By Aaron Buzek | Project Leader
One of Amún Shéa’s core principles has always been that application is more important than just theory. Ever since its inception several years ago, our aquaponics greenhouse has provided a wonderful venue for our students to make that happen. This year, however, the connection between our “Área Productiva,” or productive area, and the classroom has grown even stronger, something that we’ve only been able to do thanks to your continuing support.
Amún Shéa this year has entered a period of rapid growth and change in just about every facet, spurred on by the school-wide adoption of our Problem Based Learning methodology. At the center of this move is the desire to systematize our approach to learning so that it can be applied throughout the Integrated School System of Perquín. As a central part of our methodology, the hands-on aspect of learning at Amún Shéa has undergone the same treatment.
What this means in concrete terms for our students is that at least once a week (though often more frequently, especially for the older students) the students from each community spend a block of time working in the productive area. Tasks range from helping water plants and plant seedlings for the younger kids to developing the infrastructure for the second greenhouse for the older kids. Other projects include developing organic fertilizer, creating a system of water filters for the aquaponics system, and organizing the entire productive area to work together smoothly.
The steps forward that we have taken in the productive area have also allowed for further individual work to be done within the project-based framework of our methodology. This semester, for instance, has seen our high-school community focusing on developing our own super-efficient fish food for our tilapia pond and our second community (comprised of third through fifth grade) developing a system of traps for the same tilapia pond.
We’ve only just gotten started with the school year and we’ve got lots of exciting plans in store for our productive area and all the opportunities that it brings to our students. Just don’t forget to keep supporting us!
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