Know Your "Why?"

 Earlier this week, I found out that my hairdresser will be closing the salon in three months. I knew the day would come, but I was not prepared for it to happen so soon. As he explained, their lease is up and they didn't want to sign up for another five years. I've been a client for 16 years; it's going to be hard to find someone else, someone I trust. Over the years, my husband and I have become friends with my hairdresser and the salon manager, sharing stories about politics, books we are reading, our travels, or our experiences. I really looked forward to our monthly appointments.

My hairdresser also teaches seminars for those who are just beginning their career. The other day he shared that when asked, these students often cannot articulate their "why?" Why do you want to go into this business? My hairdresser has been in business here in Hawai`i for 33 years, and before that, he was successful in Japan. He clearly knows his "why?" He loves what he does, is professional in every aspect of his business, and most importantly, his clients feel more beautiful and confident when they leave the salon. 

That got me remembering a video I've watched several times. It is Simon Sinek's Ted Talk on "The Golden Circle" He shares that knowing our "why?" gives us the purpose to do what we do. He shares that people can usually explain the "what?" and the "how?" but if they cannot articulate their "why?" then oftentimes, their idea will fail.

As a principal, I had many opportunities to interview teacher candidates. One of the first questions I asked was, "Why do you want to be a teacher?" I loved when the candidate's eyes lit up and they shared their love for children or their love for learning or about a teacher who influenced their life and made them want to be an educator. They talked about some of their experiences working with children and how they know it isn't easy, but that they felt it was the right profession for them. Or they shared about being a military child or parent and how they could understand the challenges and to empathize and provide the kind of support our students were facing at our military-impacted school. Other interview responses reinforced the teacher candidate's "why?" If someone couldn't respond to that initial question, they often struggled to respond to the subsequent questions. We probably weren't the right school for that teacher candidate. 

As a school leader, I needed to be able to answer the question "why?" when a new idea or initiative was proposed. Our staff had every right to know why they were being asked to do something especially when their plates were already full. It helped to have an honest discussion about why we were starting something new. Sometimes it was mandated by the Department or our Complex Area so we had no choice. My challenge then was to work with the teachers to ensure a smooth transition and to see what might be taken off their plate. If it was a new school-wide initiative, we had discussions and training prior to beginning implementation. Sometimes, we began with a small group of early adopters before going school-wide, but for each new initiative or idea, our staff needed to know the "why?" behind the action. 

Since I retired four years ago, much has changed in education. No one could have predicted that a pandemic would force the temporary closure of schools and the subsequent challenges that educators and families would face as a result. Things will never be the same again, and schools should be examining what and how they have been teaching all these years. Instead, schools can begin by asking "why?" Back in pre-pandemic 2017, I had a list of "why?" questions about education. I think it's time to examine these questions more closely:

• Why are schools so "traditional" and why is it so hard to change?
• Why aren't we looking at different models to build and/or upgrade our schools to the 21st century (e.g. business or university partnerships)? 
• Why can't developers build schools for the areas they are developing?
• Why do we need standardized report cards to tell us how a student is doing in school? What do grades really tell us about a student? 
• Why do we need standardized tests? What do these tests really tell us that we didn't already know about a student?
• Why do we have grade level standards? What would be a better way of collecting evidences of student progress - where they started and where they are now - as opposed to where we say they need to be by the end of a grade level?
• If we value innovation and diversity, why are we so intent on standardizing education?
• Why do we keep talking about school reform? When will we stop talking and do something amazing that will keep our teachers excited about teaching and our kids excited about learning?
• Why aren't educators valued in the United States as they are in other countries?

And my most important why? question is:  If we say that the 'children are our future,' why aren't we willing to invest in that future?

Appreciating Rainbows

 Living in Hawai`i, there is natural beauty all around if we just look for it - the clear blue ocean, white sandy beaches, the stunning mountain ranges, colorful fauna, and gorgeous rainbows. I will admit that I took these things for granted. Many years ago, a friend mentioned that she had never seen a rainbow until she came to Hawai`i, and she would delightedly point it out whenever one appeared. It made me appreciate rainbows more.

After retiring four years ago, I am much more aware of why we live in a very special place. With my trusty iPhone, I take photos of vibrant sunrises, puffy white clouds in the bright blue sky, huge full moons, and rainbows. When COVID forced us to keep our distance from others, walking was a way to get exercise and to be outdoors. I found myself looking for and taking photos of rainbows. In January 2021, I wrote a blog post, “A Metaphor for Hope”. I shared a photo of a rainbow and shared that I was looking forward to better days ahead with the availability of a vaccine. It is clear today that life will never get back to how it was pre-COVID, but we are learning to adjust. We know that without the rain, there would be no rainbows. 

I subscribe to the Hawaii Bulletin a series of articles written by our friend, Ryan Kawailani Ozawa. He writes interesting and diverse articles about innovation and innovators in our state.  This morning’s article, delivered via email, was titled “Exploring Hawaii’s unmatched rainbow connection”. What a wealth of information! I learned so much, and honestly, I don’t quite grasp all of the science and the math, but here are a couple of interesting facts. Did you know that the Hawaiians had different names for different kinds of rainbows? Did you know that geometry plays a role in why Hawai`i has so many rainbows? Finally, sadly, climate change and global warming will have an impact on rainbows in the future.

Ryan shared that University of Hawaii Professor Steven Businger (Read his blog here) has created an app called Rainbow Chase, a free weather app. I downloaded and checked it out. There are amazing photos of rainbows as well as other information such as where the next rainbow might appear from where you are presently located. (Right now, the app is limited to the four main Hawaiian islands, the Western US, and Okinawa). If you love seeing photos of rainbows, check out the app. 

I decided to end this blog post with some of my favorite photos of rainbows.

I remember that I was walking our dog in the mid-afternoon when this beauty appeared! I’m glad I captured it in all its glory!

My photo doesn’t do this rainbow justice. It seemed to be touching the ground; it was gorgeous!

This was taken back in 2017. We had University of Hawai`i Rainbow Warriors football season tickets, and we were tailgating when this rainbow appeared. I told my husband to stand there so I could take this photo.

This might be my favorite of them all. Our grandsons were visiting and we were taking a walk prior to them going back home. We were in the right place at the right time. They don’t see many rainbows where they live.

And finally, to end on a hopeful note, here’s our favorite rainbow song. Enjoy1

Rainbow Connection

Progress?

Three years ago on June 24, 2019, Randy and I returned home from our Revolutionary/Civil War Tour with our son Justin and our grandsons. It was our intention to have the boys experience history and to learn about the sacrifices of those who came before us. 

When I was in school, I learned about our country’s history primarily by reading textbooks and memorizing dates, and I am embarrassed to admit that there is much that I have forgotten since then. I felt strongly that first-hand experiences to the birthplace of our country as well as our nation’s capital would hopefully lead to a  better understanding of our nation’s history and its struggles. This trip was not just for our grandsons; it was for us adults as well.

Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Gettysburg - we experienced so much history. Of course, there wasn’t enough time to see and learn everything, but I think we all have a better understanding of history, of how our country has changed, and of the processes in our nation's capitol that impact all of us in the United States.

Today, Facebook shared a memory from three years ago about that trip. Randy wrote the following in the comments section:

Walking the Freedom Trail learning the history of our Founding Fathers, standing in Independence Hall where they debated the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, experiencing the Civil War at Gettysburg which was the turning point of the War Between the States, touring the Capitol Building which should be a symbol of democracy in action - we felt pride at being a part of the United States of America. 

Yesterday, June 23, 2022, we celebrated the 50-year landmark of Title IX which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that receives federal funds. This piece in the NY Times explains how Patsy T. Mink, our Representative to Congress from Hawai`i, led the fight to get Title IX passed in the Educational Amendments of 1972. Young girls today have unlimited opportunities to participate in sports, and many go on to receive athletic scholarships because of Title IX. Participating in athletics teaches valuable lessons such as teamwork, discipline, perseverance, fair play, and goal-setting. Today’s women have made strides in all areas, and they have options and opportunities that may not have been available to those of our generation. Title IX is not just about athletics. It’s about cultivating caring citizens and leaders. It’s about making sure that our young people have opportunities to thrive, to follow their dreams, to try new ideas, to become more than they ever thought possible. It’s about growing confident leaders who care about their world and who want to make it a better place. Title IX is about empowerment.

Today, five  US Supreme Court justices overturned Roe v Wade, a landmark decision from nearly 50 years ago. Today, many women in our country, now and in the future, have lost a fundamental right to make decisions regarding their own bodies. Yesterday was a day to celebrate women and all they have accomplished since Title IX was passed fifty years ago. Today, I cannot help but wonder what other rights might be taken away in my lifetime. Today is a sad day for our country. 

In his Facebook comment, Randy shared, “Each generation is called upon to act. Hopefully, each generation can find inspiration to do right from those who came before them. At least that is the hope.” We must never give up hope that those in power will do right by the people they serve. Today, sadly, they didn’t. 

A New Generation of Learners

 We just returned from  a week-long trip to visit our son and grandsons in Las Vegas. They are growing up . . . much too quickly, I might add. The older grandson will be a sophomore in high school in the fall, and the younger one will be an eighth grader. They go to a charter school that focuses on science; I know they are getting a quality education, one that prides itself on providing a strong academic curriculum that prepares its students for college.

I have come to realize that despite being an educator for 45 years (now retired for four years) and continuing to keep abreast via articles and my professional learning network, I still have much to learn. As a school leader, I encouraged our teachers and students to use technology as a tool for exploring, discovering, creating, and sharing. I love that our grandsons are doing a lot of learning outside of school hours. We have honest discussions on current issues that matter to them, issues that will impact their world moving forward. They know how to research to find answers to their questions, and they are much more aware of issues such as school violence, racial discord, and other current events. Their viewpoints aren’t always aligned with ours, but their ideas will probably change over time due to experiences they will have.  I look back at my life when I was their age, and there is no comparison; they are much more aware of their world and the possibilities, It’s not just current events, however. They are members of virtual communities and communicate confidently and knowledgeably with adults about NFTs. They purchase baseball cards and sell or trade when the opportunity comes up, and they keep up-to-date about what’s hot and what’s not. They are patient and try to answer my numerous questions, but I am sure they wonder why their grandma doesn’t understand when it’s so clear to them. 

Earlier this summer, I read this op-ed Calculus isn’t the only option. Let’s broaden and update the current math curriculum and I thought of our grandsons. As the authors of this op-ed share in their final sentence: “In a world where we are regularly updating our software, our devices, and our lexicons, why wouldn’t we want the same for our children’s math education?” This recent trip has validated my beliefs that our young people do need more options. When I reflect on my journey as a student and then as a teacher who taught young students, I realize how we much more meaningful math can and should be if we focused on real-world application.

I grew up in a different world. Our parents lived through the Great Depression, and they were very careful with their hard-earned money. It was probably ingrained in them by their parents’ generation, many who were immigrants and scrimped and saved and worked several jobs so they could purchase a home or an automobile. My husband shares about how his grandfather purchased his brand-new DeSoto car with Roosevelt dimes he had saved from his business. I admit that I know very little about the stock market and other investments. Our “wealth” is in our home which my husband and I purchased shortly after we were married. We are fortunate that both of us retired after many years working for the State, so we can live comfortably on our fixed income. That may not be the case for our grandsons so realizing how to invest and save money is important for their future. They are fortunate to have a Dad who is knowledgeable and can guide his sons whether it’s buying baseball cards or NFTs or answering questions about the real estate market. Our son shared that he sees his sons carefully studying the charts and the crypto markets and asking questions,  and he believes that is the best real-life math experience they could have. They don’t always make the “right” decision, but that is all a part of the learning. I agree. 

I remember seeing this visual about math education a few years ago, and I think it’s a good time to share it again. Math shouldn’t be neat and tidy and predictable. Our students need to see math as something they need to grapple with and to make sense of because it is an essential part of this world. They need to persevere and discuss real problems with others to see different viewpoints; this needs to be an essential part of every classroom from preschool on. Students need to know that math is all around them and that there is no such thing as “I am not good at math.” There is so much potential for this generation of teachers and learners to change the perception that higher level math is the only option. Let’s make it happen!

 

A New Superintendent

 I spent 12+ hours this past Thursday, watching the interviews, public testimony, and Board of Education discussion before they made a decision on the new Superintendent for the Hawai`i Department of Education. This was the first time that the process was made public, and as a 30-year veteran and a retiree of the DOE, I was very interested. 

In my tenure as a teacher and school administrator in the HIDOE, I served under six different Superintendents. Each one had their strengths and their plan to improve our school system such as school-based management and flattening our system; standards-based learning; establishing weighted student formula to give schools more control over their budgets; focusing on the requirements of our Department’s Race to the Top grant; and reimagining school design. As each new Superintendent was appointed, schools had to readjust to comply with the new focus. 

In the past, the interviews and decision-making process for the Board of Education were held behind closed doors. This year, due to a Hawai`i Supreme Court ruling, the process was open to the public. It was quite an experience to listen to the presentation by each of the three finalists as well as their responses to the set questions. It was evident that each of the candidates had their strengths as well as areas where they could improve, but the fact that the Board was able to attract three quality candidates was a plus. These are very challenging times for our public school system, and all three finalists were confident that they had a plan to work with the Board to create a strategic plan for all ~172,000 students in 294 public and charter schools in our state. 

In the end, Keith Hayashi was selected to lead our schools. He has been serving as the Interim Superintendent since August 2021, and he now has an opportunity to work with the Board to create a 3-year Strategic Plan to raise education in Hawai`i to new heights. As the Waipahu High School principal, Mr. Hayashi was instrumental in the transformation of the school with a curriculum that includes Early College, Design Thinking, academies and career paths. In his book, “What School Could Be”, Ted Dintersmith shared a quote by a student: “we know the rest of our state describes us as the ghetto of Hawai`i.We know our families are poor. But we also know we’re going to do great things in life, and we’ll do it with support from our families and classmates.” (Page 207) 

Just as Mr. Hayashi changed the perception of Waipahu High School when he was their principal, I hope he can help to change the perception of our public schools here in Hawai`i. The public needs to know that our schools are being innovative and students are thriving. Yes, there will always be challenges, but by supporting our new Superintendent and all those who work in our schools, we will see great ideas emerge and our students will continue to do amazing things. Regardless of whom our personal preference was for the Superintendent position, I hope that we in Hawai`i realize the need to support our schools. We need to work together to resolve the differences that have divided us in the past and move forward to ensure that our schools continue to improve and thrive. Our students deserve it. 

The  students at Waipahu High School are inspired by their vision: My voice. My choice. My future. By joining together to support our public schools here in Hawai`i, we can change that to: Our voice. Our choice. Our future. Let’s work to make our schools the very best they can be. 

Appreciation for Our School Workers

Teacher Appreciation Week is an opportunity to thank our teachers, and I am always happy when I see all the photos on social media, School communities are very creative and generous when appreciating their teachers! However, I have shared in the past that we should be thanking and appreciating teachers throughout the year, not just during Teacher Appreciation Week. A short note, a small gift, an email or phone call - these small acts of kindness can do wonders especially if the teacher had a challenging day. 

It’s important to show aloha to our teachers, but let’s not forget the other workers at a school who are also essential in contributing to a positive climate for our students. It really does take everyone to ensure that the school runs smoothly. 

The custodial staff is essential. Look around when walking into a new place. What do you notice? I loved walking around our school! The custodians were proud to keep our school clean and safe, but it was more than that. There was pride in their work. They took care of repair and maintenance issues in a timely manner and found ways to beautify our campus. When any of the staff requested something - a desk and chair for a new student starting that day, someone to take care of a centipede crawling on the floor, someone to clean up when a child got sick in class - our custodians responded immediately. When they heard a Code Nike over the walkie talkie, they immediately stopped to assist. They were calm and kept the child safe until a counselor, teacher, or administrator could take over. The custodial staff was essential to our school.

The office staff is essential. Until I became an administrator, I wasn't aware of how important the SASA and clerks are to the smooth running of our school. They are usually the first to welcome a new family or visitors to our school, and I was grateful that they showed aloha by smiling and getting up quickly with a "Hello, what can I do for you?". As a military-impacted school, we had a large number of transitioning families - 500-700+ each school year - and our office staff assisted families so they could complete all the forms and students could begin school as soon as possible. They also prepared the transfer packet so families could take it with them on the students' last day. Coming in early to make sure there was a substitute for every absent teacher, to following up on sick leave or personal leave forms, to accounting for field trip forms and money collected, to completing purchase orders and checking in the items as they were delivered, to ensuring that they passed along messages to the right person for follow-up - these are just a few examples of what our office staff did; they were essential to our school.

Educational assistants are essential. When I was starting my career as a teacher with the Head Start program, I worked with educational assistants. These EAs were often former parents who volunteered in their child’s classroom and realized how much they enjoyed working with children. Later I was hired at an elementary school for their preschool special education  program. I had two wonderful EAs who were invaluable in providing support for our students. When I taught second grade and enrollment increased substantially, I was assigned an EA who was also a parent at our school. She loved the job so much that when her husband was transferred back to the mainland, she started a child care business. As a principal, our educational assistants were essential in their support for our school. With  modeling from their teacher, they were willing to learn how best to help their students. They also helped all students in the morning before school began by helping in the cafeteria or supervising waiting areas. When our EAs noticed that students were bored with nothing to do while waiting for the bell to ring, they brought activities so the students could learn or create something new. After school, they were out in the hallways or escorting students to buses and assisting teachers or office staff. We had several EAs go back to school to get their teaching degree, and we hired them, knowing that they would be caring and wonderful teachers. Educational assistants are essential to a school.

The cafeteria staff is essential. They arrive at school when it's still dark outside and most of us are just waking up. They prepare nutritious breakfasts and lunches, knowing that for some students, this will be their only meals of the day. Our meal clerks and lunch supervisors were also essential. They ensured that students could get their meals quickly so they would have sufficient time to eat. We believed that lunchtime was an opportunity for students to socialize, so yes, it sometimes got noisy, but our cafeteria staff and lunch supervisors kept things running smoothly, and the custodians got everything cleaned up before the next group of students arrived. The cafeteria staff is essential to a school.

Counselors, behavior therapists, speech language pathologists, transition coordinator, parent-community coordinator - these were all essential positions at our school. Working with students who needed additional support, helping to welcome students and their families to our school, coordinating parenting activities or ensuring there were volunteers for our many school-wide or grade-level activities - our school was special because of all the supports our students and our school community received. 

Bus drivers are essential. Without them, many students would not have a way to get to school. It is not easy to drive a bus while keeping an eye and ear out for what's going on behind you. I know I couldn't do that! Yet our bus drivers do it every day, twice each day, and I appreciate them. They are essential. 

A school is more than the administration and the teachers. Let's appreciate all of our staff for what they do each and every day for our students and their families. 

Support for Our Youngest Students, Especially Those Who Need it Most

I am an Early Childhood Education major, and sometime early in my career, I remember reading about a 1964 study by Benjamin Bloom that found that half of the growth in intelligence is made between birth and age four. This study shows why it is so important for our youngest children to be exposed to rich learning experiences. As a Head Start teacher early in my career, I worked with economically disadvantaged preschoolers and their families. This experience validated my beliefs about equity, learning through hands-on activities, teamwork, the importance of parent involvement, and early interventions. This is why I am so disappointed that our state has not yet committed to early childhood education despite clear evidence that preschool experience does make a difference. 

This is why I was excited when I heard about the Building Blocks Hawaii Program that Impact Change Hawaii has started for preschoolers in our geographical area. This twice-a-week program brings together 3-and-4-year-olds and an adult - usually a parent or grandparent - to participate in activities that stress literacy, communication, and social-emotional learning. These students have not had the opportunity to attend a regular preschool. The cost of the tuition is more than their families can afford, while at the same time, the parents earn too much to qualify for the Head Start program. Building Blocks Hawaii is an option for these children and their families.

The Building Blocks Hawaii program is held in a church building. The intent is to have community support for the program which benefits the students and their families. 

Principal Yogi and kindergarten teachers from Kipapa Elementary School also visited the program today. Impact Change Hawaii was formed to support this program and to expand it to other areas. The kindergarten teachers realize the positive impact this program can have on their incoming students.

Back when I was growing up, very few (if any) of my classmates attended preschool so we were all on a level playing field when we started kindergarten. That's not the case today, and there is often a significant difference in socialization, social-emotional, and language and math literacy skills in students who have attended preschool and those without that experience. That is a societal issue that needs to be addressed. This opportunity gap often shows up as an achievement gap when students first enter kindergarten. . It is a classic case of the "haves and the have-nots." 

Until there is a universal preschool program in our state, we need to rely on innovative leaders like Principal Yogi of Kipapa Elementary School who saw a need and sought to find a solution for her families. Thanks to Impact Change Hawaii, her incoming kindergarteners have an opportunity that will prepare them to be successful through the Building Blocks Hawaii program. However, there are challenges, including funding, finding qualified staff, and the availability of facilities. 

Let's work together to address these challenges so that ALL entering kindergarten students are ready for school.

****************

 "Our Youngest Learners Deserve Our Support" (October 4, 2015)

"Let's Get Moving on Universal Preschool in Hawaii" (March 31, 2019)

"Hawaii's prekindergarten classes lauded for quality, not quantity" (Star-Advertiser, April 26, 2021)

"Executive Office of Early Learning"