Recently, kindergarteners learn to use their senses to explore and learn about pumpkins. With support from their 3rd grade buddies, they worked on understanding number sense related to quantity, as well as more and less than. Additionally, they learned from 3rd graders who modeled skills in listening and following directions, as well as the importance of one person speaking at a time.
Learners observed and explored the textures and features of three pumpkins. They discussed and predicted the height and circumference of each pumpkin. Facilitators and learners measured the height and circumference of each. Next, learners predicted which pumpkin would have the most seeds and why.
In small groups, learners took turns removing the seeds. They counted them by placing seeds in ten frames drawn on the table cover. Learners in 3rd grade helped their kindergarten buddies accurately count the seeds and articulate their thinking.
The following day, learners tasted the fruits of their labor. The seeds were roasted and the pumpkin cooked in a crockpot with butter, honey and agave. It was served with a side of Craisins and marshmallows. While enjoying that delicious treat, the learners listened to Room on the Broom written by Julia Donaldson and read by Alaka’i O Kaua’i Art Facilitator Ms. Nicole.
Check out the Pumpkin Seed Counting Video Here.
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
Recently, kindergarteners learn to use their senses to explore and learn about pumpkins. With support from their 3rd grade buddies, they worked on understanding number sense related to quantity, as well as more and less than. Additionally, they learned from 3rd graders who modeled skills in listening and following directions, as well as the importance of one person speaking at a time.
Learners observed and explored the textures and features of three pumpkins. They discussed and predicted the height and circumference of each pumpkin. Facilitators and learners measured the height and circumference of each. Next, learners predicted which pumpkin would have the most seeds and why.
In small groups, learners took turns removing the seeds. They counted them by placing seeds in ten frames drawn on the table cover. Learners in 3rd grade helped their kindergarten buddies accurately count the seeds and articulate their thinking.
The following day, learners tasted the fruits of their labor. The seeds were roasted and the pumpkin cooked in a crockpot with butter, honey and agave. It was served with a side of Craisins and marshmallows. While enjoying that delicious treat, the learners listened to Room on the Broom written by Julia Donaldson and read by Alaka’i O Kaua’i Art Facilitator Ms. Nicole.
Check out the Pumpkin Seed Counting Video Here.
Podcasts have become extremely popular. But they are not only popular with adults. They can be very popular with young learners as well. Podcasts can provide new subject matter that not only keeps learners more engaged, but also allows them to experience exemplary communication outside traditional texts. Podcast topics are endless: fictional stories, educational and inspirational TED talks, current events/world news, history, sports, pop culture/entertainment, and investigative journalism. Podcasts are engaging and expose learners to a wide variety of methods of communication, including narration, casual dialogue, scripted dialogue, and interviews. There are many worthwhile podcasts available for learners! We have listed ones that are highly recommended and cover a wide range of topics. There is something for everyone! Here you go:
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
Pants on Fire
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
Podcasts have become extremely popular. But they are not only popular with adults. They can be very popular with young learners as well. Podcasts can provide new subject matter that not only keeps learners more engaged, but also allows them to experience exemplary communication outside traditional texts. Podcast topics are endless: fictional stories, educational and inspirational TED talks, current events/world news, history, sports, pop culture/entertainment, and investigative journalism. Podcasts are engaging and expose learners to a wide variety of methods of communication, including narration, casual dialogue, scripted dialogue, and interviews. There are many worthwhile podcasts available for learners! We have listed ones that are highly recommended and cover a wide range of topics. There is something for everyone! Here you go:
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
Pants on Fire
TED Talks are a terrific resource for learning. They are often entertaining, but they also open our minds to new ideas and life experiences. We have compiled a short list of some of our favorite talks for parents. Take a listen to these when you can:
Sir Ken Robinson,”Do Schools Kill Creativity?”
Rita Pierson, “Every Kid Needs a Champion”
Social psychologist Sonia Livingstone, “Parenting in the Digital Age”
Temple Grandin, “The World Needs All Kinds of Minds”
Angela Lee Duckworth, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”
Julie Lythcott-Haims, “How to Raise Successful Kids — Without Over-Parenting”
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
On Friday, October 8th, Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School honored our Director DJ Adams for his tireless dedication to helping make our school a special place where learners can thrive. October is National Principals Month. The staff served a lovely homemade breakfast and presented Mr. Adams with a plaque and a gift card to a local restaurant. Mr. Adams gave a lovely speech about the importance of all of us working together and how far we’ve come. It was a surprise to him and well deserved! On behalf of the entire Alaka’i O Kaua’i learning community, we thank you Mr. DJ Adams for all that you do. #ThankAPrincipal
TED Talks are a terrific resource for learning. They are often entertaining, but they also open our minds to new ideas and life experiences. We have compiled a short list of some of our favorite talks for parents. Take a listen to these when you can:
Sir Ken Robinson,”Do Schools Kill Creativity?”
Rita Pierson, “Every Kid Needs a Champion”
Social psychologist Sonia Livingstone, “Parenting in the Digital Age”
Temple Grandin, “The World Needs All Kinds of Minds”
Angela Lee Duckworth, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”
Julie Lythcott-Haims, “How to Raise Successful Kids — Without Over-Parenting”
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
We are hearing more and more each day about the changing world of work and what type of skills will define the success of today’s students and future professionals. Outside of education, it’s often called upskilling. In education, we often refer to lifelong learning. Either way, experts agree that an individual’s ability to learn, continuously and adaptively, may define one’s success more than any other employability skills in this ever-changing, tech-infused and globalized economy.
Educators have always professed the priority of creating lifelong learners. But what does this really look like and how can we create learning environments that truly foster this? Project-based learning is poised well to inherently teach learners to become persistent and growth-oriented lifelong learners, among many other advantages.
How does PBL do this? Well, it’s at the core of how PBL functions. Here are a few of those ways:
First and foremost, PBL focuses on learners addressing real-world challenges, issues or problems. This immediately creates both relevance and authenticity. The relevancy of working on work that matters demonstrates to students that their school work is related to what others in the real world do and how it applies to their futures, skill development and agency. We talk about problem solving as a foundational skill and it is. However, the problems need to be real. We don’t have to solve them, but students have to continually try to tackle them. This is what all of us do in our professional lives and how new opportunities, jobs, innovations and more advance each day. PBL’s focus on authenticity (or being real world), as a core design principle, creates this real-world learning environment. A project can be authentic in several ways and often in combination. It can have an authentic context, it can involve the use of real-world processes and tools, it can have a real impact on others, and a project can have personal authenticity when it speaks to learners’ own concerns, interests, cultures, identities and issues in their lives.
This is a core design principle in high quality PBL. To inquire is to seek information or to investigate; it’s a more active, in-depth process than just looking something up in a book or online. The inquiry process takes time, which means a gold standard project lasts more than a few days. In PBL, inquiry is iterative; when confronted with a challenging problem or question, students ask questions, find resources to help answer them, then ask deeper questions, and the process repeats until a satisfactory solution or answer is developed. Projects can incorporate different information sources, mixing the traditional idea of research, reading a book or searching a website, with more real world, field-based interviews with experts, service providers and users. Learners also might inquire into the needs of the users of a product they’re creating in a project, or the audience for a piece of writing or multimedia.
In this pursuit of creating lifelong learners, we need to allow learners to experience the true power of learning and the real impact of their work. This is where producing public work, seen by multiple audiences or even users, comes into play.
When people see or even use our work, it creates significance in us. It means one’s work matters. It means learning matters. It means we matter. When audiences see, appreciate, experience, engage in and even possibly benefit from our work we naturally are more engaged, more likely to see the true power of learning. Ultimately, sharing our work publicly provides the opportunity for one to develop their personal brand. It’s the process of sharing one’s high-quality work and getting feedback. This is what we’ll do professionally for the rest of our lives. Lifelong work produces lifelong learning. We buy-in, we have conversations, we consider others’ opinions and ideas; all this while gaining confidence, portfolio, skills, a resume and valuable networking opportunities.
We hear words like agency, ownership, advocacy, leadership, git and mindset. These are great. And these are really traits of a lifelong learner. But how do we create the environment and means to make these a reality? Having a say in a project creates a sense of ownership in learners; they care more about the project and work harder. If learners are not able to use their judgment when solving a problem and answering a driving question, the project just feels like doing an exercise or following a set of directions. Learners can have input and (some) control over many aspects of a project, from the questions they generate to the resources they will use to find answers to their questions, to the tasks and roles they will take on as team members, to the products they will create. More advanced learners may go even further and select the topic and nature of the project itself; they can write their own driving question and decide how they want to investigate it, demonstrate what they have learned, and how they will share their work. High-quality projects also allow students to assume real roles and responsibilities in the production of their work. Think of things like project coordinator, media coordinator, tech coordinator or dozens of other roles. We don’t create roles for roles’ sake, but rather to move work forward efficiently and allow those involved to specialize a bit (become experts).
We’ve all heard the saying that if you “love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This may be the most powerful aspect of deeper learning like PBL. Facilitators have always wanted their learners to love learning for learning’s sake. But our traditional system has focused learners more on grades, points or even punitive approaches vs. training them to love learning. PBL, done well, creates the opportunity for learners to focus on the work, the challenge and even the final product. All of these, as well as the opportunity to engage with their peers, their community and the larger world, focus them on the true power of learning. The impact and significance of our work is what drives all of us professionally throughout our lives. When learners produce high-quality and professional projects that are experienced or used by others, addressing real-world issues and products like that of their professional counterparts, they too have that awakening, the internal and external factors that drive us to work, succeed, improve, grow, reach and stretch. We have allowed them to view work and learning differently.
The beauty of high-quality PBL is that it truly does all the things simultaneously that we think are important in learning. Whether it’s collaboration, metacognition, skill acquisition, social-emotional learning, technology integration, personalized learning or more, PBL can deliver. But with all that being said, nothing may be more important to our learners’ future and sustained success than that of being lifelong learners.
Wednesday, October 6
School Photos – Photo Spectrum from 9am – 12pm
Wednesday, October 6
No Hoa O’ Alaka’i, Friends of Alaka’i PTN Meeting from 5pm – 6pm
We are hearing more and more each day about the changing world of work and what type of skills will define the success of today’s students and future professionals. Outside of education, it’s often called upskilling. In education, we often refer to lifelong learning. Either way, experts agree that an individual’s ability to learn, continuously and adaptively, may define one’s success more than any other employability skills in this ever-changing, tech-infused and globalized economy.
Educators have always professed the priority of creating lifelong learners. But what does this really look like and how can we create learning environments that truly foster this? Project-based learning is poised well to inherently teach learners to become persistent and growth-oriented lifelong learners, among many other advantages.
How does PBL do this? Well, it’s at the core of how PBL functions. Here are a few of those ways:
First and foremost, PBL focuses on learners addressing real-world challenges, issues or problems. This immediately creates both relevance and authenticity. The relevancy of working on work that matters demonstrates to students that their school work is related to what others in the real world do and how it applies to their futures, skill development and agency. We talk about problem solving as a foundational skill and it is. However, the problems need to be real. We don’t have to solve them, but students have to continually try to tackle them. This is what all of us do in our professional lives and how new opportunities, jobs, innovations and more advance each day. PBL’s focus on authenticity (or being real world), as a core design principle, creates this real-world learning environment. A project can be authentic in several ways and often in combination. It can have an authentic context, it can involve the use of real-world processes and tools, it can have a real impact on others, and a project can have personal authenticity when it speaks to learners’ own concerns, interests, cultures, identities and issues in their lives.
This is a core design principle in high quality PBL. To inquire is to seek information or to investigate; it’s a more active, in-depth process than just looking something up in a book or online. The inquiry process takes time, which means a gold standard project lasts more than a few days. In PBL, inquiry is iterative; when confronted with a challenging problem or question, students ask questions, find resources to help answer them, then ask deeper questions, and the process repeats until a satisfactory solution or answer is developed. Projects can incorporate different information sources, mixing the traditional idea of research, reading a book or searching a website, with more real world, field-based interviews with experts, service providers and users. Learners also might inquire into the needs of the users of a product they’re creating in a project, or the audience for a piece of writing or multimedia.
In this pursuit of creating lifelong learners, we need to allow learners to experience the true power of learning and the real impact of their work. This is where producing public work, seen by multiple audiences or even users, comes into play.
When people see or even use our work, it creates significance in us. It means one’s work matters. It means learning matters. It means we matter. When audiences see, appreciate, experience, engage in and even possibly benefit from our work we naturally are more engaged, more likely to see the true power of learning. Ultimately, sharing our work publicly provides the opportunity for one to develop their personal brand. It’s the process of sharing one’s high-quality work and getting feedback. This is what we’ll do professionally for the rest of our lives. Lifelong work produces lifelong learning. We buy-in, we have conversations, we consider others’ opinions and ideas; all this while gaining confidence, portfolio, skills, a resume and valuable networking opportunities.
We hear words like agency, ownership, advocacy, leadership, git and mindset. These are great. And these are really traits of a lifelong learner. But how do we create the environment and means to make these a reality? Having a say in a project creates a sense of ownership in learners; they care more about the project and work harder. If learners are not able to use their judgment when solving a problem and answering a driving question, the project just feels like doing an exercise or following a set of directions. Learners can have input and (some) control over many aspects of a project, from the questions they generate to the resources they will use to find answers to their questions, to the tasks and roles they will take on as team members, to the products they will create. More advanced learners may go even further and select the topic and nature of the project itself; they can write their own driving question and decide how they want to investigate it, demonstrate what they have learned, and how they will share their work. High-quality projects also allow students to assume real roles and responsibilities in the production of their work. Think of things like project coordinator, media coordinator, tech coordinator or dozens of other roles. We don’t create roles for roles’ sake, but rather to move work forward efficiently and allow those involved to specialize a bit (become experts).
We’ve all heard the saying that if you “love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This may be the most powerful aspect of deeper learning like PBL. Facilitators have always wanted their learners to love learning for learning’s sake. But our traditional system has focused learners more on grades, points or even punitive approaches vs. training them to love learning. PBL, done well, creates the opportunity for learners to focus on the work, the challenge and even the final product. All of these, as well as the opportunity to engage with their peers, their community and the larger world, focus them on the true power of learning. The impact and significance of our work is what drives all of us professionally throughout our lives. When learners produce high-quality and professional projects that are experienced or used by others, addressing real-world issues and products like that of their professional counterparts, they too have that awakening, the internal and external factors that drive us to work, succeed, improve, grow, reach and stretch. We have allowed them to view work and learning differently.
The beauty of high-quality PBL is that it truly does all the things simultaneously that we think are important in learning. Whether it’s collaboration, metacognition, skill acquisition, social-emotional learning, technology integration, personalized learning or more, PBL can deliver. But with all that being said, nothing may be more important to our learners’ future and sustained success than that of being lifelong learners.
How do you learn best? Learners are often identified as a certain type: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, and each type has some common traits.
Which of the three is your preferred method of learning? You are likely a combination but tend to use one style more successfully than the other two. What about your family members – can you guess what type of learner each person is?
There are multiple resources online if you want to take a short quiz to help identify (or confirm) your learning style. You may want to take more than one test and compare the results. Knowing your learning style can help you make better choices when approaching new information. It can also help you understand how other people (like family members) process information.
Spend even just a few moments inquiring about the Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi approach to education, and one of the first things you’ll hear about is project-based learning, or PBL. It’s at the core of our approach to school and a proven asset to education.
So what is project-based learning? In PBL, learners actively explore real-world challenges to acquire deeper knowledge of the subject at hand. Research shows that learners increasingly retain and enjoy what they’re learning when PBL is done well.
This educational model helps students learn the valuable collaboration, academic, and problem-solving skills our global economy will demand from them. Through the PBL method, learners tackle engaging projects about real-world issues that require critical thought, inquiry, and synthesis, and culminate in regular Presentations of Learning (or POLs) to their peers, facilitators, community members, and parents.
The PBL model requires learners to research, collaborate, and carefully weigh information and evidence in a nuanced problem-solving environment. It teaches learners to accept feedback, create solutions, and present their findings in a high-performance context — preparing them for the rigors of the 21st-century economy and the challenges of a global world.
PBL provides the following benefits:
In short, project-based learning is at the core of the Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi model because we believe it is at the heart of how kids learn best. Time and again, we’ve seen how PBL helps learners develop academic skills, build leadership skills and character, and lay the foundation for promising careers.
Friday, October 1
Wala’au Meeting from 10am – 11am
Wednesday, October 6
School Photos – Photo Spectrum from 9am – 12pm
Wednesday, October 6
No Hoa O’ Alaka’i, Friends of Alaka’i PTN Meeting from 5pm – 6pm
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
“VR is perfect for kids who are thriving in the virtual environment. It offers them a way to gain physical presence. They can go for a walk together, visit an art gallery together, go to the movies and so on and so on.” – Ramon Hamilton, VR Developer, Facilitator
Would your learner/learners be interested in attending a weekly Virtual Reality Lab hosted by WorldOver International (another Maker Learning School)? Lab activities include games, socialization, and exploring WorldOver’s unique VR space — which consists of a nature center, art gallery, movie theater, classrooms, coloring room, and more. The VR Lab is an excellent way for learners to experience the innovative possibilities of virtual reality in an educational setting and help shape the future design of the VR space.
Some things to consider:
WorldOver is excited to offer this opportunity to our learners — if there is enough interest. Please provide contact information to WorldOver and your children’s names and ages. Let’s see if we can make this happen! Send WorldOver an email (info@worldover.org) and they will be in touch with your family.
Spend even just a few moments inquiring about the Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi approach to education, and one of the first things you’ll hear about is project-based learning, or PBL. It’s at the core of our approach to school and a proven asset to education.
So what is project-based learning? In PBL, learners actively explore real-world challenges to acquire deeper knowledge of the subject at hand. Research shows that learners increasingly retain and enjoy what they’re learning when PBL is done well.
This educational model helps students learn the valuable collaboration, academic, and problem-solving skills our global economy will demand from them. Through the PBL method, learners tackle engaging projects about real-world issues that require critical thought, inquiry, and synthesis, and culminate in regular Presentations of Learning (or POLs) to their peers, facilitators, community members, and parents.
The PBL model requires learners to research, collaborate, and carefully weigh information and evidence in a nuanced problem-solving environment. It teaches learners to accept feedback, create solutions, and present their findings in a high-performance context — preparing them for the rigors of the 21st-century economy and the challenges of a global world.
PBL provides the following benefits:
In short, project-based learning is at the core of the Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi model because we believe it is at the heart of how kids learn best. Time and again, we’ve seen how PBL helps learners develop academic skills, build leadership skills and character, and lay the foundation for promising careers.
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
“VR is perfect for kids who are thriving in the virtual environment. It offers them a way to gain physical presence. They can go for a walk together, visit an art gallery together, go to the movies and so on and so on.” – Ramon Hamilton, VR Developer, Facilitator
Would your learner/learners be interested in attending a weekly Virtual Reality Lab hosted by WorldOver International (another Maker Learning School)? Lab activities include games, socialization, and exploring WorldOver’s unique VR space — which consists of a nature center, art gallery, movie theater, classrooms, coloring room, and more. The VR Lab is an excellent way for learners to experience the innovative possibilities of virtual reality in an educational setting and help shape the future design of the VR space.
Some things to consider:
WorldOver is excited to offer this opportunity to our learners — if there is enough interest. Please provide contact information to WorldOver and your children’s names and ages. Let’s see if we can make this happen! Send WorldOver an email (info@worldover.org) and they will be in touch with your family.
Friday, September 24
We will be hosting our second annual “Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School Ninja Warrior” competition on Friday, September 24th for any interested learner. The participants attempt to traverse across an obstacle course on campus that features both of our playgrounds! It is open to any interested keiki in Kindergarten through Grade Six and runs throughout the school day.
Friday, October 1
Wala’au Meeting from 10am – 11am
Wednesday, October 6
School Photos – Photo Spectrum from 9am – 12pm
Wednesday, October 6
No Hoa O’ Alaka’i, Friends of Alaka’i PTN Meeting from 5pm – 6pm
“VR is perfect for kids who are thriving in the virtual environment. It offers them a way to gain physical presence. They can go for a walk together, visit an art gallery together, go to the movies and so on and so on.” – Ramon Hamilton, VR Developer, Facilitator
Would your learner/learners be interested in attending a weekly Virtual Reality Lab hosted by WorldOver International (another Maker Learning School)? Lab activities include games, socialization, and exploring WorldOver’s unique VR space — which consists of a nature center, art gallery, movie theater, classrooms, coloring room, and more. The VR Lab is an excellent way for learners to experience the innovative possibilities of virtual reality in an educational setting and help shape the future design of the VR space.
Some things to consider:
WorldOver is excited to offer this opportunity to our learners — if there is enough interest. Please provide contact information to WorldOver and your children’s names and ages. Let’s see if we can make this happen! Send WorldOver an email (info@worldover.org) and they will be in touch with your family.
Last week we introduced the importance of social-emotional learning at Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School. Social-emotional learning is integral to our whole-child educational approach.
A whole-child mind-set means that we are focused on far more than teaching to tests or holding up state standards as the be-all, end-all of education. We believe in focusing on the whole child and promoting social-emotional learning, because education is about more than test scores.
Whole-child development empowers kids to be creative, engaged citizens. With that in mind, we believe it’s our responsibility to nurture learners’ creative abilities to express themselves, understand others, and navigate complex information so they can confidently solve the problems of an ever-changing world.
So when we say we focus on “whole child” development, what do we mean? We’re talking about an approach to project-based learning that emphasizes the following deeper-learning approaches:
Mastery of Core Academic Content: Learners lay their academic foundation in subjects such as reading, writing, arts, math, and science, understanding essential principles and procedures, recalling facts, and drawing on their knowledge to complete tasks.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Our learners understand how to construct effective arguments using their critical, analytical, and creative skills. They develop the know-how to come up with solutions to complex problems.
Collaboration: Learners embrace teamwork and consider multiple viewpoints to cooperate and achieve shared goals.
Effective Communication: Learners communicate effectively in writing and oral presentations. They structure information in meaningful ways, listen to and give feedback, and construct messages for particular audiences.
Self-Directed Learning: Learners develop the ability to set goals, monitor their own progress, and reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement. They learn to see setbacks as opportunities to grow and be more adaptive.
Growth Mind-set: Learners with a growth mind-set believe in themselves. They trust their abilities and believe their hard work will pay off; they persist to overcome obstacles. In the process, they also learn from and support each other and see the relevance of their schoolwork to the real world and their own future success.
Coupled with vibrant project-based education and social-emotional learning, all these elements work together to empower kids to overcome any challenge that comes their way academically; but more than that, they build the character to succeed in the 21st century.
At the end of the 2020-21 school year, Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School 2nd graders made this fun music video celebrating the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Watch to learn all about the 7 Habits!
Friday, September 17th
Fire Knife Dancing Performance
Monday, September 20
Board Meeting from 5pm – 6pm
Friday, September 24
We will be hosting our second annual “Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School Ninja Warrior” competition on Friday, September 24th for any interested learner. The participants attempt to traverse across an obstacle course on campus that features both of our playgrounds! It is open to any interested keiki in Kindergarten through Grade Six and runs throughout the school day.
Friday, October 1
Wala’au Meeting from 10am – 11am
Wednesday, October 6
School Photos – Photo Spectrum from 9am – 12pm
Wednesday, October 6
No Hoa O’ Alaka’i, Friends of Alaka’i PTN Meeting from 5pm – 6pm
Did you know you can help Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi grow and provide additional resources by just doing the things you’re already doing every day?
We call this “passive fundraising.” Through Amazon Smile, you can buy items for the same exact price, and Amazon will send us a portion of their proceeds each time you shop with them. Every little bit counts! Please help us take advantage of the opportunity to earn funds! See below for details and make sure your purchases make a difference! Please help us build a better school for our keiki with the opportunity to earn funds from everyday purchases! We sincerely appreciate everything our Alakaʻi Ohana can do to help!
See below for the simple steps for using Amazon Smile and see how easy it really is!
Amazon Smile
Donations to Alaka’i O Kaua’i are tax-deductible.
