The Foxfire approach to teaching and learning emerged from an experiential education program that used oral history methods to teach English to high school freshmen in Appalachian Georgia. In the 30 years since that program began, hundreds of teachers have helped develop and revise Foxfire's 11 core practices. This digest describes the Foxfire approach to teaching and learning as defined by the core practices, the decision-making framework the approach provides to teachers, and the ways that the framework fits with John Dewey's notion of experiential education. The core practices call for infusing all work with learner choice and design; the teacher as collaborator or facilitator; academic integrity of the work; work characterized by active learning; emphasis on peer teaching, small group work, and teamwork; connections between classroom work and the real world; audience beyond the teacher for student work; basing new activities on past learning experiences; encouragement of imagination and creativity in the completion of learning activities; student reflection on the work; and rigorous, ongoing evaluation. Over 50 years ago, Dewey expressed the belief that "all genuine education comes through experience." The 11 core practices are compared to Dewey's ideas about four aspects of education: the relationships among teachers, learners, the curriculum, and the community; the ways learning occurs; preparing students for full lives as citizens and individuals; and reflection and evaluation. Contains 11 references. (SV)