Recently, I read an article that Ezra Jack Keats’ book, The Snowy Day, is the book that has been checked out more times - 485, 583 - than any other book in the New York Public Library system. I can understand why this book is so popular. I remember reading this book with my preschoolers every year. At the time, most of my students had never experienced snow - and neither had I - so the whole story and the pictures evoked a sense of wonder. I think we all wished we could go outside and play in snow like Peter did.
This article made me reflect back to when I was getting my Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on Children’s Literature. At that time - back in 1976 - one of my assignments for my university coursework was to make a list of multicultural picture books. I remember going to the library, looking through the card catalog, and going through the shelves to look for picture books from different cultures. I wrote the title, author, and a synopsis of the book on 4”x6” index cards that I could reference when we studied different cultures in our Head Start classroom.
What I recall about that project is that the Peter books by Ezra Jack Keats were probably the only ones at the time that pictured children of color in realistic stories. The Snowy Day, Peter’s Chair, Whistle for Willie, A Letter to Amy were sweet stories about a little boy and his adventures with his family, friends, and his dog. My students loved these books! They also loved Goggles, a story about how Peter and Archie along with Peter’s dog Willie get away from some neighborhood bullies. We had little boys in our class who looked like Peter, so these stories were especially important.
I compiled a pretty comprehensive list of multicultural picture books, but as I recall, they were primarily folk tales from different countries or they were books about children in other countries. It was good literature and I did try to expose our preschoolers to stories from other cultures, but I realize that there was definitely a lack of diversity in realistic children’s literature at that time.
Today, there are many more choices for teachers and students. One of my favorites when I taught second graders was Dumpling Soup by my high school classmate, Jama Kim Rattigan. It is a a story that our local kids can relate to and shares about our culture here in Hawaii. Teachers can also search for multicultural book lists like these: 30 Children’s Books about Diversity that Celebrate Our Differences by Danika Ellis or Popular Multicultural Picture Books Shelf. I love this quote from Danika Ellis: “This is the importance of mirrors and windows: mirrors to see ourselves reflected in the world, so we don’t feel alone, and windows to see outside of our own lives, to recognize the humanity of other people.”
Picture books are a great way for children to learn about the diversity in our world and to develop empathy for other children and their lives. Let’s make sure we provide both mirrors and windows in the books we read to them.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Learning from Failure
Today, I was a recalling an incident that happened many years ago when our son was taking karate. He had been taking lessons for a couple of years and had made good progress. It was the day when all the students would take their test to be promoted to the next color belt. Justin was about 7 years old, and the others in his group were one or two years older.
All of the students in his group did what they needed to in order to be promoted. They did their routine, followed the sensei’s (teacher’s) instructions, and sat down, confident that they would pass.
At the next class, the sensei started with the beginners. He called each student by name and asked them to stand up. Every one of the beginners had passed and received their next color belt. Sensei gave them their new belt, and they proudly bowed to him. Everyone applauded. The sensei continued until he got to Justin’s group. When all of his group members were standing, the sensei stated that he was disappointed with all members of that group. He felt that they were just going through the motions and didn’t try their hardest. He said he could not promote them at this time.
After class, Justin didn’t say a word as we got into the car, and when we got home, he immediately went to his room and closed the door. I could hear him crying. My heart broke for him; Justin rarely cried. A few days later, we talked about how he felt about not being promoted. He was disappointed; he had not expected to not pass.
Luckily, the sensei gave those students another opportunity, and this time, all the boys were much more focused. Their movements were crisp, they were sharp, and it was evident that every member of the group had taken their earlier failure seriously. They did not want to be embarrassed again. Their sensei told them that this time, they were worthy of being promoted. He shared how he could tell that they were trying their best. That was a hard lesson for a young boy, but Justin learned from it. He realized that if he was going to compete, he needed to be serious. He carried that lesson with him when he competed in tennis, eventually earning a scholarship to play at the University of Hawaii and being selected as one of the captains in his senior year. He led by example. That karate sensei actually did him a favor by teaching him that he needed to put forth his best effort whenever he competed.
Failure is hard, but how we react to it is what will define us. Hopefully, we will see failure as an opportunity to do something better the next time.
All of the students in his group did what they needed to in order to be promoted. They did their routine, followed the sensei’s (teacher’s) instructions, and sat down, confident that they would pass.
At the next class, the sensei started with the beginners. He called each student by name and asked them to stand up. Every one of the beginners had passed and received their next color belt. Sensei gave them their new belt, and they proudly bowed to him. Everyone applauded. The sensei continued until he got to Justin’s group. When all of his group members were standing, the sensei stated that he was disappointed with all members of that group. He felt that they were just going through the motions and didn’t try their hardest. He said he could not promote them at this time.
After class, Justin didn’t say a word as we got into the car, and when we got home, he immediately went to his room and closed the door. I could hear him crying. My heart broke for him; Justin rarely cried. A few days later, we talked about how he felt about not being promoted. He was disappointed; he had not expected to not pass.
Luckily, the sensei gave those students another opportunity, and this time, all the boys were much more focused. Their movements were crisp, they were sharp, and it was evident that every member of the group had taken their earlier failure seriously. They did not want to be embarrassed again. Their sensei told them that this time, they were worthy of being promoted. He shared how he could tell that they were trying their best. That was a hard lesson for a young boy, but Justin learned from it. He realized that if he was going to compete, he needed to be serious. He carried that lesson with him when he competed in tennis, eventually earning a scholarship to play at the University of Hawaii and being selected as one of the captains in his senior year. He led by example. That karate sensei actually did him a favor by teaching him that he needed to put forth his best effort whenever he competed.
Failure is hard, but how we react to it is what will define us. Hopefully, we will see failure as an opportunity to do something better the next time.
Friday, February 14, 2020
They Touched My Heart with Their Stories
My heart is full; my cup is filled. This has been an uplifting week for me.
I’ve been sharing about my book, Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office, and one of my goals when I speak with educators is to encourage them to tell their mo`olelo, their unique stories. I question them: What is your mo`olelo? Why did you become an educator? What is is about teaching that is rewarding to you? What challenges you? And most important, I ask them how they will share their mo`olelo to hopefully inspire others to be our future educators. Oftentimes, teachers look at me with doubt in their eyes, and some even tell me that they don’t have anything interesting to write about.
This past week, I had the opportunity to share about my book and about writing at Teacher Institute Day. My goal was to get teachers inspired to write and share their stories. Most of the participants did not know each other prior to the session which made what happened next so special. When asked to share their “why?” every teacher shared, and what we saw in all of them was their aloha, their love, for what they do. There were smiles; there were tears; there was laughter; there were head-nods; there were hugs; there were new relationships built. I saw teachers conversing after the session, asking questions of each other and making plans to stay in touch. My hope is that these teachers will now be motivated to share their mo`olelo with their students, with their families, or even with the broader community.
We never know how our actions today will impact our students in the future. A kind word; a stern look of disappointment; a snack when they were hungry; extra help when they were struggling. We hear stories about how these actions by a teacher made a difference in someone’s life. At the session, a teacher shared, “We teach academics. Yes, that’s important. But if my students leave my classroom at the end of the year and they are not better people, I have failed as a teacher.” I then shared a story about a teacher’s impact many years later (The Difference a Teacher Makes). More tears, but also lots of smiles.
Teaching is not an easy profession, Teachers give so much of themselves, and sometimes, there’s not much left in the tank for their own families or for themselves. We all need to take care of ourselves if we want to take care of others. So teachers, get that massage you’ve been putting off; go to a movie; curl up with a good book; call a friend and make plans to do something together. You can’t pour from an empty cup so fill your cup. You deserve it.
I’ve been sharing about my book, Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office, and one of my goals when I speak with educators is to encourage them to tell their mo`olelo, their unique stories. I question them: What is your mo`olelo? Why did you become an educator? What is is about teaching that is rewarding to you? What challenges you? And most important, I ask them how they will share their mo`olelo to hopefully inspire others to be our future educators. Oftentimes, teachers look at me with doubt in their eyes, and some even tell me that they don’t have anything interesting to write about.
This past week, I had the opportunity to share about my book and about writing at Teacher Institute Day. My goal was to get teachers inspired to write and share their stories. Most of the participants did not know each other prior to the session which made what happened next so special. When asked to share their “why?” every teacher shared, and what we saw in all of them was their aloha, their love, for what they do. There were smiles; there were tears; there was laughter; there were head-nods; there were hugs; there were new relationships built. I saw teachers conversing after the session, asking questions of each other and making plans to stay in touch. My hope is that these teachers will now be motivated to share their mo`olelo with their students, with their families, or even with the broader community.
We never know how our actions today will impact our students in the future. A kind word; a stern look of disappointment; a snack when they were hungry; extra help when they were struggling. We hear stories about how these actions by a teacher made a difference in someone’s life. At the session, a teacher shared, “We teach academics. Yes, that’s important. But if my students leave my classroom at the end of the year and they are not better people, I have failed as a teacher.” I then shared a story about a teacher’s impact many years later (The Difference a Teacher Makes). More tears, but also lots of smiles.
Teaching is not an easy profession, Teachers give so much of themselves, and sometimes, there’s not much left in the tank for their own families or for themselves. We all need to take care of ourselves if we want to take care of others. So teachers, get that massage you’ve been putting off; go to a movie; curl up with a good book; call a friend and make plans to do something together. You can’t pour from an empty cup so fill your cup. You deserve it.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Needing Positive Vibes
I’m a pretty positive person. I believe that things have a way of working out, that we can find common ground even if we disagree. That is probably the reason why I loved being an educator for 45 years. We know that what we do or say to students today and how we make them feel can have a long-term impact on them. That is our goal as educators.
I’ve started and deleted so many blog posts these past few weeks. When I started blogging 9+ years ago, I told myself that this blog would not be a venue to complain or criticize. Rather, I wanted to reflect on what I saw happening in our school or in education, our community, our state, our nation, and even the world, and share my thoughts. It has been challenging, these past few months and especially in the first month of 2020, to be positive, given the divisive nature of our nation. Sadly, I don’t see it getting better anytime soon, and that frightens me.
When we are surrounded by students who depend on adults to model behavior expectations, we may not realize how removed from the real world we are. We can only hope that the lessons we teach to our students today will live with them for the rest of their lives and that they will be better leaders than what we are seeing today.
This coming week, I’ll be spending several days with educators and students. I am hoping to fill my cup with their positive vibes so that I might have a more positive perspective about the future. That is my hope.
I’ve started and deleted so many blog posts these past few weeks. When I started blogging 9+ years ago, I told myself that this blog would not be a venue to complain or criticize. Rather, I wanted to reflect on what I saw happening in our school or in education, our community, our state, our nation, and even the world, and share my thoughts. It has been challenging, these past few months and especially in the first month of 2020, to be positive, given the divisive nature of our nation. Sadly, I don’t see it getting better anytime soon, and that frightens me.
When we are surrounded by students who depend on adults to model behavior expectations, we may not realize how removed from the real world we are. We can only hope that the lessons we teach to our students today will live with them for the rest of their lives and that they will be better leaders than what we are seeing today.
This coming week, I’ll be spending several days with educators and students. I am hoping to fill my cup with their positive vibes so that I might have a more positive perspective about the future. That is my hope.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Ed Tech Challenges
I saw this article on LinkedIn, “The 100 Worst Ed-Tech Debacles of the Decade,” and as I looked at the title, I thought that no way was I going to go through that whole list. Surprise! I did. It took a bit longer to read, but I found myself reflecting on my experience as a principal and how my thoughts about ed tech changed over time.
When I first began teaching in 1973, there was no such thing as ed tech. We took all our data by hand, we wrote out or typed up conference notes about our students, and my favorite book of ideas was called Workjobs; many of the activities we used to address strudents’ strengths and challenges was homemade using recycled materials. The use of technology was never even on our radar.
Fast forward to 1993 when I was hired to teach first and second graders at Mililani Mauka Elementary School, our state’s first “high tech” school. We had four student desktop computers in each classroom and a desktop for the teacher. We attended training sessions on how to use technology to engage students in their learning. Information was more readily available on the Internet, but we carefully managed the sites our students were able to access. Our students became much more comfortable with word processing, and we created video portfolios, recording students as they gave oral book reports or shared projects they had completed. Things have changed so much since then.
Fast forward again to 2003 when I became a school principal. Going from a perceived high tech school to a school with limited resources was an eye-opener. Upgrading our devices and providing teachers with opportunities to learn more about how to use them was a priority. (Thank goodness for grant opportunities!) Reading over the list of Ed-Tech Debacles, I realized that we tried some of those ”failures,” and I agreed with the writer; they were not worth the money or the hype. As the principal, I was influenced by other educators who raved about different programs, and sadly, I sometimes drank the Kool-Aid. We spent a lot of money on programs that promised to raise student achievement; they didn’t. A lot of what we did was trial-and-error, and the way teachers used technology in their classes was vastly different despite our attempts to train everyone equally.
Until I read this article, I had not thought about the massive amounts of money being “invested” and wasted in education technology - millions and billions of dollars each year. This article, “K-12 Districts Wasting Millions by Not Using Purchased Software, New Analysis Finds,” shares that in some districts, 90% of software licenses purchased were not being used, amounting to a loss of $2 million per year for that district. The reasons are varied: lack of adequate professional development on how to use the program or how to interpret the data; poor connectivity; or lack of student engagement. Studies show that the amount of money invested in ed tech really has not improved educational outcomes. Personalized learning, learning labs, computer-based competency testing, flipped learning - they do not guarantee success or student engagement.
As I became more experienced as a principal, I realized that the best strategy to ensure the appropriate use of ed tech was to give teachers more say in how we used technology at our school. We encouraged teachers to experiment and to share how different learning tools engaged and empowered their students. When (if) we had extra money to spend at the end of the fiscal year, rather than buying more licenses for programs, we chose to purchase more devices because newer, less-expensive models such as Chromebooks were available. The change in thinking was that we were now using technology more as a tool where students could explore, discover, create, and share their learning, not as a substitute textbook or worksheet. Our students and teachers were able to collaborate, to ask questions and research to discover answers, and to work together to solve problems through project-based learning. Learning then became more meaningful, engaging, and impactful for students and teachers alike.
Perhaps it is time for all schools or school districts to examine how much they are spending on education technology and to discuss whether that money is having the impact on student learning that they hoped or expected. It’s time for schools and districts to stop looking for quick-fix programs that are costly and promise much but don’t necessarily deliver.
After all, ed tech can supplement, but never replace, quality teaching and learning in the classroom.
When I first began teaching in 1973, there was no such thing as ed tech. We took all our data by hand, we wrote out or typed up conference notes about our students, and my favorite book of ideas was called Workjobs; many of the activities we used to address strudents’ strengths and challenges was homemade using recycled materials. The use of technology was never even on our radar.
Fast forward to 1993 when I was hired to teach first and second graders at Mililani Mauka Elementary School, our state’s first “high tech” school. We had four student desktop computers in each classroom and a desktop for the teacher. We attended training sessions on how to use technology to engage students in their learning. Information was more readily available on the Internet, but we carefully managed the sites our students were able to access. Our students became much more comfortable with word processing, and we created video portfolios, recording students as they gave oral book reports or shared projects they had completed. Things have changed so much since then.
Fast forward again to 2003 when I became a school principal. Going from a perceived high tech school to a school with limited resources was an eye-opener. Upgrading our devices and providing teachers with opportunities to learn more about how to use them was a priority. (Thank goodness for grant opportunities!) Reading over the list of Ed-Tech Debacles, I realized that we tried some of those ”failures,” and I agreed with the writer; they were not worth the money or the hype. As the principal, I was influenced by other educators who raved about different programs, and sadly, I sometimes drank the Kool-Aid. We spent a lot of money on programs that promised to raise student achievement; they didn’t. A lot of what we did was trial-and-error, and the way teachers used technology in their classes was vastly different despite our attempts to train everyone equally.
Until I read this article, I had not thought about the massive amounts of money being “invested” and wasted in education technology - millions and billions of dollars each year. This article, “K-12 Districts Wasting Millions by Not Using Purchased Software, New Analysis Finds,” shares that in some districts, 90% of software licenses purchased were not being used, amounting to a loss of $2 million per year for that district. The reasons are varied: lack of adequate professional development on how to use the program or how to interpret the data; poor connectivity; or lack of student engagement. Studies show that the amount of money invested in ed tech really has not improved educational outcomes. Personalized learning, learning labs, computer-based competency testing, flipped learning - they do not guarantee success or student engagement.
As I became more experienced as a principal, I realized that the best strategy to ensure the appropriate use of ed tech was to give teachers more say in how we used technology at our school. We encouraged teachers to experiment and to share how different learning tools engaged and empowered their students. When (if) we had extra money to spend at the end of the fiscal year, rather than buying more licenses for programs, we chose to purchase more devices because newer, less-expensive models such as Chromebooks were available. The change in thinking was that we were now using technology more as a tool where students could explore, discover, create, and share their learning, not as a substitute textbook or worksheet. Our students and teachers were able to collaborate, to ask questions and research to discover answers, and to work together to solve problems through project-based learning. Learning then became more meaningful, engaging, and impactful for students and teachers alike.
Perhaps it is time for all schools or school districts to examine how much they are spending on education technology and to discuss whether that money is having the impact on student learning that they hoped or expected. It’s time for schools and districts to stop looking for quick-fix programs that are costly and promise much but don’t necessarily deliver.
After all, ed tech can supplement, but never replace, quality teaching and learning in the classroom.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Rays of Hope in these Divisive Times
I am missing my son and my grandsons who have left our islands to return to their home on the mainland. They were here for two wonderful weeks. Their time with us was a welcome diversion from the recent events in our country and the world.
As I read the news as well as comments and links to articles on social media, I feel despondent. This is not the world I want for my grandsons. We are so divided as a state, a nation, and a world. Rather than working together on problems affecting us now and in the future, we choose to take totally opposite sides with no compromise in sight. It is discouraging that the things we try to teach our students in school are so openly flaunted in real life amongst adults.
As an educator, my perception of “success” is not necessarily about grades, test scores, or getting into the best colleges. I may hound Jace and Jayden about their backpacks that could weigh less if they threw away things they no longer need; I may lecture them about leaving their assignments to the last minute; I may try to teach them how to be more organized, but I also realize that they need to find their own way in this world. They have different challenges, and while I can make suggestions, they are the ones who have to put those skills to use as they alternate between their mom and dad’s homes. That said, they have admirable traits that I equate with “success” in life:
- They are curious. They ask a lot of questions about almost anything - US politics, the Iran conflict, immigration, heart surgery (pig valve vs. metal valve replacement), survival of the fittest - and although their viewpoints are reflective of their young ages (12 and 10 years old), they nevertheless are interested and want to engage with us in learning more. They watch YouTube a lot, not just for entertainment, but also to learn new information. As we were cooking together, Jayden shared about salmonella and why we needed to wash everything, even the counter, after cutting the chicken. When I asked where he learned so much about salmonella, he replied, “Inside Edition.” He shared that he enjoys that news program.
- They are caring. I’ve watched them hold the door open for others; they watch over my 92-year-old mom when we are out, sometimes holding her elbow when she walks; they help us with chores around the house. After reading Wonder to them the other year, one of my questions to them is, “What nice thing did you do for someone else today?” It has helped them to think about others.
- They persevere. When we play games or I give them a puzzle, neither boy gives up. Jace loves math and when we present him with a problem to solve, he never wants me to give him the answer or explanation; he engages in discussions and arguments with his dad or with me about his mathematical thinking. Jayden is passionate about cooking, and he never complains about doing the hard work that is required to put forth a meal. On this trip, he prepared two dinners and two breakfasts for us, and I was amazed at how he never gave up, even when the job was tedious.
- They know a lot about technology but they are just as happy doing activities that require no technology. When we have a question about our phones, Randy and I ask them to help us. They don’t have iPhones, but they know more about them than we do, and inevitably if we have a problem, they will fix it and show us what we can do the next time if the problem arises again. When we went to T Mobile to get earbuds for their dad for his birthday, I was astounded at the questions they asked the salesperson, questions I never would have thought of when making a purchase. They love to watch videos and play Fortnite on their phones or iPad, but they’re just as happy playing card games or board games. They are competitive and strategic, and although they hate to lose, they don’t spoil the fun for others by being poor losers.
- They love to science. They are observant about the world around them, and one of their favorite activities when they come to Hawaii is trying to catch lizards. They marvel at the patterns they see, not just on the lizards’ backs, but on flowers and plants they observe on our walks. They are curious about the different birds they see around our neighborhood - golden plovers, cattle egrets, canaries, and even mynahs. I keep hoping we’ll see a Shaman Thrush one day, but so far, we haven’t had any luck. They enjoy passing by a house with a crown flower tree where they can observe the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. We stop to look at different flowers and trees along the way, and we discuss how Hawaii’s environment is different from Nevada’s which means different kinds of plants and animals thrive here.
Being a grandparent is one of life’s great pleasures. I have the time now to enjoy my grandsons, to truly enjoy the time we have to spend together. Of course I wish that Justin, Jace, and Jayden lived here, but as parents, we give our children roots and wings. Justin’s roots are here in Hawaii - he definitely leads with aloha - but he has spread his wings by moving to Nevada and starting a life there. Our grandsons are the beneficiaries, being able to experience more of life, as a result.
So at least for these past two weeks, I had the opportunity to put the divisiveness on the back burner and immerse myself in enjoying the family time. And as Jace and Jayden have shown me through their actions, perhaps our children will show us that there is hope for our world.
We learned to play a new card game called “Golf.” Jace kept losing, even with a great hand, but he never was a poor sport about it.
Jayden knows how to use a knife - his dad taught him to “rock the knife” - and he basically prepared everything for the Chicken Parmesan dinner. As he stated, “Grandma, you’re basically supervising me because I’m doing all the work.”
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Public-Private School Divide
It’s been a couple of weeks since the publication of the Civil Beat editorial, “The High Cost of Inequality Between Hawaii’s Public and Private Schools.” After reading the editorial and the large volume of comments, I’ve been thinking about what schools might do to bridge the divide between the haves and the have-nots because there is a difference in what exclusive private schools can offer their students.
As a public school educator for 45 years but also as a mother of two sons who graduated from a private school, I saw first-hand the difference in opportunities between schools. My husband and I never regretted the sacrifices we made so our sons could benefit from everything their private school had to offer. Yet we never lost our commitment to support our public schools as well.
When we meet someone new in Hawaii, we often ask, “What school did you go to?” We often make judgements about people based on their reply. And yes, I am one of those people who usually cheers for the underdog public school sports team when they are playing a private school. Unfortunately, we do have biases even now, over 150 years after some of those private schools were established.
Civil Beat writer, Sterling Higa, mentions the PUEO program as a good start. Although I agree that it offers opportunities for several hundred public school students each year, it will take more than programs like PUEO to change people’s perceptions. The intention is good: to give less privileged students an opportunity to experience what private schools offer, but that alone will not make the kinds of changes we need if we are to bridge the divide between public and private schools.
The only way we can change our perceptions about people is to get to know them and to realize that everyone can contribute whether it is in school, on the playing field, in an organization, or in the workplace. Our students need to learn to collaborate on projects with others who come from diverse backgrounds. What better time to learn skills in working together than in school? Learning the skill of working with and listening to other viewpoints is essential. This is why I believe that we need to provide opportunities for students from public and private schools to collaborate and learn together. I’m not suggesting that private school students “do a project” for public school students - things like collecting school supplies for a public school or helping out at a homeless shelter. Yes, these are admirable projects, but they don’t bridge the public-private school divide.
Here in Hawaii, students in many schools are examining problems in our community or in our environment using project-based learning. Imagine how powerful it would be for students from public and private schools to work together on projects to address issues that are important to them and which impact their future. Living in an island state, our students realize that we cannot rely on others to tackle issues such as reducing the amount of trash we generate, seeking ways to ensure that we use less disposable plastics which take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills, addressing how renewable energy systems can benefit our community, and even how we can improve our educational system in Hawaii. It would take collaboration between teachers and opportunities for the classrooms to come together to discuss, ask questions, explore, research, and to create a way to share their learning. Hopefully, through collaborative project-based learning, students will realize that it doesn’t matter where you live or where you go to school. Anyone can have great ideas and everyone can contribute to the team. Perhaps, too, private school teachers and students will realize how fortunate they are to have the resources that public schools may not have. This could be the first-step in bridging the divide that now exists.
Three years ago, I was fortunate to attend a series of professional development sessions focused on project-based learning through the Hawaii Innovative Leaders Network. Public and charter school principals were invited to participate, and until then, I had never worked with or gotten to know any charter school principals. What a missed opportunity! All of us got along so well, and we realized that all of us were committed to providing our schools with rich PBL experiences. It made me realize that as school leaders, we had the same goal: to provide our students with rich educational opportunities that will empower them to make a difference in their communities. It didn’t matter if we were a public school or a charter school leader, and we learned a lot from each other through our discussions as well as our learning walks to other schools. That experience can hopefully be replicated with students and teachers.
I look at our world today, and there is so much divisiveness. It seems that people don’t want to listen to opinions that differ from their’s. Part of the problem is that we lack empathy or the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. When we can work together, however, we discover that we are more alike than we are different, and that’s what we need in our world today: people from different backgrounds working together to discuss and come up with solutions to make this world a better place.
Hawaii is too small to divide people into haves and have-nots. Let’s find ways to provide opportunities for students and teachers from public, private, and charter schools to collaborate and discuss problems and solutions that impact us now and in the future. We will all benefit from that collaboration.
As a public school educator for 45 years but also as a mother of two sons who graduated from a private school, I saw first-hand the difference in opportunities between schools. My husband and I never regretted the sacrifices we made so our sons could benefit from everything their private school had to offer. Yet we never lost our commitment to support our public schools as well.
When we meet someone new in Hawaii, we often ask, “What school did you go to?” We often make judgements about people based on their reply. And yes, I am one of those people who usually cheers for the underdog public school sports team when they are playing a private school. Unfortunately, we do have biases even now, over 150 years after some of those private schools were established.
Civil Beat writer, Sterling Higa, mentions the PUEO program as a good start. Although I agree that it offers opportunities for several hundred public school students each year, it will take more than programs like PUEO to change people’s perceptions. The intention is good: to give less privileged students an opportunity to experience what private schools offer, but that alone will not make the kinds of changes we need if we are to bridge the divide between public and private schools.
The only way we can change our perceptions about people is to get to know them and to realize that everyone can contribute whether it is in school, on the playing field, in an organization, or in the workplace. Our students need to learn to collaborate on projects with others who come from diverse backgrounds. What better time to learn skills in working together than in school? Learning the skill of working with and listening to other viewpoints is essential. This is why I believe that we need to provide opportunities for students from public and private schools to collaborate and learn together. I’m not suggesting that private school students “do a project” for public school students - things like collecting school supplies for a public school or helping out at a homeless shelter. Yes, these are admirable projects, but they don’t bridge the public-private school divide.
Here in Hawaii, students in many schools are examining problems in our community or in our environment using project-based learning. Imagine how powerful it would be for students from public and private schools to work together on projects to address issues that are important to them and which impact their future. Living in an island state, our students realize that we cannot rely on others to tackle issues such as reducing the amount of trash we generate, seeking ways to ensure that we use less disposable plastics which take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills, addressing how renewable energy systems can benefit our community, and even how we can improve our educational system in Hawaii. It would take collaboration between teachers and opportunities for the classrooms to come together to discuss, ask questions, explore, research, and to create a way to share their learning. Hopefully, through collaborative project-based learning, students will realize that it doesn’t matter where you live or where you go to school. Anyone can have great ideas and everyone can contribute to the team. Perhaps, too, private school teachers and students will realize how fortunate they are to have the resources that public schools may not have. This could be the first-step in bridging the divide that now exists.
Three years ago, I was fortunate to attend a series of professional development sessions focused on project-based learning through the Hawaii Innovative Leaders Network. Public and charter school principals were invited to participate, and until then, I had never worked with or gotten to know any charter school principals. What a missed opportunity! All of us got along so well, and we realized that all of us were committed to providing our schools with rich PBL experiences. It made me realize that as school leaders, we had the same goal: to provide our students with rich educational opportunities that will empower them to make a difference in their communities. It didn’t matter if we were a public school or a charter school leader, and we learned a lot from each other through our discussions as well as our learning walks to other schools. That experience can hopefully be replicated with students and teachers.
I look at our world today, and there is so much divisiveness. It seems that people don’t want to listen to opinions that differ from their’s. Part of the problem is that we lack empathy or the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. When we can work together, however, we discover that we are more alike than we are different, and that’s what we need in our world today: people from different backgrounds working together to discuss and come up with solutions to make this world a better place.
Hawaii is too small to divide people into haves and have-nots. Let’s find ways to provide opportunities for students and teachers from public, private, and charter schools to collaborate and discuss problems and solutions that impact us now and in the future. We will all benefit from that collaboration.
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