Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 6, 1 June 2007 — Project Aloha ʻĀina: Motivating students to learn, preserve culture and meet standards [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Project Aloha ʻĀina: Motivating students to learn, preserve culture and meet standards

By Herb Lee Jr. Executive Directur, Pacific Amenean Fuundatiun

The development of a culturebased curriculum in the 21st century has been a key element in the current dialog going on in Hawai'i's puhlie education system. Nā Lau Lama (the many lights) is a statewide initiative that began in January 2006 to talk with all interested Hawaiian educators about solutions to better meet the educational needs of our Hawaiian students. What is culture-based education (CBE), and how ean it better meet the needs of students? Simply put, CBE is taking the wisdom of our ancestors and integrating that knowledge into a 21st century public/private educational framework. "Ma ka Hana ka 'lke" (the knowledge is in the doing) is a wonderful 'ōlelo no'eau thatreminds us that knowledge and application go hand in hand. In my experience, the true value of culture-based education is providing the right content and context in a manner that motivates the student to learn. If we ean find a way to light that fire and maintain the fire, we will have begun to empower students to attain their full potential. Over the last 18 months, discus-

sion has centered on the asset-vs.-deficit model in apprising the current status of Hawaiian-focused educational strategies. Specifically, what have been the successes, why have they been successful and how ean we do more and reach more students in need? It has been a fascinating journey of applying what we have already known into an institution that is in desperate need of answers and making a shift in how we educate our children today. Project Aloha 'Āina is one of many examples that are being developed to empower our teachers and eommunities to provide a meaningful educational alternative for students. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Native Hawaiian Education Act, Aloha 'Āina was developed to focus on the traditional land division of the ahupua'a. Utilizing the Ko'olaupoko district on O'ahu as a template, a curriculum was developed for wetlands, fishponds, streams, forest, taro cultivation and more within the "context" of the traditional ahupua' a. Other specific grade level lessons were developed for Kaua'i, Moloka'i and Maui.

The developed and field-tested curricula span grades three to 10 in the core areas of science, math, social studies and language arts. All of the lessons have been written in alignment with selected content and performance standards (HCPS III), Nā Honua Maoli Ola (Hawaiian guidelines for sustainable eommunities) and Hawai'i Department of Education General Learner Outcomes (GLOs). Lessons also include eultural material in multiple formats (DVD, PowerPoint and CD) to help teachers in their instruction. More importantly, the lessons identify eultural resource sites and contacts that

transform the students' communities into classrooms for learning and discovery. Final teacher training workshops for Aloha 'Āina will be held on O'ahu, June 14-15 and July 23; Maui, June 28; and Hilo, Aug. 18. For more information go to www.thepaf.org or eall the Pacific American Foundation at 533-2836. Editor's note: Dr. David K. Sing, director of the Nā Pua No'eau enrichment program for Native Hawaiian students, coordinates period.ic updates for Ka Wai Ola on Hawaiian education programs. S

HO'ONA'AUAO • EDUCAĪION

High School students participate in field testing of Aloha 'Āina curriculum for tenth graders at Waikalua Loko fishpond. - Photo courtsey of Pacific American Poundation