Cases on Place-Based Education

Place-based education for K-12 teachers has been defined, described, and researched in recent years, yet much work still needs to be done to determine how to prepare teachers for this type of teaching practice. The challenges of place-based education can seem overwhelming to teachers who have not tried it or to pre-service teachers. Regardless of how compelling the narratives may be, many teachers find that place-based education is an add-on that takes away from the real day-to-day business of teaching. This combination of doubt--and perhaps fear--prevents many from even attempting place-based education, much less making a commitment to develop a teaching practice informed by a humanizing philosophy such as place-based education. If pre-service, novice, and veteran teachers are to engage in place-based education, it is imperative for them to see the process of developing a teaching practice that encompasses place-based education and for them to discover this through the voices of their peers and colleagues. Cases on Place-Based Education presents the kinds of experiences that teachers need in order to learn how to engage in place-based teaching as well as offers effective place-based teaching practices. The teaching cases offer insights into teacher thinking, along with the types of questions teachers might ask themselves as they reflect on and interrogate their teaching. The chapters highlight place-based education in the context of teaching practices and student learning within different school subjects and types of educational environments. This book is a valuable reference tool for school leaders, inservice and preservice teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students considering how to implement place-based education in the classroom or looking for information on how to better support teachers who are engaging in place-based education.