This 3-credit professional development workshop is designed to empower educators with the knowledge and skills to incorporate mental health practices, poetry, and culturally responsive teaching into their classrooms. "The Poetry of Life" explores the intersection of mental health and literacy with the transformative power of poetry, grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy in Hawaii. Teachers will gain hands-on experience in implementing spoken word activities, understanding youth and adult mental health dynamics, and integrating Hawaiian cultural education and healing practices.

This class is designed to support educators as they discover music tools to practice in their daily lives. “Melody of the Mauli” will focus on the mauli, the essence or purpose, deeply embedded within us all. Through a Hawaiian cultural approach, teachers will discover how music can be incorporated into their daily routines both in and out of the classroom.

This course will teach you how to build pilina to your 5 senses so that you can successfully create your sacred, safe space of refuge. Our first and foremost sacred space is ourselves. Your refuge should begin within and through our kilo and observation practices, we can realize what makes us feel safe, secure and special. We will explore the sense of taste, sight, touch, smell and hearing and apply it to create your very own puʻuhonua.