By Mark Friesen – University of the Fraser Valley

The concept of “place” is inherent to our perception, interpretation, and organization of the world around us.  Our homes, our schools, our places of work, the roads and paths we travel between them—our lives are informed and shaped by the places and communities in which we live.  A place, after all, is not a mere location; it’s space that has been imbued with meaning that’s been constructed by individuals and families, communities and cultures, sometimes in ways that are shared, and often in ways that are complex, competing or conflicting.  Place matters—and understanding how we connect to our place is essential to our ability to live well as individuals and as communities.

Place-based education is an approach that recognizes this vital connection between who we are and where we are and uses that relationship as the primary context for teaching and learning.  In his book, Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities, David Sobel defines this approach as:

“the process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts…and other subjects across the curriculum.  Emphasizing hands-on, real-world learning experiences, this approach to education increases academic achievement, helps students develop stronger ties to their community, enhances students’ appreciation for the natural world, and creates a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing citizens.” (7)

Place-based learning is grounded in what is local—the environment and history, people and culture, economy and literature of a place—allowing us, as educators, to create a relevant and engaging curriculum that both reinforces and reflects these connections, linking students to their physical and social environment.  Within this context, students engage in authentic learning experiences within the places and communities that are already meaningful to them and in which they have a vested interest.  Writing assignments that are rooted in place encourage students to recognize their connection to their places of meaning—their homes, their communities, and the natural world they inhabit and upon which their lives ultimately depend.

In ABE English, we often use personal writing as a way of helping students learn to value their own experiences, ideas, and voice.  Many students, however, don’t like to write about themselves.  Writing about meaningful places solves this dilemma, creating space for students to write authentically and personally without actually having to write about themselves.  Writing prompts such as, “Discuss a place that you enjoy,” “Discuss a place that is significant to you,” or “Discuss a place you go to experience a sense of enchantment,” all share this same intention.  While the physicality of the topic maintains an emphasis on specific, concrete detail, the narrowing element—the personal significance—of the prompt requires students to reflect not only on the place but on that which connects them to it.

Place-based writing is perfect for the developmental needs of ABE students as it requires plenty of rich sensory detail, which the writer needs to gather through careful observation and organize through meaningful reflection and analysis.  One such assignment is a descriptive paragraph in which I ask students to think and write about “home,” not as an abstract concept but as the unambiguous, stubbornly concrete place in which they live: “Describe the place that you call home.”  Home makes for an interesting topic for descriptive writing in that it’s something about which we’re both inherently familiar yet profoundly unobservant.  I phrase the prompt as “the place you call home” for a couple of reasons.  Primarily, I want to emphasize the need for concrete, physical detail, deterring the kind of “home is anywhere” abstractions that generally result in vague, underdeveloped writing.  At the same time, I’m sensitive to the fact that “home” can be a problematic, contested, and potentially traumatizing concept—so this phrasing gives students some wiggle room.  We all “call” someplace home, I remind them, even if it’s temporary, and asking students to attentively observe and reflect on physical characteristics of these places often produces remarkable insights.

Place-based writing uses what is local and immediate, familiar and accessible, to deepen learning and strengthen the connections students have to the places and communities in which they live.   When students write about the places they’re from—their homes, their communities, their campuses, and local environments—they write from a position of authority.  Writing what they know reduces the pressure and anxiety students often feel when writing about abstractions, allowing them to use their personal experiences and concrete observations to develop their writing.  Students become confident, more effective communicators, capable of translating their personal observations, reflections, and critical inquiries into vivid, personal, and powerful writing because it centers on something that is authentic and deeply meaningful.   Place Matters!  And writing about place gives students the tools they need to make meaning of the world around them and the commitment they need to take care of it.