What Is Regenerative Education?
Learning that restores people and place
Regenerative education is an approach to learning that asks a simple but important question: does our way of learning help people and places thrive over time?
Rather than focusing only on individual achievement or academic outcomes, regenerative education pays attention to relationships — between learners, communities, land, culture, and future generations. It recognises that education shapes not only what children know, but how they relate to the world they are growing into.
Why regenerative education is emerging now
The world our children are inheriting is changing quickly — ecologically, socially, and technologically. Many families and educators are noticing that education designed for a different era no longer meets the needs of children or communities.
Regenerative education has emerged in response to this moment. It offers a way of learning that supports:
resilience in the face of change
care for land, people, and living systems
meaningful participation rather than passive consumption
a sense of purpose, belonging, and contribution
Rather than asking children to adapt to extractive systems, regenerative education asks how learning itself can contribute to the health of the places and communities it is part of.
What makes education “regenerative”?
Regenerative education is not a single method or curriculum. It is a way of orienting learning around care, relationship, and long-term wellbeing.
In practice, regenerative education often includes:
learning that is rooted in real places and local ecosystems
attention to relationships — between people, and between people and land
opportunities for learners to care for and contribute to shared spaces
cycles of reflection, action, and renewal
respect for Indigenous knowledge and place-based wisdom
The aim is not to create perfect learners, but to support children to grow into thoughtful, capable people who understand their place in a living world.
Learning as part of living systems
Regenerative education is informed by an understanding of living systems. In nature, healthy systems are diverse, adaptive, and relational. They regenerate through cycles of growth, rest, decay, and renewal.
Applied to learning, this means:
allowing time for curiosity, rest, and integration
valuing process as well as outcome
recognising that learning happens through participation in daily life
understanding that children develop at different rhythms and in different ways
Rather than treating learning as something separate from life, regenerative education understands learning as something that unfolds through living well within a place and community.
The role of land and place
Place is central to regenerative education. Learning becomes deeper and more meaningful when it is grounded in the land where children live and learn.
Place-based regenerative learning might include:
observing seasonal change
growing and preparing food
caring for shared environments
learning local stories and histories
understanding ecological relationships through direct experience
Through these experiences, children develop both practical skills and a sense of responsibility toward the places that support them.
Regenerative education in practice
Around the world, regenerative education takes many forms. It can be found in:
land-based and forest schools
Indigenous and community-led education initiatives
regenerative farms and learning centres
schools and programmes reimagining their relationship with place
Each context looks different. What they share is a commitment to learning that contributes to the wellbeing of people, communities, and the land — now and into the future.
Earth School Aotearoa’s approach
Earth School Aotearoa is one example of regenerative education in practice. Our learning environment is shaped by land, relationships, and seasonal rhythms, and by a belief that children learn best when they feel safe, known, and connected.
Rather than following a rigid curriculum, learning unfolds through outdoor exploration, creative practice, shared responsibility, and real-world inquiry. Children are invited into age-appropriate care of spaces, materials, and relationships, learning that stewardship is something lived rather than taught.
Earth School is not a full-time school. Our programmes are designed to complement families’ wider learning lives, with responsibility for children’s education remaining with parents or caregivers.
Is regenerative education right for every family?
Regenerative education may resonate most with families who:
value relationship and wellbeing alongside academic learning
are comfortable with learning that unfolds through experience
appreciate a slower, more grounded rhythm
want children to understand their connection to land and community
Like all approaches, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Families are best served by choosing learning environments that align with their values, circumstances, and children’s needs.
Continuing the conversation with Earth School Aotearoa
Regenerative education is an evolving field, shaped by many voices and places. If you are curious to explore further, you may find it helpful to learn from a range of initiatives working at the intersection of education, ecology, and culture.
If you’d like to understand how these ideas are lived out in a specific place, you’re welcome to explore Earth School Aotearoa’s learning programmes or get in touch for a conversation.