Cultivating Community in the Classroom through Place-Based Learning

Join teaching artists and educators Kaliko Kaauamo, Makalani Franco-Francis, and Kilihune Ka‘aihue for a discussion-based workshop designed for teaching artists and creatives seeking to craft lessons deeply grounded in place. Together, we’ll explore tools and strategies to build lessons that honor the brilliance of indigenous experts, uplift community voices, and invite genuine cultural connection.

Facilitators Kaliko Kaauamo, Makalani Franco-Francis, and Kilihune Ka‘aihue offer decades of experience as Hawaiian cultural practitioners and educators. Kaauamo, a Hawai‘i-based educator and community organizer, brings her deep commitment to culturally responsive teaching to this session, offering practical tools to strengthen connection, storytelling, and belonging in any learning environment. Franco-Francis, a cultural practitioner and teaching artist born and raised in Maui, comes with cultural knowledge and personal experiences of inspiring students to connect with land, culture, and spirit of aloha through story telling/theater. And Ka‘aihue, a lifelong hula practitioner, interdisciplinary artist, and educator from Kailua, ‘O‘ahu, joins the workshop with insights on cultivating balance, identity, and connection.