ABSTRACT
Education in regional and rural areas has often been characterised as lacking in comparison to urban areas rather than being framed in light of their place-based opportunities. Despite regional and rural areas relying on productive and sustainable environments, there has been limited discussion on how educational settings in regional and rural primary areas position ESE within their approaches to teaching and learning. In particular, there appears to be limited evidence of making meaningful ESE links within the curriculum, allowing learners to identify and understand the local problems and solutions that connect with their sense of place in these settings. This chapter re-tells the stories of one early career teacher, Eddie, who teaches at a rural primary school. At the beginning of the community of practice workshops, Eddie revealed that it would be difficult to implement ESE in her school; however, despite her initial reluctance, she became the teacher whose students embraced ESE and ‘became the grade who does things.’ This chapter argues that early career teachers can create meaningful change in their schools, while simultaneously creating meaningful and transformative learning opportunities for their students.
