Long before he devoted his professional life to studying pedagogical theory and applying educational best practices, Paul Burgess learned his most valuable lessons about life and learning through his parents.

Burgess, who is in his second year as director of the St. Andrew’s Preparatory School for Boys, was born in North Dakota and raised in Wyoming. His mother baby-sat and operated her own cleaning business while raising Burgess and his three older sisters. His father was one of several in the extended family who gained both a comfortable living and a sense of personal satisfaction working in education.

Burgess thus knew his father not only as a parent, but as principal of his high school and, at one point, coach of his football team.

“I got to see how much fun he had doing his job and working with kids,” Burgess recalled. “It was a great example to me of doing what you truly enjoy.”

Burgess attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., where he played quarterback for the Marauders and earned a degree in physical education.

Burgess moved to Hawaii soon after graduation, initially finding work as a substitute in the Department of Education. He joined St. Andrew’s in 2009 , initially as an intermediate basketball coach and later as a fifth-grade teacher. Last year Burgess was tapped to head up the school’s new all-boys elementary school.

Starting with 21 kindergarten and first-grade students and working closely with a small group of experienced teachers, Burgess set about developing both the program and its young charges from the ground up, designing a learning environment in which social and emotional skills and character development were recognized as key contributors to academic progress.

“When you improve the social side and help them learn to deal with emotions and deal with the consequences of their actions, students are better able to focus and approach learning with discipline,” Burgess said.

In addition to rigorous learning in the classroom, Burgess and his teachers also make sure that students have ample time for unstructured free play — what Burgess considers an ideal situation to apply developing social skills in real-life situations — and opportunities to pursue self-directed learning.

“I think it goes back to my mom and dad,” Burgess said. “I appreciate them for making sacrifices for us and for showing me how to pursue what I’m most passionate about.”

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.