Our Partners

"Micki, Erin and Charity bring a depth of experience to this work. With an intense focus on social justice and equity, this team is skilled in facilitating systemic change, has a deep knowledge of pedagogy and the coaching acumen to move leaders, teachers and communities to deeper, more thoughtful, more effective practice. One of my favorite projects is the Picturing the Possibilities video series, where this team used its expertise to tell the stories of teachers across the country engaged in deeper learning. PBL Path stands out in our national network of educational innovators.”

“Place-Based Learning is a magnificent exploration of the way we think about educating our youth through lessons that are familiar and relevant. As a Native Hawaiian teaching artist, I appreciate the step-by-step breakdown of how to customize an educational journey that empowers our students to take full ownership of their learning, developing the next generation of leaders who are firmly rooted in who they are in their communities and in this world.”

"I have worked with Micki for over 30 years and have I hired her to help me-and have always been so appreciative of her work.  She has worked around the globe on social justice issues-Greenpeace International, Gorbachev’s Perestroika initiatives for young people, Buck Institute for Education to name just a few- and on facilitating teacher growth.  She is an excellent curriculum designer and an outstanding facilitator.  Micki and Erin have produced excellent films of teachers doing pbl and together they make a team that is focused, has follow-through, and are excellent problem solvers.  I would hire them again in a minute."

"Erin brought an incredible amount of knowledge regarding project-based learning to Chief Leschi Schools. Research shows that PBL has powerful impact on student learning in Native communities because classroom learning is attached to real world situations that benefit the community and the tribe. She worked tirelessly to help teachers develop procedures to implement PBL to help students demonstrate mastery of learning concepts. Her work has changed how teachers perceive learning and has helped us as a system extend the learning beyond the walls of the classroom and into our community. We are grateful that someone with such expertise in this field has chosen to work with Chief Leschi."

"Project Based Learning enhances my teaching by engaging all of my students in classroom.  When students are engaged in the learning, it improves learning and the environment.  Teaching black history can be difficult because it can be unexciting and repetitive topic for students especially in elementary school.  Participating in the Whitney partnership with PBL Path changed my teaching tremendously.  I had the opportunity to visit and experience Whitney Plantation twice; first with my colleagues and then with my students.  My first visit left a mark on my heart forever.  It was very interesting to learn about the history of the plantation.  The historical connections that I made were eye opening.  As a teacher, we were able to plan more effectively for our Whitney field trip with our students. During my students visit Whitney Plantation; students were engaged, inquisitive, and very eager to learn about the history of slavery in south Louisiana.  Participating in the Whitney partnership with PBL Path was remarkable.  Students brought back everything they’ve learned and applied it to their project.  I believe the visit to Whitney also left a mark on their hearts forever."

"The partnership with PBL Path and the Whitney Plantation allowed teachers to move past isolated assignments to more integrated projects, thus increasing student engagement across all content areas. Charity lead our staff through the process of experiencing the Whitney Plantation as learners and project designers, then facilitated the design process using the place based learning principles with teachers in our PLC meetings.  Charity coordinated place based expeditions for the students to experience Whitney Plantation and helped teachers to ensure that the place based learning was an ongoing and consistent process that encapsulated the district curriculum and most importantly forged connections to the students’ lives!  Charity is an engaging facilitator and dedicated to understanding the dynamics of our school and community.  Students and teachers made real life connections that all were able to speak about. It was truly an AMAZING experience."

“Place-Based Learning shows how a strong classroom community can profoundly enrich school culture and empower student learning. It brings a shift to my practice, offering me guidance on ways to take my outreach beyond the basics of what educators typically do. The insights, and spaces to work within the book, provide opportunities to elevate your teaching and grow your impact. This book is a must-read for any educator seeking to cultivate a transformative educational experience through placed-based learning!”

"ASU was awarded a First in the World research grant to investigate the impact of PBL on student outcomes. We have trained over 25 university faculty in redesigning their course from traditional lecture to PBL. These faculty have taught over 1000 undergraduate students using PBL pedagogy. PBL Path has been a critical partner in this endeavor. Through our partnership, we provide ongoing professional development opportunities for new and returning faculty in how to plan effective projects and utilize strong PBL teaching practices. Our PBL trainings have focused not only on how to build effective project designs that engage students in deeper learning but also how to transition classroom cultures from typical university lecture environments to active, engaging and student-driven learning environments. PBL Path has helped frame what this integration looks like and provided expertise in developing appropriate rubrics and designing course syllabi that reflects PBL. PBL Path has also facilitated faculty conversations on integrating skills development of communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation. Our work has been fruitful and faculty are seeing increased student engagement and learning. We highly recommend a partnership with PBL Path."