Abolitionist Teaching Outside the Classroom: An Exploratory Study of Justice-Oriented Environmental Place-Based Educators

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Twelve
  In Roundtable Session: Reclaiming Space and Seeking Justice in STEM/STEAM and Environmental Education (Table 5)

Abstract

For decades now, research has shown that being outdoors makes people feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. Children often do better academically when they have opportunities to learn outside the classroom. Unfortunately, too many schools hinder children from accessing these benefits. If being outside can be healing, then why not consider place-based environmental education (PBEE) as a means to mend the harm caused by what Bettina Love calls the “educational survival complex”? In this exploratory study, we interviewed 46 justice-oriented place-based environmental educators to understand potential connections between abolitionist teaching and PBEE. We found that the participants used outdoor spaces to mitigate the racialized trauma and curriculum violence experienced by students of color.

Authors

• Dani Toma-Harrold, Elon University
  Presenting Author

• Scott Morrison, Elon University
  Presenting Author