Learning to embrace our stories: Using place based education practices to inspire authentic writing
Abstract The idea of place extends beyond just the location where people live. Place is a narrative, a story that involves interactions, characters, conflicts, and the rise and flow of humanity. By understanding the importance of place and the connection to the places from which people originate, the people, their motivations, and their strengths and weaknesses begin to take a shape that inspires transformational ideas and actions. Adolescents must often deal with issues that are attached to the places they live. This article explores the adolescent and how, by learning about their own community, they may begin to tell and embrace their stories. When education provides space for students to write stories in which they are the expert, they can begin to take pride in their abilities while learning to respect the home, school, and community that has informed who they are.