The best educators are students too! ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY faculty and staff spent Friday, April 7, 2017 exploring the importance of place-based education in their curricula with discussions, guest speakers, and small-group learning trips to several area resources during Professional Development Day.
Faculty and staff were treated to lunch prepared from locally-sourced organic ingredients by Kahumana Organic Farms. They also heard from Tom McDonald, Executive Director, and Father Phil Harmon, founder of Kahumana Organic Farms, about the community resources provided by the organization and the potential for collaborative projects between IPA students and Kahumana Organic Farms.
In the afternoon, faculty and staff attended one of four learning trips/experiences organized to introduce them to nearby resources available within the community, which they can integrate with their course curriculum to bring place-based learning into their classrooms. Groups went on short learning trips to Kalaeloa Partners, Camp Pālehua with the Mālama Learning Center, or Kalaeloa Heritage Park, or remained on campus for a kapa-making workshop.
The goal of this Professional Development day was to gain an appreciation for the value our local culture and landscape as a primary resource for learning, and to help our faculty provide their students with a sense stewardship for the local environment and community.
ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY recognizes and appreciates the need for our faculty and staff to continue their own education, and organizes Professional Development days four times a year.