$250,000 to aid in ‘hands-on learning’

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KIHEI - Students at Montessori Hale O Keiki will be scoping Maui's beaches and diving into the ocean as they spend a new one-year grant for $50,000 from the Hawaii Community Foundation. The school may reapply for more money each year for the next four years. The award was one of the larger ones given to 18 schools statewide as part of the Hawaii Community Foundation's Schools of the Future Initiative for members of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

Montessori Hale O Keiki had its campus - staff, students and parents - involved in writing the grant application.

The money will be used for all students from toddlers in Montessori's preschool to the oldest students who are "graduating" as its first class of 7th-graders. Montessori added the 7th grade this year to its preschool through 6th-grade program and plans to add 8th grade this fall.

Jeremiah Demster, the head middle school teacher, designed classroom lessons this year to include a week's stay (every six weeks or so) at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in Kihei. While there, the eight 7th-graders conducted a variety of science studies covering South Maui's reefs, ocean fish, water quality and beach profiling. Through a partnership with Ultra Dive Maui, the students all learned to dive and earned diving certification normally completed by adults.

When it came to applying for the Schools of the Future Initiative, Montessori proposed expanding and extending its science-based lessons to the school's younger students beginning with 3-year-olds up to those ages 10 to 12 in grades 4 to 6.

"We wanted it to be skills-oriented and not just information-based. We wanted something that gives the students hands-on learning," explained Montessori Hale O Keiki's Executive Director Elaine Blasi.

In the first year of the grant, Montessori plans to use the money to pay a consultant to help design a curriculum as well as to hire a marine biology naturalist to work with the lead teachers for the different age levels.

Curriculum and activities will be geared with age in mind. For example, the 3- to 8-year-olds might learn to collect ocean samples and take digital photos of what they find on a beach.

The 4th- to 6th-graders might find themselves assigned to do more intensive beach studies and perhaps even learn to snorkel and take notes about the ocean and water quality.

The 7th-graders, who will move into the 8th-grade, would continue the work they started with the marine sanctuary and do more beach profiling and fish studies in the ocean.

And while the lessons are all science-based, Blasi points out that other school subjects are covered, including language arts and mathematics. "They'll learn to write and to use numbers as part of the project," she said.

Demster said what's key for his students is that they're learning "real-world stuff" and the meaning behind the studies they are undertaking. For example, the data the new middle school students collected from a beach-profiling assignment they worked on found two major sand dunes eroding by the sanctuary's offices. The staff there looked at Montessori's study and has since installed erosion fencing.

Demster plans to take the students back to the area to study whether the fencing helps to stop or slow down the rate of the sand erosion on the beach. "The students are learning that as 12- to 14-year-olds, they're doing something that's meaningful. That's impactful," he said.

Demster said they get the answer to questions most often asked of teachers by students: "Why do I have to do this, and when will I ever use this?"

Blasi said she believes the award to her school was granted, in part, because of the partnerships the school has made with the private dive shop and the marine sanctuary. "It's been a win-win all along for all of us," she said.

Demster said his students were excited to hear about the grant award.

They had written together a statement in the grant application, saying the project gives them a chance to help their school in partnership with the national marine sanctuary.

"We are building a foundation to give students of our school the skills of logical and scientific thinking, being open to new experiences, opportunities to take responsible risks, ability to work with others, opportunity to explore a career path, the opportunity and ability to do complex work, a chance to learn from the source, as well as many others."

Montessori's 7th-graders are Jordan James, Ryan James, James Keyhani, Malik Molle, Jordan Priest, Greggory Walton, Dylan West Von Sonn and Dylan White.

"For a little school like ours, this is incredible," Demster said. "I really give the students credit. They took up a challenge and made the most of it."

* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com

* This story includes a correction from the original published on Monday, June 8, 2009. The grant terms were incorrect due to information provided to The Maui News.