We are people-centered and process-driven
- To be people-centered means that respect, connections, partnership, equity, and inclusion inform all our relationships and collaborations.
- To be process-driven means that we work iteratively, with purposeful reciprocity and reflexivity built into our programs.
A resource for all
The Journal of Folklore and Education (ISSN 2573-2072) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published annually by Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Arts in Education. It includes research, case studies, lesson plans, and learning activities written by teachers and practitioners. Our intended audience includes educators and students at all levels and in all settings, folk culture specialists, and those working in community-based organizations.
We Are Folklore Educators. Invite Us To Work With You.
For more than two decades, Local Learning’s team of folklore and folklife educators have been helping teachers and artists to develop enriching curricula for students of all ages. Find out how we can help you bring folk arts to life!
For Teachers
Our teacher training institutes and
workshops are great opportunities for
school districts and state agencies
looking to bring a cultural lens to
classroom learning.
For Artists
Your cultural knowledge matters. Our
artist training will amplify your voice and center the skills you most want to
share with learners of all ages.
Live in New York?
Our New York workshops are our test
kitchens for mixing up great recipes for
engagement and culturally affirming
practices.
Featured Resources
Activities. Research. Case Studies. Interview Guides. Find this and more in our resources.
Learning Activities and Lesson Plans
Craft custom searches and access
teacher tested activities to use in your
learning space.
Research and Reading
Find classic folklife education texts and
cutting-edge research and case studies
in our library.
Teaching Inquiry
HOW to do an interview, WHY to use
interviews as a part of one’s
curriculum, and WHAT can be done
with completed interviews.
Network News
Local Learning Botkin Lecture
The American Folklife Center's latest Botkin Lecture video features Paddy and Lisa. In "Teaching Culture, Teaching Culturally: The Significance of Folklife Education in the Schools" they present an overview of folklore in K-12 education in the U.S. They also discuss...
New York CCC showcases announced!
Culture, Community, and the Classroom workshop explores culturally responsive, engaged learning through local traditional arts. It introduces concepts of cultural identity and opportunities to practice ethnographic research skills such as interviewing, note taking,...
A Cause for Celebration
We recently asked a very special group of individuals, “Do you remember where you were 30 years ago?” Because at Local Learning, we did. In 1993, the Folk Arts in Education Roundtable held at the National Endowment for the Arts explored the intersections of folk arts...
