UOG faculty collaborates with cultural, classroom experts to publish a book that teaches island values
UOG faculty collaborates with cultural, classroom experts to publish a book that teaches island values
UOG faculty collaborates with cultural, classroom experts to publish a book that teaches island values
3/15/2024
Some 19,000 copies of the new book “Voyager State of Mind” are making their way into many of Guam's elementary school classrooms as part of efforts at the University of Guam to use traditional seafaring to teach resiliency and other island values.
Dr. ShinHwa Lee, Assistant Professor of the Counseling program at the School of Education, collaborated with Dr. Matthew Limtiaco, who was an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education at UOG at the time of the project, cultural consultant Rob Limtiaco, graphic designer Jess Merrill and illustrator Eurich Patacsil.
“In this book, traditional voyaging serves as a metaphor for the voyage of discovery and social-emotional classroom experiences,” Dr. Lee said.
The essays in the book offer a glimpse into historical and contemporary traditional seafaring. “They represent a fraction of the remarkable accomplishments, examples of empathy, culture of cooperation, and innovation practiced by seafaring communities,” the book’s note to teachers says.
"The efforts put into this book and the leadership of our School of Education faculty toward making it happen, are an example of the University's involvement in the community. With this book, students as young as in elementary school can find a connection with our traditional voyaging heritage and the lessons that can be learned from it," said UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez.
The idea for the book occurred during the pandemic to launch conversations about supportive classroom communities. Federal funding through the CARES Act and the Education Stabilization Fund through the governor’s office made the book and the printing of 19,000 copies possible.
Originally aimed at third- to fifth-grade students, some middle schools also plan to use it beginning in the next Academic Year, Dr. Lee said.
The project received support from SOE Dean Alicia Aguon.
The cultural consultants were Joshua Mallon, Dewaitil Houkol, Eddie Ham, Raymond Flores, Relisa Ham, and Magdalena MarioLu Guerrero.
The classroom consultants included teachers Leah Ann Tamondong Balansay, Judith Arida,
Caitlin Joy Bartonico, Rochelle Dias, and Rosan Fernando.
For more information, contact:
ShinHwa Lee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Program Chair of Counseling
Tel. (671) 735-2402
Email: lees13090@triton.uog.edu