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School's Out(doors): Place-based Education (PBE) Responds to COVID-19 and Beyond
New Resource! School's Out(doors): Place-based Education Responds to COVID-19 and Beyond is designed for leaders who seek healthy learning spaces for students, as well as equity, social-emotional development, and mutually-beneficial relationships with local communities.
Power spots are a simple and profound way to get started.
Get outside and look around. This simple act has launched many great place-based education (PBE) projects. When Rob Hanson’s 6th graders get outside, they often head for their “power spot,” a natural location they selected for frequent visits to observe and reflect.
Some of the most powerful learning Rob has seen comes from students journaling about the prompt “What Nature Teaches Me.” [14] Rob’s student Kyler recently observed: “Grass teaches me to be flexible... when the wind hits grass it goes with the flow. The grass is open to new ideas and can adapt to new climates. I should adapt to quarantine.”
