Non-formal Education
Non-formal education refers to structured educational experiences outside the traditional classroom setting. This differs from informal education in the amount of structure, planning and curriculum required to provide a meaningful experience.
These educational experiences are important in supplementing what students learn in class with impactful, hands on lessons, and drive passion and interest towards STEAM fields.
I have worked in non-formal education to some degree since 2006 through environmental education classes, clubs, field trips and classroom visits.
Education and Outreach Specialist
From 2015-2019 I was in charge of the education and outreach for the Marine National Monuments of the Pacific. I partnered with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the state of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Pacific Rim Conservation, Oikonos and various other organizations to create and carry out environmental education program around the island of Oahu.
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Responsibilities:
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- Albatross Bolus Program: Boluses are much like owl pellets but larger. They are the indigestible remains of an albatross's food. They generally contain things like squid beaks, fish eye lenses, flying fish egg filaments and plastics. I used these boluses both in person for classroom lesson and coordinated with teachers across the country to distribute and aide in the teachers utilizing boluses in their own classrooms.
- Classroom Visits: I had partnerships with schools and taught lessons annually as well as requests for lessons and programs all over the island of Oahu.
- Field Trips: Working with schools, scout groups and other educational programs I ran field trips at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge and had a partnership with the State of Hawaii to run field trips at Kaena Point State Park.
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- James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge: this was a home away from home. I was routinely running field trips, events, community days and helping out where I was needed. I worked with Pacific Rim Conservation here in taking care of translocated seabirds that will hopefully begin colonies within the refuge's boundaries.
Students from the elementary school are working on a community garden
Students are getting ready to head to a community garden to get some hands on experience with planting different species of fruit producing trees that are drought tolerant.
Elementary students on a bird scavenger hunt at James Campbell NWR.
Students from the elementary school are working on a community garden
In 2010 I worked as an educator for the Maritime aquarium. My responsibilities ranged from field trips, classroom visits, aquarium tours, summer camps and after school programs. My audiences ranged from small groups to full auditorium, from preschoolers to adults. I had to be flexible in my lessons, the way I taught and the activities we did.
This position launched environmental education for me. New to my village with minimal language skills I sought to connect with my community and best did that through school visits, clubs, an environmental comic book, and an eventual girls camp. All my lessons were self developed utilizing printed environmental education manuals Peace Corps provided and any supplies I was able to find in my market town.
