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Ongoing observation tasks

* Place-based learning

* Something observed that you would do differently

Place-based learning

When talking about education, different wonders arise, it’s not just about what children have to learn but how and where they have to learn, that is a topic that is often discussed. On the following research, we will analyze in deep Place-based learning, in order to answer what are the main features that enables placed based learning to be a successful approach for teaching and learning?

 

Before starting we need to consider what is place-based learning and how it works. According to the main characteristics of Place-based education (PBE), this methodology immerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences, across the different subjects of the curriculum, so while working through different areas. Mainly the methodology emphasizes learning through participation in service projects for the local school and/or community.

Regarding the article of Iain Hunt & O'Flaherty, for highlighting the importance of the place-based learning, they claimed that the aim of this methodology is even others to create meaningful learning for students. In fact they argue the following: “The goals of a place-based learning community are to support people in responding to their own needs, developing a capacity to generate their own research projects, creating supportive relationships with other actors through the building of dynamic processes for the coproduction of locally relevant knowledge”(p.295). So, in other words, this methodology adapts the context of the students with their learning, which involves that learning is being acquired in a real situation.

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In fact, what we should wonder is why is place-based education important. On one hand, some critics of place-based education  believe that the main goal of schooling should be to prepare students to work and function in a highly technological and

consumer-oriented society. On the other hand, place-based educators believe that education should prepare the students to live and become active citizens of their communities. One of the most compelling reasons to adopt place-based education is to provide students with the knowledge and experiences needed to actively participate in the democratic process.

Even though there are lots of different kinds of Place-based learning, there are some features, that mostly all the projects of this methodology share, that are the following ones:

First of all, as the article of Place-Based Curriculum and Instruction states, this methodology connects place with self and community, that is why one of the main characteristics is that connects learning with students community. Secondly, Inquiry and design are core components for education that encourage staff and students to understand the world through questioning, hypothesis, data collection and solution making via design learning principles. Moreover, place-based education creates interdisciplinary learning experiences to increase authenticity.  This approach is student-Centered, what means that the most favorable outcomes in terms of both learning and engagement emerge through student-centered and personalized learning pathways. Another principle of the methodology is that learning serves as the foundation for understanding and participating appropriately in regional and global issues. 

So, now we have the main features but in order to know if this enable the approach to be successful for teaching, we should analyze some cases in order to raise a conclusion. 

 

The first case we will analyze is about Beecher High School, in which a teacher decided to teach while establishing links between youth and their community. The main aim of the activity was that student had to help to relocate seven different types of flowers, as well as for soil and brick pavers used along a portion of the trail, that were in their near environment.

 

Approximately 40 students in Hammond’s environmental science and oceanography classes, participated in the initiative. They started by choosing plant species to attract butterflies along the trail. Once plants were chosen, students mapped out their locations, then pulled on gloves to start clearing out an invasive plant species and work along the trail. The aim was to make schoolwork relevant. Overall, we can appreciate that the project is connecting students with positive elements of their community, hands-on lessons in scientific principles as well as analysis of how science and society have interacted, from historical, political, economic and social perspectives.

So, knowledge of different fields is being acquired in a real and meaningful way. To support my idea I would like to add the idea that Tyiesha, a junior at Beecher High School involved with the project said about it “I think it makes us more environmentally conscious”.  

 

The other example that I want to analyze, is one that my classmates presented and that caught my attention, which are called Train Platforms Schools. In 1985 the first train platform school emerge in India with the idea of  Inderjit Khurana used to  see children who spent their days begging from train passengers rather than attending school. For that reason she decided to take the school to these children and thus was born the “train platform school” with the formation of the Ruchika  Social Service Organization. 

This idea has such a lot success that within a few months the platform school had over 100 students. The main characteristics of the school is that students are taught in a friendly environment with a need-based curriculum. Life skills, nutrition, healthcare and sanitation will be added components. 

 

So, taking into account all the previous features mentioned and the two experiences were placed based learning takes places, we are able to analyze if PBL is a successful approach towards teaching and learning. First of all, considering the 4x4 model mind map proposed by the chapter 1 of the book A Journey to 21st century education, we can state that each place based learning is characterised by working one or more areas of the chart presented. Even though the different projects do not share the same elements, all of them have in common that are based on real experiences and projects. The last feature mention, makes reference to the pedagogical basis and to the curriculum, methodology and evaluation. 

Overall, I personally consider that the place based learning approach is a methodology that is successful for learning and teaching, because as it has been proof it has a lot of advantages behind it. That is why we can agree that the elements presented in the definition of placed based learning made by Hunt & O'Flaherty, are included in this approach, as well as the ones of the scheme made. As we have been able to establish a relation between them and the experiences explained above. 

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REFERENCES:

Something observed that you would do differently

It can not be denied that one of the aspects that teachers are constantly worried is about how to promote an adequate learning classroom environment. The process of maintaining a calm and productive classroom environment starts with the teacher. The action and attitudes of a teacher toward a student who is misbehaving can make the situation better or worse. However, there are different ways in which the teacher can perform to moderate the level of voice and ask the students' attention. In the following text aims to compare and actuation of and authoritarian teacher. Through my experience in my internship I observed that students were scared of the teacher and personally I do not believe that this is an appropriate way to encourage good behaviour, it is more like having scared students. So, in the following text I would reflect about what is and authoritarian teacher and how can we promote appropriate behaviours through other ways.

Teachers manifest different personalities and teaching styles in the classroom and it is helpful to categorize these approaches in terms of some basic dimensions. It has been said that good teachers are both warm and demanding. Being warm means caring and emotional support for students. Being demanding—in the good sense—means expecting something from your kids, both in terms of academic work and behaviour. According to the two dimensions mentioned, authoritarian teachers are demanding but not warm.

The authoritarian style tends to be characterized by numerous behavioural regulations, is often seen as punitive and restrictive, and students have not a say in their management. In fact, through my experience I could observe that the teacher's character is sometimes perceived as being cold, even punishing. Support and positive reinforcement, however, are rare. One of the strategies that and authoritarian teacher uses is a loud voice and being angry when the rules are not followed.

Going back to the dimensions mentioned before, what a teacher should try is to be warm and demanding, that concept was named as authoritative teacher. According to Baumrind (1971), the authoritative style encourages independence, is warm and nurturing, control occurs along with explanation, and adolescents are permitted to express their views.

The authoritative approach is the best form of classroom management style because it is the one most closely associated with appropriate student behaviours. Hence, this teacher has a positive, kind and supportive relationship with her students. Moreover, the teacher has an effective discipline plan and her classroom is orderly. So we could define the authoritative style as having high expectations of appropriate behaviour and warm student-teacher relationships.

After having reflected upon both teaching styles, I personally consider that each teacher should adapt to the needs of the group. It is not enough to say that you are and authoritative teacher, you just have to promote an appropriate learning environment, at the same time that your students trust you. Call it authoritative or call it as you want but be accessible to the students and always think about how what you say will make an impact on them because that will make the difference on you as a teacher. 

All this goes to show that as an educative agent (teacher or parent) you have to adapt yourself to the needs and the aspects that you want the children to improve. I attach bellow a scheme which mentions the styles that have been analyzed in this reflection.

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