Doreen Kaleiwahea
June 28, 2011
Place-Based Education: Is Place-Based Writing motivating for students?
Bishop, S. (2004). The power of place. English Journal
, 93, No. 6 National Council of Teachers of English Retrieved from:
july04/EJ0936Power
Researcher, Sharon Bishop states that when schools embrace place-based learning, the student learns the “value of community and acquire the skills to live well anywhere.” Place-based education can shape English language arts curriculum and five identified thematic patterns in place-based education that can be adapted to specific settings: Cultural Studies (Social Studies), Nature Studies(Science), Real-World Problem Solving (Math), Internships and Entrepreneurial Opportunities (Literacy), Induction into Community Processes (Service Learning). This curriculum combines two of these patterns: Reading to explore our area through research and Writing with the use of field trips, interviews, and photography. In Reading stories written by local authors, students come to see the members of their families and community as real people whose lives have made significant contributions to this place. Writings based on oral heritage interviews connect students to their families and to the elders of the community. Place-conscious education also allows students to learn to value a small town that may seem boring or offer information the student never acquired. They are often astounded by the wisdom and experiences of elders in the community. Perhaps they will participate in solving the problem within the community or offer an aesthetic or connection value for a location. Students describe these field trips as peaceful, stress-free places. They may become future preservationists of these environments.
Semken, S. ( 2005), Sense of place and place-based introductory geoscience
teaching for American Indian and Alaska native undergraduates. Journal
of Geoscience Education, 53, 2, 149-157
Retrieved from: http://www.promiseofplace.org/assets/files/research/
SemkenPlacebasedGeoScienceforAmeriIndian.pdf
Place-based geoscience teaching could potentially enhance science literacy among American Indian, Alaska Native, and other underrepresented minority students, and bring more of them into the geoscience profession. Teaching in Place-based geoscience emphasizes global respect of years of exploration and in-depth understanding of places from the indigenous people to which the environment has prior meaning. Many teachers and researchers recommend a greater emphasis on the study of local places and making the connection to local cultural knowledge, and community at an early age; preferably elementary age and continuing throughout high school. Place-based content can be focused explicitly on the natural geological attributes of a place. Students who learn to interpret Earth systems in the context of their surroundings rather than "covering" a textbook can work in the field and with local geological and paleontological collecting specimens locally. Regional maps, cross-sections, and images have pride of place using ancient names and legends of the language in the land. Art is familiar to the indigenous student who is influenced by landscape patterns, colors, and Indigenous artistic style. Such prior experience promotes indigenous students to excel due to their prior knowledge.
Kinloch, V. (2009). Innovative writing instruction. English Education, 99,1
Retrieved from: http://www.ncte.org/journals/ej/issues/v99-1
Writing within a virtual environment combined with the experience of face-to-face meetings with a mentor writer can bring out innovation or new inventions in writing. The virtual environment can be one created by the writer or the writer chooses to immerse his/her self into. It can be created by the writer, but often has to be created. The author must look for avenues of inspiration with others or alone. The writer and mentor perspectives and writing stories can inform our thinking about writing; the audience we address, the fashion in which we touch the reader, our accountability. We can be challenged to reconsider writing experiences that we individually create and become authors of. We make a setting or choose a setting of a writing environment. This experience invites us to cherish the writing encounters we create. Individually, these stories can reawaken our desires to be inventive and to stimulate others as they stimulate us. The author quotes poet, Adrienne Rich, “to write as if your life depended on it”. Tapping into our writing selves and the stories that emerge, however partial, however incomplete and view it as a work-in-progress. However hesitant we are or eager, we can open up a world of “innovative writing instruction” for our students, our colleagues, ourselves, and others yet known to us.
Emekaua, E. (2004). The case for place based, the star with my name: the.
Rural Trust White Paper.
Retrieved from: http://www.ruraledu.org/search.php?kw=emekaua
In Alaska, a curriculum called the Culturally Aligned Curriculum Adaptations was intended to develop, in cooperation with participating school districts, a comprehensive, culturally aligned curriculum framework that balanced and integrated Native and non-Native knowledge and skills. It is a place-based curriculum model. The structure of the curriculum, the teaching context, and assessment practices gave cultural appropriateness using the same level of attention as content and methods. Curriculum development involved students, administration and related teacher education effort. Science, Literature, Writing and Social Studies texts were eliminated as much as possible. In its place were local stories, legends, science of local geographical interests and natural resources. The curriculum required local cultural specialist such as Elders, Tribal Leaders and indigenous teachers to ensure local input and shared control over decision making and implementation. Students in this curriculum were required to demonstrate their competence in state and cultural standards through projects, exhibitions and portfolios. Story-telling, art history, community reports and cultural practices were the many avenues the students used to engage into the curriculum. In the beginning, their biggest problem was assessments due to the inability to align skills with their state assessments. The solution was to submit a combination of curriculum grades and project grades which added fullness to the subject itself.
Resor, C.W. (2010). Place-based education: what is its place in the.
ISSN: 0037-7996 print / Taylor & Francis Group.
2152-405X online. DOI: 10.1080/00377990903493853
Place-based education is about local schools actively involved with 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. The emphasis is hands-on, real-world learning experiences, which approaches education and increases academic achievement. It provides clarity for the student when there is place-based knowledge. This helps students develop stronger ties to their community, enhancing student’s appreciation for the natural world, and creates a heightened commitment to serve as active, contributing citizens. It’s a win-win situation when community energy and environmental awareness are improved through the active engagement of students, families, local citizens, community organizations, and environmental resources in the life of the school. Teachers and students changed the climate of the school campus with a more rounded conversation of interest levels. Song lists, local art, community resources became the communication line between students and teachers; therefore enhancing teacher student relationship.
