ARED 2110: Place-Based Pedagogy and Sustainability

Critical Place-Based Pedagogy did not exist in my classrooms but sense of place was developed in my school. Much like Gradle (2008) states in Art, Ecology, and Art Education, "American education reform is committed to standards and testing" my classes throughout high school were similar, focused only on standards or interests of the teacher. I developed a sense of place from extra-cirrucular activities. From homecoming week to 9/11 memorial events everything revolved around developing a community. My high school was reopened in 2006 for the first time since the fire that destroyed it in the 1950's, so it was relatively new at the time I attended. Because of that I believe Sonoraville High School was dedicated to creating a community and a sense of place for its students. Sonoraville did become a community within a few years of reopening and I am proud to say I helped contribute to that. A community has been created and continues to thrive and grow culturally.

In When Vines Talk a community was developed, according to their 3 defining factors "a specific location, group with which one identifies, a common purpose or belief system" by using the vines and nature as an art medium (Grade, 2008). I think applying mapmaking the way the elementary classroom in Washington did in Art, Ecology, and Art Education would be interesting in elementary classrooms of southern Illinois by having the students map out how the vines interact with community, boundaries they set, and areas they encompass.

In Calhoun, Georgia the economy heavily revolves around carpet manufacturing. Whitfield and Gordon County are even considered the carpet capital of the world, home to major companies like Shaw and Mohawk. However floor manufacturing is not exactly an environmentally friendly business, the factories take up large amounts of land and release many chemicals into the air. Recently Mohawk has started recycling initiatives in the local high schools to collect plastics which they use to make a carpet (yes, they really do make a carpet out of only plastic bottles) because of the recycling initiative their relationship with Sonoraville High has blossomed, many students now do work based learning in the corporate offices and Mohawk offers scholarships that guarantee future employment. I do believe there is a long way to go to make Mohawk environmentally friendly but with young minds the future is bright. I believe that the relationship with the flooring producers is incorporating critical place-based pedagogy into Sonoraville high school by focusing on the "histories, characteristics, and unique strengths of the local community" not only does mohawk invest in those students interested in environmental science, math, and engineering but also in art as they employ an entire team of interior and graphic designers (Graham, 2007).

Here is the link to the recycled plastic bottle carpet: https://www.mohawkflooring.com/flooring/carpet/brand/EverStrand

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References:

Gradle, S. A. (2008). When Vines Talk: Community, Art, and Ecology. Art Education Magazine.

Graham, M. A. (2007). Art, Ecology and Art Education: LocatingArt Education in a Critical Place-based Pedagogy. Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research 375-391.

#ArtEducation #Theory #Calhoun #Mohawk