What Is Place-Based Education
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Foundations of Place-Based Learning
Place-based education goes beyond a teaching strategy—it sees learning as inseparable from the place where it happens. At BELN, it shapes how children learn, how educators teach, and how families and communities connect.
Learning begins with the local environment, culture, and community, growing from familiar experiences—landscapes, seasonal changes, community roles, and shared stories. In the Bitterroot Valley, this includes forests, rivers, farms, trails, and a strong culture of stewardship.
BELN embraces this approach because it aligns with how young children naturally learn—through curiosity, exploration, movement, observation, and relationships. Connected to place, learning becomes meaningful, helping children make sense of their world rather than just memorizing information.
BELN’s Approach to Place-Based Learning
At BELN, place-based education is part of everyday learning. Children explore local trails, observe seasonal changes, visit community partners, and engage in storytelling rooted in local history and culture. Learning happens both indoors and outdoors, with strong connections between classrooms and the community.
Growing Minds, Respecting Place
Place-based education promotes equity and critical thinking. It honors diverse ways of knowing, values local expertise, and ensures learning is meaningful and accessible to all children. Students also explore care, responsibility, and sustainability, asking questions, observing carefully, and developing respect for the natural and social systems around them.
Nurturing Curiosity, Creativity, and Community
At BELN, place-based education helps children grow academically, socially, and emotionally while developing a sense of belonging and responsibility. It empowers educators to use local knowledge, adapt learning to children’s interests, and teach creatively. At the same time, it strengthens connections with families and the community, making learning a shared, meaningful experience.
Connecting Learning and Community Systems
Place-based education shapes how children learn and how BELN builds programs and partnerships. Through local collaboration, shared resources, and community leadership, learning is deeply connected to the community and strengthens early childhood systems.
It reminds us that learning is not separate from life—it connects children, educators, families, and the community in a shared journey of discovery, care, and stewardship, creating meaningful experiences that extend beyond the classroom.
