Sharon Laidlaw on The Place Network

On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast Nate McClennen is joined by Sharon Laidlaw, Director of Place Network at Teton Science Schools, to discuss place-based education, a movement that was articulated in the 1990’s and now has become a centerpiece of education innovation everywhere. 

This movement is rekindling purposeful and agency filled learning experiences for young people. And while not explicitly named as place-based, these learning experiences that are unbundled, project-based, and real-world  grounded in the tools of competencies and personalized approaches ALL fit within the place-based paradigm – using learning to engage the real world around real experiences and challenges – and this approach teaches critical skills that are a priority for an increasingly disconnected and complicated world.

Transcript

Nate McLennan: Welcome, education innovators. You’re listening to the Getting Smart Podcast, and I am Nate McLennan. A recent Gallup poll found that only 48% of students rated their schools as excellent or good at making students excited about learning. If we correlate excitement about learning with motivation science, we can look at four elements: purpose (is the learning meaningful?), agency (do I have a choice in what I learn?), self-efficacy (do I have the skills to learn?), and productive emotions (do I feel positive and like I belong in my learning environment?).

All learning was originally motivating; as a species, we learned because that is how we survived and sustained culture. There’s nothing more motivating than that. However, as the world industrialized and educational approaches homogenized, purpose, agency, and self-efficacy have largely disappeared. Yet, place-based education—a movement that took shape in the 1990s—has now become a centerpiece of education innovation. This approach rekindles purposeful and agency-driven learning for young people.

Today, I am super excited to speak with my friend and colleague Sharon Laidlaw, who’s the Director of Place Network at Teton Science Schools. Welcome, Sharon.

Sharon Laidlaw: Thank you, Nate. So happy to be here.

Nate McLennan: Sharon, we were just talking before we started, and you’re down in Austin right now. Given the topic of place-based education, what’s the weather like there?

Sharon Laidlaw: Our place is hot, and our place is dry. We’d like some rain.

Nate McLennan: Yeah, I empathize with anyone living in the South; place-based education right now is all about heat down there. Sharon, let’s talk about your journey and what led you to place-based education. When you were a K-12 student, what engaged you most, and did you always start out intending to go into education?

Sharon Laidlaw: I love that question because I still have a drawing I made in kindergarten of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I drew myself as a teacher. It’s never really wavered. I thought for a while I might go into law, but I’ve always wanted to be in education. I was a really self-motivated learner, fortunate to be told early on that I was a competent learner. That gave me a sense of self-efficacy, and I was propelled by a series of hobbies—whether it was piano, crafts, or reading.

Nate McLennan: Do you think your self-motivation was something you were taught because of how you were brought up, or was it innate?

Sharon Laidlaw: My dad was a teacher, so our family was structured around learning. Everything was a learning experience. I didn’t mind jumping through the hoops that school required, and I could get along with the system well enough to experience success, which was affirming.

Nate McLennan: There’s definitely a reinforcing loop there. I also had educators as parents, and I feel like that shaped a focus on learning. After your formal schooling, did you go straight into education, or did you explore other areas?

Sharon Laidlaw: I went right into education. After graduating as an English major, I volunteered in Costa Rica for a year with an organization called WorldTeach, and then I held a few jobs working peripherally to public schools before getting my teaching certification and becoming a ninth-grade English teacher.

Nate McLennan: Where was your first placement in teaching outside of Costa Rica and the surrounding areas?

Sharon Laidlaw: I was fortunate to start at a complex, interesting school in Austin called Johnston High School. It had a deep community history but struggled with state test results. We received fantastic professional development, tried to become an IB school, and used a team-teaching approach. As a new teacher, I was exposed to incredible models of innovation as we tried to turn the school around. It was challenging, but I’m glad I started there.

Nate McLennan: You’ve been with Teton Science Schools for a few years now. For those who may not be familiar, how do you describe Teton Science Schools?

Sharon Laidlaw: Teton Science Schools began 50 years ago as a program to teach students in the outdoor classroom of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The mission is to inspire curiosity, engagement, and leadership through transformative place-based education. The organization has grown to include many departments, from independent schools with two campuses to wildlife tours, programs for visiting school groups, and a professional learning team, which I’m a part of—all centered around learning through place.

Nate McLennan: Place-based education is integral to the mission, which is rare in the U.S. You and I both share a passion for it. How do you define place-based education, and why is it critical now?

Sharon Laidlaw: Place-based education feels like a return to what education was originally about. Broadly defined, it’s about connecting learners with their community to increase engagement, educational outcomes, and impact on communities. Especially in rural areas, there’s a need to help students find purpose and belonging as they face an increasingly globalized world. It’s about reconnecting with local ecology, culture, and history.

Nate McLennan: I hear you on the increasingly disconnected world. I have a hypothesis that students are always learning, even outside of school. Place-based education seeks to bridge the gap between the learning happening in their communities and schools. Does that resonate?

Sharon Laidlaw: Absolutely. One of the tools we use in Place Network is the “Place Prism,” which looks at place through the lenses of ecology, culture, and economy, along a spectrum of history and future impact. It serves as a bridge between the physical experience of the world around students and the core content teachers need to address.

Nate McLennan: I like that concept. Do you think place is unique to each person? How does individual identity and perspective influence the experience of place?

Sharon Laidlaw: Every person articulates it differently. A recent learning for our team is the importance of identity and perspective when experiencing place. This is essential for both adults and students. Teachers need to facilitate an inquiry process that allows students to position themselves and reflect on their lived experience in relation to the place they’re exploring.

Nate McLennan: You mentioned Place Network. What is its current status, and how would you describe the network and its impact?

Sharon Laidlaw: Place Network is a connected community of around 20 schools across the U.S. and Canada, all committed to place-based education. It allows school leaders and teachers to learn from each other as they break away from the industrialized education model. The network provides inspiration, solutions, and instructional materials for schools looking to implement place-based learning in their communities.

A visible impact of place-based education is the student-designed and -executed community impact projects. We’re currently curating projects from the past year, ranging from pre-K students exploring desert ecosystems to secondary students designing new products and engaging with community leaders.

Nate McLennan: Place-based education often starts with exploration before identifying areas for impact. Do you see that sequence—explore first, then impact—as essential?

Sharon Laidlaw: Absolutely. Place Network is at an inflection point after about four years, including pandemic years. We’ve been refining our framework to help schools focus on critical moves toward becoming place-based institutions. Inquiry-based learning, design thinking, and community as classroom are foundational principles. Competency-based education, while beneficial, is more of an accelerator than a core requirement for place-based learning.

Nate McLennan: You were an EdTech specialist before joining Teton Science Schools. Do you see a connection between technology and place-based education? And what are your thoughts on AI and its potential impact?

Sharon Laidlaw: When I was involved in online learning, I sometimes felt like a “sheep in wolf’s clothing.” I valued the benefits of technology for efficiency and collaboration but also saw the importance of digital citizenship and mindful use. Technology can be a powerful tool, allowing students to connect with global scales of place without leaving the classroom. But it must be balanced with hands-on experiences.

Regarding AI, I’m intrigued. I recently used ChatGPT to adapt a standardized reading curriculum into a place-based lesson, and it generated fantastic results. I think AI can support teachers by adapting materials to local contexts, but we need to make sure it enhances quality, not just efficiency.

Nate McLennan: I love that perspective. What’s your takeaway message for our listeners, and is there an organization you’d like to highlight for their impactful work in education?

Sharon Laidlaw: My takeaway message would be: adults, challenge yourselves to learn more about your place. Walk outside, observe your surroundings, and ask questions about what you see. Your curiosity can inspire the next generation.

An organization I’d like to highlight is the Round Rock Black Parents Association here in Texas. They work with teachers and school leaders to advocate for what they want for their kids, embodying a collaborative approach that’s needed more in our educational landscape.

Nate McLennan: Sharon, thank you so much for this conversation. I loved catching up and hearing your insights on place-based education. To learn more about Place Network and Teton Science Schools, visit tetonscience.org. Sharon, I hope you stay cool down there in Austin, and I look forward to talking with you again soon.

Sharon Laidlaw: Thanks for having me, Nate. Looking forward to talking to you again soon.

Links: 

• The Place Network
• Tetons Science Schools 
• Sharon Laidlaw
• New Schools Venture Fund
• Roundrock Black Parents Association 
• Gallup Poll