Place-based programs should launch small and grow incrementally rather than waiting for ideal conditions.
Evidence
For schools and communities just getting started, use any of the hints as starting points, and remember that it’s okay to start small. A one-week program this year can turn into a month-long program next year. One Eagle Scout’s project for a badge can turn into a service learning program for the high school biology class in the future. Small grants, which are easier to obtain, will get you launched more quickly so you can galvanize the attention and support needed to expand in the future. Remember, getting started is half of the battle. — David Sobel, Place-Based Education, 5 (
#expands, via linked claim)
By implementing pieces of these six strategies consistently over a number of years, your school and community will start to look different. The process can be likened to the geological concept of punctuated equilibrium, which suggests that change happens little by little over a long period of time and then, all at once, there’s a major shift. Or maybe it’s like moving past the tipping point on a pair of scales— you don’t see much change, and then the balance shifts to the other side. My advice: Don’t get frustrated in the early stages. Assume a time frame of three to five years at a minimum, and learn to love the process as much as the product. — David Sobel, Place-Based Education, 119 (
#pays-off, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Durable community-school change appears abruptly after years of slow accumulation. — David Sobel, Place-Based Education: Connecting…, 119; Successful place-based initiatives should begin small and scale gradually through easy grant funding. — David Sobel, Place-Based Education: Connecting…, 5
Related
- Successful place-based initiatives should begin small and scale gradually through easy grant funding. (similarity 0.93)
- Durable community-school change appears abruptly after years of slow accumulation. (similarity 0.82)
Broader Connections
- Successful place-based initiatives should begin small and scale gradually through easy grant funding.
#expands(0.92) — David Sobel, Place-Based Education, 5