Feeling Optimistic

 It’s been a month since my last blog post. It’s not that I haven’t tried. I started several posts but deleted them. I couldn’t get past the first paragraph. I am determined to get this one done.

It’s been six years since I’ve retired. I wrote this blog, “So What’s Next?” on my last day of work back in 2018. Since then, much has happened in our world and in my life, and I continued to blog about my hopes, my thoughts, and my experiences. I still have strong ideas about our educational systems, but recently, I’ve been wondering if maybe I am too far-removed to share my opinions publicly. I had doubts.

But this past week, I had the opportunity to speak with several young teachers. We were sign-holding for a candidate in a local race, a candidate who received the endorsement of the teachers’ union. I started by asking questions to get to know them better  - where they teach, how long they’ve been teaching, how they navigate the challenges post-pandemic, and similar questions. 

As our conversation continued, I found myself feeling energized and excited. These teachers were looking forward to the new school year. They shared that they prioritized relationship-building with their students and colleagues. They also believed in  providing students with opportunities to maximize their strengths while providing intervention strategies when needed. They were open to trying ideas like team-teaching or project-based learning or learning centers. They shared positive opinions about their administrators whom they felt supported them and  helped them to grow as teachers and as people.

Three of the teachers I spoke with are in their second careers; they went back to college to get their education degree and definitely do not regret their decision. Two were working in schools while concurrently taking classes. It is evident that they love what they are doing and feel they are making a positive difference in their students’ lives. 

A few years ago, I wrote this blog post - “Should Our Best and Brightest Become Teachers?”  I think this is more applicable than ever today. We need an informed citizenry to tackle the problems in our community, in our state, in our country, and in the world. The teachers I spoke with recently are committed to educating our young people to be passionate, motivated, inspired learners who can make a difference. They are the kind of teachers we need for our students today. 

I am feeling optimistic!

An Inspirational Teacher

Back in April 2022, I wrote a blog post titled, “Bold and Visionary Leadership” after sitting in on a virtual session of “Investing in Human Capital.” One of those leaders I highlighted was Candy Suiso; this is what I shared.

Those of us in education know about Candy Suiso, a remarkable educator who started a creative media program at a high school in one of the poorest communities in our state and turned it into a thriving production company where students are creating amazing videos and other media projects. Former students are returning to the school to teach the next generation of creative media students. (Watch Candy's TED-X talk here.)  

Today, my husband and I joined other invited guests, former and present students, community and educational leaders in our State, and proud faculty members and parents to celebrate the 30th Anniversary Reunion and Celebration of Searider Productions. Candy has retired as a teacher but is now the Executive Director of Searider Productions Foundation. In her new role, she has increased the number of real-world commercial and professional projects and opportunities for students. 

We were able to talk with and question students about their projects, and I was impressed with their poise, their confidence, and the quality of the work they produced. Since its inception in 1993, the program has graduated 7,000 students pursuing a Career and Technology Education certification in the study of Arts and Communication. Many have graduated with an Associates Degree in addition to their high school diploma, and a number have returned to their community and their alma mater to work with the next generation of students. Check out their website for more information on the many possibilities for students to learn skills and to contribute to their school or community.

Candy shared that when she first proposed her idea, people were doubtful that she could/would be successful because of the many societal challenges of the Waianae community. But Candy persisted, and her students thrived when given the opportunity to learn through video production. And with funds generated through their commercial and professional products and projects, students are able to travel to gain new experiences, opportunities they may not have had if they were not part of Searider Productions. 

A teacher can make a difference. Candy Suiso graduated from Waianae High School, left to attend college, then returned to teach at her alma mater. One teacher’s dream blossomed into an award-winning program which brings hope and pride to the students, their families, and the community.  

Congratulations to Searider Productions on your 30th Anniversary!

My husband Randy and me with Candy Suiso

Some of the many, many local and national awards won by the students at Searider Productions

Can Our Students and Schools Be Advocates for Change?

 Back in 1993, I was hired to teach first grade at a new “high-tech” elementary school. I remember the trainings we received from Dr. David Perkins of Harvard’s Project Zero and feeling overwhelmed with the information. Then it all came together as our grade level teachers collaborated and created a unit based on the school’s theme of “change.” We titled our unit, “People Bring Change to the Environment.”

Our science resource teacher helped us to make sense of the grade level science standards and suggested that we address the issue of renewable and non-renewable resources.  I recall spending time together as a grade level, learning, discussing, planning, implementing, and reflecting afterwards. It wasn’t easy, but we were making learning rigorous and relevant for our first graders, and we learned about this important issue alongside our students. We started with brainstorming questions and documenting our learning, adding more questions and learnings in the process. We compared data about the amount of trash we were generating as a family, a classroom, a school, and society. We learned about the length of time it takes for different materials to decompose, about the 3 R’s and why it’s important to reduce, reuse, recycle, and so much more as we continued to delve deeper based on student questions. 

As a culminating activity, our students decided to take a walking trip in our community to pick up trash; we didn’t really know what the outcome would be, but the students were excited and determined to make a difference. Each classroom took a different route, and our area included the City Park-and-Ride lot; there was more trash than usual at that location. Some of our students observed that perhaps this was because there were no trash cans there. When we got back to school, we sorted and graphed the trash and the students made observations based on what they had learned. 

But they were most concerned that there were no trash cans at the Park-and-Ride. They wanted to do something about it and brainstormed ideas. Through their research, they found out that the head of the City was the Mayor, and they decided to write letters to him. They knew that the Mayor was  busy, so he might not reply, but they were undeterred.  They wrote in their best handwriting and shared their observation about the trash at the Park-and-Ride and the lack of trash cans. They drew pictures, added some information they learned about trash, and reminded the Mayor that their parents had voted for him. 😊

One morning a few weeks later, a student excitedly announced that they had gone past the Park-and-Ride, and there were trash cans! Our students had made a difference! I was so grateful to the City for listening to our students. I was hopeful that as these students continued in their life, they will remember that they have the capacity to make a difference, no matter how small it may seem to someone else.

This is a memory from 30 years ago, but it is still one of my favorites from my time as a teacher. Every one of my first graders was engaged in this unit of study, and parents shared that it made a difference in their shopping habits as well. I am hopeful that through this unit, students realized that every person can make a difference. Imagine if they had these kinds of experiences throughout their educational journey! School could change from being a place where teachers tell students what they need to learn (so they can do well on a test) to encouraging students’ questions and interests to create the kinds of experiences where students can drive their own learning. 

The students in that first grade classroom are now in their mid-thirties. They may even be parents now. I hope that when they recall their educational journey, they will remember that special time when they made a difference for their community. 

Note: Check out the What School Could Be virtual community to connect with educators who are committed to re-imagining learning for our students. 

Memories from the Past

Back in 2019, I self-published my first book, “Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office.” (blog “I Did It!😊”) At the time, I encouraged my husband Randy to write his memoir; he has had a much more “colorful” life than me, and his varied professional experiences would surely be an interesting read. I even offered to help him write it, but he still refused. 

Yesterday, Randy posted a memory on Facebook, and that story has triggered forgotten-memories and led to positive comments from his friends. This is the kind of interaction that I enjoy about social media where a photo or post brings a smile to our faces. Randy’s post did that. 

I asked Randy if I could share his post in a blog, and, surprise! He agreed. So here is Randy’s memory. In case  you are wondering, Randy was hospitalized and diagnosed with a heart condition which made him extremely exhausted after walking short distances. Fortunately, he is fine now although he is allergic to penicillin after taking it daily for too long. And the radio no longer works, but it is a keepsake which brings back fond memories for Randy. 

Randy’s Facebook Post, May 31, 2024

Around 1959 (I was in the 7th grade) I had to go into the hospital for several days.  My mom and dad bought me this Zenith transistor radio to keep me company.  I was out of school for several months, and returned for half days only.  This radio was my companion and friend!

Whenever I see this radio today, memories of moments in time come flashing back.  K-POI radio with djs like Ron Jacobs, Tom Moffat, Tom Rounds, the Bearded Bob Lowrie, "Little" Stevie Nicolet, Don Robbs, Dave the Moose Donnelly.  ILH football.  Fabian (the singer???) landing in Hawaii and being helicoptered to KPOI (tried to look for it from my hospital bed  with no success).  The early flights of the Mecury space capsule e.g. Alan Shepard, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, John Glenn -- getting up on school days at 2 a.m. to listen to the launches.  Hearing the news flash that President Kennedy had died.  Listening to K-POI in the late evening while standing on Date Street to view the nuclear explosion over Johnston Island that turned night into day in Honolulu, and knock the K-POI transmission off the air.  Eagerly waiting for K-POI to play Rene Paulo's "Here is Happiness" and calling in often to request it. (my dad was a drummer in Rene's group).

During my stay in the hospital, I was completely bedridden.  So my Zenith and K-POI provided me my only escape day and night.  Songs from that time always take me back to my intermediate school years : e.g. "First Name Initial" by Annette, 'Put Your Head on My Shoulders" by Paul Anka, "West Texas Town of El Paso" by Marty Robbins, "Hush a Bye"; by the Mystics, "Misty" by Johnny Mathis, "Venus" by Frankie Avalon. The list is as long as K-POI's playlist!

These are but a few of the memories I had with my Zenith companion and at my age, there are many wonderful and sad memories that came through my Zenith.

“I Touch the Future. I Teach.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with students at the University of Hawai`i. I started off with this quote by Christa McAuliffe: "I touch the future. I teach." These words have been my "why?' the reason I stayed in education for 45 years - to positively impact my students for their futures. None of the university students knew who Christa was so I shared that she was selected from over 11,000 applicants from around our nation to be the first "Teacher in Space" back in 1985. All of us who were teachers at that time were excited that one of our own would be on the Challenger space shuttle, sharing lessons from space. But 1 minute 13 seconds after blastoff, the Challenger exploded. Christa and the rest of the crew did not survive, but her words live on and are just as meaningful today as they were when she spoke them nearly 40 years ago. 

These students are taking a College of Education course, but they are unsure about whether they want to  teach. They had read my book, Leading with Aloha: From the Pineapple Fields to the Principal’s Office, and Professor Scott Robinson asked them to write questions they had for me on a Jamboard..

I was pleased to see two questions about teaching. How can future teachers become better prepared? and What advice would you give someone who is going into teaching with little experience leading an elementary classroom? In our conversation with students in the class, it was evident that they were considering going into teaching, but they also had other interests. Could I convince them to give teaching a try? 

I shared this Instagram post from a former Teach for America teacher at our school. (Read the blog here.) Unlike many other TFA teachers, Kat stayed for five years, and in that time, we learned as much from her as she learned from us. She moved on and as she shares, her teaching experience was invaluable in preparing her for her new career as an entrepreneur and business owner. 

There are many Kat's out there who started teaching and then pivoted to other careers. Recently, our College of Education Alumni Association honored Glenn Furuya as our 2024 Distinguished Alumnus. Glenn received his BEd and MEd from the University of Hawai`i and taught special education in Hilo. While teaching, he discovered a passion for developing leaders which led to the founding of Leadership Works. In that role, Glenn has impacted thousands of people, not just in Hawai`i, but in other countries as well. And he, like Kat and so many others, started as a teacher. 

I told these University of Hawai`i students that they would grow and gain invaluable skills if they chose to spend a few years teaching. In today's world, there are so many options for them, but teaching for a few years could give them the confidence and the leadership skills to venture into another professional opportunity if they choose to do so. 

I believe very strongly in developing teachers to be the best they can be for their students. We want teachers to be creative, to use their own strengths and interests to engage their students, to try new ideas in their classrooms, and to work together as a team to learn with and from each other. I believe that students should be active learners, to discover their strengths and their interests, to learn and to work with others as part of a team, and to create their own learning opportunities with guidance from a caring adult. 

Recently, the Hawai`i Department of Education shared this article about two of their youngest-ever teachers. I was excited when I read it because last year, Skye was one of the student teachers I supervised at the University of Hawai`i West O`ahu. (I had no idea back then that she was only 19 years old.) When I texted Skye after reading the article, she shared that it's been challenging but that it's a learning process and she loves her students. And I’m sure her students love her, too.

We need our young people to become teachers. Too often, we discourage them by telling them all the negatives - not enough pay, disengaged students, difficult parents, etc. - but there are so many positives, too many to share. These young people can be the best role models and coaches for our students; let's support and encourage them. Don't our kids deserve that? 

And if you or your child is considering going into teaching, remember Christa McAuliffe's words: I touch the future. I teach.

 

The World Was Passing Me By . . .

 . . . and I was okay with that. But I realize that I was missing out. 

July makes six years since I retired. I am still involved in education issues and will continue to do so. But I realized that I don't have to "keep up" with the new technologies like I tried to do when I was a principal. 

When Chat GPT came out, I was intrigued. There was chatter on social media, I read blogs and articles about it, and I heard from others that it could make work for teachers easier. Given guidance, ChatGTP could write lesson plans, emails, letters of recommendations, and so much more. It seemed that the possibilities were endless.

I also read comments from teachers who said that Chat GPT was banned  in their class or their school. "We don't want students cheating," was the common theme. And yet,  I thought, we have always had some form of "cheating." What about Cliff's Notes? Was that cheating? What about kids Googling to get answers to questions? Can we ban students from using the Internet to get answers to questions?

I know that AI and ChatGPT weren’t going away in education. But I wasn’t sure how to use it as a retiree. So I didn’t.

Recently, my husband and I were the opening speakers at the first National Kidney Foundation of Hawai`i summit. We shared our personal story about our son Jarand. This was my first experience listening to speakers and panelists discussing medical issues, and while much of the information was over my head, I realized that the medical field is no different from the educational system I was a part of for so many years. One of the panelists shared this challenge that they needed to work together on these health issues that impact our communities,  and then he added, “And AI is here to stay.” 

AI is here to stay. It got me thinking. Alexa is an AI tool, and we’ve grown to rely on her to let us know what the weather will be like the next day and whether we’ll be able to golf or not. If we have a question, we ask Alexa. We get our answer quicker than if we Googled it. She can tell jokes, play our favorite music, tell us when an Amazon package will arrive, and do a myriad of other tasks that we haven’t even explored yet. 

So this morning, I was determined to learn more about ChatGPT’s capabilities. I typed this question on the free website: How could a principal use ChatGPT?  In a few seconds, I got an answer: A principal could use ChatGPT for various tasks such as drafting announcements, creating educational materials, generating ideas for school events or initiatives, providing personalized feedback to students or staff, and even offering virtual tutoring or homework help. 

That was quick! I asked a follow-up: Show me examples of how ChatGPT can help me to generate ideas for a school event to showcase student use AI. (Note that I accidentally eliminated the word “of” between use and AI.) Here’s the response: Certainly! Here are a few ideas for school events to showcase students’ use of AI, and they shared 7 ideas ranging from a showcase to an art showcase to AI in sports. I continued to ask follow-up questions about helping teachers and other principals learn more about AI, and the answers came almost instantaneously with a variety of ideas. The whole process took less than 5 minutes; I was impressed! I was also hooked.

I started asking all kinds of questions just to see what kinds of responses I could get. The responses were so much faster than I get when I Google those kinds of questions. And with Google, I had to search  to see which ones were relevant. 

That got me thinking about the role of ChatGPT or AI in education. We want students to be complex thinkers, not just regurgitators of information. That means that teachers need to ask higher level thinking questions or do projects where students apply what they know to address current issues. I asked ChatGPT  questions about cheating, and here are the responses:

AI is here to stay so as educators, we need to figure out the best way to engage our students so they can use tools like ChatGPT to enhance their learning in order to complete their assignments. And as teachers, we can use these kinds of AI tools to help students engage more deeply with their assignments. 

 

Let’s Listen to Our Students

I was a compliant student  I listened to my teachers, did my work, studied hard, and got decent grades. When I went to the university, I learned about this yellow book with black letters called "Cliff's Notes"  that some students purchased. I was appalled! Instead of reading the assigned literature, they were reading summaries, a very shortened version of what was required for the course. I was too much of a rules-follower to ever consider purchasing one of those books. Instead, I labored and struggled to understand some of the readings we were assigned because I didn't want to "cheat."

I remember getting home from work about twenty years ago, and our son and some of his high school friends were huddled around our computer, reading something and then writing in their notebooks. "What are you doing?" I asked them. They were at a website for a book they were supposed to be reading for their high school English class. There was no way they were going to read the whole book - “it’s so long and boring!” - so they were reading the summary of the chapters and completing the questions. "Don't worry," one of them assured me. "We'll still get an 'A' in the class; the tests are easy." I was flabbergasted and also concerned that these kids, taking a college prep English class, were not being challenged with rich discussions or assignments. 

Today, kids are able to Google anything and with the emergence of AI,  times are certainly different. I read this op-ed by a high school junior Benjamin Weiss,  "Student Voice: Teachers Assign Us Work that Relies on Rote Memorization then Tell Us Not to Use Artificial Intelligence". What a thoughtful, honest, quality writing piece which may capture what many students are thinking. 

My opinions have evolved through my years in education, first as a teacher and later as a school principal. From my experiences, I realized that if learning is to "stick," what we assign to students has to be meaningful. For far too long, schools have focused on memorization and regurgitation of information rather than on deeper thinking. Getting a high score on a test did not necessarily mean that the student learned more. It could mean that they were good at memorizing. And the question to ask is, did students retain the information or was it forgotten as soon as the test was over? Often, it’s the latter.

I asked two male teens to read the op-ed by Benjamin Weiss. I asked if they agreed with the writer. One  teen said, “I agree cause teachers should be teaching kids in a way where you can’t cheat so easily. I think memorizing doesn’t help if you don’t understand the concept,” he added. The other teen shared, “I agree because I don’t think that teaching for a test is really teaching; at that point, it is basically giving the students a script to remember.” They agreed that assignments should be more thinking and discussing rather than just memorizing. And, I should add that these two teens, although they perform well in school, have shared on numerous occasions that they don’t really enjoy school.

Back in 2020 while schools were still closed due to the pandemic, I wrote a blog titled, “Time to Examine Our Beliefs about Education.” Amongst my thoughts were the following:

• Seat time and good grades are not necessarily an indication of learning. Too often, learning in school is merely memorizing and regurgitating information. Real learning means applying skills or facts to delve deeper, to make sense of information, and the application to new situations. It may mean that students get feedback then revise their work before submitting it for credit. How do we change our reporting system to tell the story of real learning that has lasting impact on a student?
• Too often, school is teacher-directed. It is the teacher in the classroom who determines what to teach, when to teach it, and what is the evidence of learning. Students are often passive learners as opposed to being passionate, self-directed learners whose curiosity about a subject drives their own learning. How can we ensure that our student learners have an opportunity to create their own learning that is meaningful and impactful to them?
• The public judges schools based on standardized test scores, and schools feel the pressure of ensuring that their students are prepared for this once-a-year high stakes testing. Teachers may be evaluated based on the scores of their students. While we understand that the public needs to know that our schools are educating our students to be contributing citizens of their community, is there a more reliable, less expensive, and less time-consuming way to rate our schools besides high-stakes testing?

Our world is changing, much more rapidly than when I was a child or even for much of my teaching career. Our schools, our educators, and our school leaders need to take a good look at what we are expecting from our students. AI is not the problem; unless we change the way we do schools, our students will continue to look for the easiest way to complete rote assignments. As Benjamin Weiss shares in his op-ed, “We are at a crossroads. Educators, policymakers and everyone with an interest in the future of work has a decision to make. They can either continue supporting an education system that teaches students to think in ways that AI can clearly do better, or they can decide to reform education to prepare students for the not-to-distant world of the future.”