Earth Systems Science, Inc.

Community-based Education

What Is Community-based Education?

Community-based education can be defined as people-to-people shared learning. The "teachers" and "learners" are all community members of all ages. The teachers are not necessarily schoolteachers. They are motivated people who have acquired knowledge and skills and are willing to share these with others. The learners are motivated people who want to know more. Once they know, they become empowered and can also become "teachers."

Education comes from two Latin words that literally mean "to lead out." Thus, "teachers" help first by leading knowledge out of the learners. The "teachers" ask questions, lead discussions, and demonstrate skills and techniques. Then they get the learners to see and think about their knowledge in a different way. Learners demonstrate their subject mastery to teaching what they learned. This is what is meant by “teaching back.”

The family is the basic teaching unit in community-based education. The family is an integrated unit transcending gender, generational, educational / intellectual levels. Institutional schools are sometimes gender segregated, almost always age stratified, and many times educationally / intellectually segmented.

The community (neighborhood) serves as the common classroom bringing neighors together. By nurturing a better sense of community, neighborhoods learn to be empowered to protect their local environment and strive toward sustainability.

Why Use Community-based Education?

The motto of the United States is "E pluribus unum" (from many, one). A neighborhood has diverse members. Today, many people don't know their neighbors. Community-based education uses the diverse knowledge among people to serve the common goal of protecting and improving the neighborhood environment. The people living in a neighborhood are the most concerned about that neighborhood. They cannot depend on others from outside the neighborhood to protect it.

What Can I Do?

You can say "Y.E.S." and get involved by taking independent action in your neighborhood or by joining an ESSI activity (use the holink at the bottom of the page to get to the ESSI Calendar). "Y.E.S" (Youth, Environment, and Sustainability) is an ESSI neighborhood action plan. (Use the hotlink at the bottom of the page to learn more about it.)

Everyone knows something different from others. If you have time and interest in sharing what you know with others, you can get involved with community-based education.

For example, visit the Expo Neighbors Association web site (see their link in the “Our Hotlinks” section). They are working on issues such as nuisance businesses, air pollution, graffiti removal and reduction, neighborhood beautification and a Community Wildlife Habitat certification. They need volunteers and people with various knowledge and skills to help improve the neighborhood. You can follow their example, learn with them, and get similar results for your neighborhood.

(You can learn more about the history or community-based education in the 28 Jan 2002 article ”The Origins of ESSI Community-based Education” in our E-newsletter “Comm-Unity” on this site. Use the hotlink at the bottom of this page to get to the article.)

Last Updated: 25 February 2005

© 2002, revised 2005, Earth Systems Science, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Links

The Origins of ESSI Community-based Education
Community-based Education in Northern Thailand
ESSI Calendar
Y.E.S.---Youth, Environment, Sustainability