
· The community supports students and their adult mentors in these new roles. Enthusiasm for place-based education spreads as the learning deepens, steadily involving more students, teachers, administrators, and community participants.
· Schools mirror the democratic values they seek to instill, arranging their resources so that every child is known well, and every child's participation--regardless of ability--is needed and wanted.
· Decisions about the education of the community's children are shared, informed by expertise both in and outside school.
· All participants, including teachers, students, and community members, expect excellent effort from each other and review their joint progress regularly and thoughtfully. Multiple measures and public input enlarge assessments of student performance.