GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF PLACE-BASED STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION
A Compass and a Path Forward
Educators can use our guiding principles and an associated rubric to imagine what their place-based stewardship teaching could be and to set goals for the future. Few real-world efforts will fulfill every principle to the highest extent; indeed, it may not be possible for a single effort to excel in every aspect described in these documents. We provide the principles as a compass of sorts—to help educators further develop their practice in a way that recognizes our shared values and aspirations for teaching and learning.
Teachers will find the principles and rubric useful for self-reflection and for strengthening their place-based stewardship education efforts to respond to the particular conditions in their communities. Internally, the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative’s regional hubs will use the principles and rubric to reflect on their work in participating schools and communities and to help determine where and how they should increase their support and assistance.
These resources, along with our case studies, were developed as part of a program grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
