I try to follow this mantra, but fall short on a cotidie (Latin word of the day, means 'daily') basis. There are rare occasions when I can combine a mixture of ambition, luck, energy, nerves, and relentless support from many amazing people to 'pull off' something worth wile. I had the opportunity to speak in a session at the Schools of the Future Conference (SOTFC) at the Hawaii Convention Center yesterday. I agreed to this last school year because Hope asked me to give it a shot. I thought, what the heck, I can talk about PLTW and what we do in the classroom. I've had countless visitors to my class over the past two years; what's the harm in speaking about this to a room of people. No sweat... Right...
Now we Fast-forward: wife gets pregnant (of which we were intentionally trying for several years, so Yay!), decided to go back to grad school (of which I am forever grateful and appreciative, even though it may drive my wife a bit nuts), preemie baby, baby's home, we're trying to learn how to be parents (of which I can say Luca's still thriving and he smiles every day... that's more on him than on us... we lucked out with this lil one), family visits (mostly good with the usual crazy mixed in), school year starts, juggling 27 plates at a time.... then....
Oh, right, I did agree to speak in front of a room full of my peers about PLTW, NGSS, and CCSS...
So I whip-up what I can. I have the awesome support of my PTT, Hope, my co-worker Stacy, and we get it done. I feel relieved the second it's over and I'm talking to some of our awesome STEMS^2 peeps after the 'show.' Tara, Joe, Eo, Waynelle, Kaai, and of course Hope; you all showed me the love and support through your actions and words. We are so lucky to have a learning family like this! Big Mahalos to you all for taking the time to be with me! Just knowing you were there, and sorry Eo, Waynelle, and Joe... I did't see you at first, but was so happy to see you there.. what can I say, Tara naturally has people gravitate toward her - like a nice shiny sun; I guess I'm no different.. ha
Being a very small part of the SOTFC was a humbling and honored experience. I had a room with about 50 participants, in a conference of over 1,500 educators, administrators, parents, and professionals from various public and private entities. For a short time, these 50 or so people were giving me their time and energy. I was trying to give them back all they deserved and wanted to respect their efforts by providing a total experience.
The power of our voices and actions are evident in times like these. Through my presentation, I had so much running through my head which I wanted to share. I attempted to sneak in some ideas I feel represent a small slice of STEMS^2 while respecting the platform and venue I was a part of. I mentioned A'o as a vital concept in what PLTW does; Project LEAD the Way's design supports and encourages students as leaders in the classroom. This is not just a line, I believe it and try to make it happen in my classes. I spoke about the real connection between engineering education in the K-12 setting connected to our University trying to attract and keep local engineers here to create and expand current industry. I also mentioned the importance of collaborative teamwork which is embedded in the PLTW system; another tenant of our STEMS^2 experiences. I tried to connect the PLTW curriculum, with its initial stories which lead into the projects and activities, with the need for a more connected and represented cultural component. Our new PLTW lead, Diana Papipi Warren, is dedicated to create more meaningful connections between the PLTW curriculum and our host culture across Hawaii's schools. Through this small window of time, I hope my words were appropriate and from my heart.
What is so refreshing and reassuring is how our state has this conference EVERY YEAR. The establishment and continuation of this event is a true public-private partnership. Yes, there are political, ethical, and cultural impacts and I'm not saying this conference is the best example of what STEMS^2 stands for. It's not..yet.... but, I guess my challenge is, if we feel a conference of this magnitude is a useful platform to share our STEMS^2 ideas and agenda, why are we not proliferating our message to the masses? How can we use amazing events like this to spread our information and causes to the rest of the state? After experiencing this for the first time, I think the SOTFC provides a safe and useful platform for us STEMS^2ers to engage, challenge, and inspire others.
So, next year, who's commin' with me? What is your STEMS^2 passion? How can you capture that passion, compress it into one of the various platforms offered at this conference (poster sessions, speaking sessions, activity sections), and spread some STEMS^2 all over that bread!? Just a suggestion and a minor call to action for the next 50 or so STEMS^2 cohorts... make this SOTFC, or other conferences like it, part of the STEMS^2 curriculum. Embed the opportunities and challenges of public presentations in educational settings as part of the STMES^2 learning process. This may have dual ramifications and I'd like to invite discussion and debate on this issue. In no way do I think this suggestion is a solution to a problem. It's more of a idea of possibility for the future of STEMS^2 and how it is seen/heard/felt/and sensed in our place. In the comments below, feel free to share your ideas, questions, or comments.
What is a STEMS^2 Unit, what does it look like, how does it engage the students, what will the outcomes be, and why is all this important?
Questions, questions, questions...
Here's my breakdown...
1. Start with the ends in mind. What do I want my students to experience through this unit? How can this experience fundamentally change them for the better? How do these experiences support their academic, social, personal, and cultural growth?
A good STEMS^2 unit has several predetermined ends in mind. Even though careful thought and planning go into determining these ends, one should not assume these will be the only ends or the most meaningful for each student. I also believe a good curricular unit allows for adaptation, evolution, and adjustments based on student input and feedback.
2. Create a holistic experience. How can this unit combine and interconnect ideas, materials, and people with meaning and purpose? How will this unit develop further exploration and expansion in the individuals involved? How will this experience support and respect those involved and inspire others to become involved?
An effective STEMS^2 unit weaves and melds together multiple academic concepts with cultural experiences. It connects individuals with themselves while supporting a group dynamic. This unit should blend multiple learning spaces, materials, people, and resources. While the concepts can be content-specific, the overarching connections should be evident and planned. Integration and collaboration are keys when developing and experiencing STEMS^2. These integrated experiences and collaborative efforts don't need to be specific to any one area (academics, social interactions, cultural components, ethics, civics, etc.).
3. A'o is a foundation. How will this unit allow for every individual involved to teach and learn? Why is this belief vital to supporting a STEMS^2 unit?
One of the tenants of our STEMS experiences has been our personal involvement in teaching each other. This crucial concept lends itself to any meaningful, group-oriented, perspective-changing learning experience for students of any age. I feel this has been a concept I have stressed to my students (K-2) since day one of this year. It is a term I often refer to, remind them of, and challenge them to live up to in each class.
4. Respect our Hawaiian (host) culture and all other cultures present. How can we demonstrate respect to the Hawaiian culture through our actions and words? How do we integrate any culture into our learning experiences with respect and dignity?
A STEMS^2 unit strives to share and celebrate the many positive aspects of the Hawaiian culture through meaningful actions and thought-out words. I will never be, nor do I want to be a Hawaiian. I most certainly want to continue my learning and evolution in how to respect and share in Hawaiian cultural experiences. I want to share my understandings and continue asking people of the Hawaiian culture how I can best spread the aloha (in the truest meaning of the word). I want to provide spaces and places within my curriculum so any culture can be celebrated, learned, and respected. I want to celebrate difference while recognizing similarities across all cultures.
5. A STEMS^2 unit is based in sound academic practices, research-based strategies, and uses meaningful data to drive the instructional adjustments. How can I use meaningful data (observational notes, student feedback, etc.) to drive and adjust my instruction to support greater meaning through this unit? Why are best practices vital to the student experience?
Teaching is not just a "throw it on the wall and see what sticks" venture. Teaching is an art, a craft which needs continuous monitoring and adjustment. Teachers need to KNOW how important the power of change is if it is based in meaningful and effective reasoning. Change for the sake of change can be fruitless. Change because we know there is a better way can bear a lifetime of fruit. Evolving and adapting should be required in a profession of ever-evolving and adaptable students who live in a constantly-evolving environment.
Through these 5 elements, there are many more components and ideas. Through everything we do in STEMS, there is Love. There is Compassion. There is the Individual and the Collective.
So, this is a "free" write and will be a reflection of what I'm doing, how I'm doing, and where I think I need to be...
Our STEMS^2 experiences thus far have taken us on some truly transformational paths. I can feel the weight of our experiences and interactions through polar-opposite forces.
First, I feel support through our STEMS^2 community foundations. I know we are all in this together and all bring our own perspectives, places, strengths, and needs. We are a strong collective unit of A'o; sharing a multitude of voices in many safe and supportive spaces. We have encountered challenging ideas and situations which intentionally placed us in places of discomfort. We have overcome and worked through these obstacles together... We have each other's backs!
On the other hand, I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed with the constant bombardment of important and influential information, learning reflections, and revolutionary teaching and learning ideals. It's a constantly HEAVY feeling in my chest. I'm being smashed by these Huge concepts and systemically-altering ideas! Not to mention the work we are doing in our class... It's very meaningful and influential to our work as teachers; I guess that's why it feels so immense when I try and wrap my brain around all of it...
But here's the thing.. I think, this is completely my rationalization, this is supposed to not be all good or all bad... It's like life! If life was all good with no challenges or life-altering experiences, it would be pretty boring! If life felt all bad with it's constant barrage of crap then we can't see the beauty and potential in these kinds of situations...
To connect this to our learning so far, I think we're dealing with Gruenewald's 5 components of place through all of our experiences. It's been political through what I'm reading, ecological through my space I choose to work, sociological through the content of the information, perceptual based on what I 'get' out of what is presented through the readings, and ideological through my interpretations and understandings of the work.
I've just spent the past 4 hours doing some 'light' research for my Lit Review... I've learned and read some Amazing stuff; I've also gone cross-eyed about 17 times reading through so much information. My intention is to use the Lit Review assignment as a rough draft of my Lit Review section for my Plan B. Which leads me to another issue... What will my Plan B be? I'm constantly trying to wrestle the ideas from my brain to articulate how I can connect all the dots in my teaching and learning experiences to develop my curriculum and Plan B.
Here's my attempt as narrowing down my ideas so far. I want to incorporate my work with my Garden Club students and our school's garden. I want to also connect to the Hawaiian cultural elements I've been trying to actively engage in (and have my students engage in) through my new classroom rituals, routines, and vocabulary. I also want to incorporate elements of how I continue to try (this is constantly being re-worked, revised, and re-thought) engaging our school staff in this culture and sense of place through our school garden. I realize I can not force my sense of place on anyone, nor should this be my intent.
There are certain keys to my madness so far: ideas like spaces and places to learn (meaning all areas of our life), collaboration (with our community), learning from the past to influence the future (connection to Hawaiian culture and values), and evolving our potential for learning and teaching through place-based activities.
Some possible ideas for my Plan B are: The Importance of a Multi-Layered approach to evolving a Sense of Place through student-engaged, culturally-relevant, and place-based curriculum.... OR
Sense, Scents, and Cents of Place: How to connect a multi-layered, evolving, student-engaged, culturally-relevant, place-based education in an elementary school setting....
Both seem like a rambling, nonsensical, jumble of words right now... But I am trying to make sense of it all....
Well, It's back to the 33 articles I've found.. Time to categorize, narrow my focus, and put this all together somehow....
Thanks for listening to my musings. As always, it's a joy and a pain to do this work; a perfect blend of what it means to learn and grow.
A
reflective space of how I am thinking about Sense of Place and the importance
of Sense of Place at this moment. I will attempt to use the experiences,
information, readings and other resource to help articulate my thoughts.
Focus Question:
Why
does Sense of Place matter and what does it mean to the practice of teaching
for there to be multiple senses of place in any one moment and in any one place
(i.e. a classroom)?
There
is so much information, so many thoughts, too many ideas, and a plethora of content
racing through my mind at this moment… With any new endeavor, I feel the
overwhelming excitement of getting wrapped-up in the moment balanced with my
family and work responsibilities. All of
these elements are in a constant tug-of-war with my energies; I want to
dedicate my life and my work to meaning.
I want to capture and relish in the opportunities all around me. I Need to honor my obligations through
applying what I know now to every aspect of my life. This co-mingling of ideas, ideals, lessons,
experiences, and insights corresponds to my current Sense of Place. To be honest, I’m in a place where I don’t
have the answers nor do I feel I need to have them. Questions rule my thoughts; an amazing
quagmire of my ever-evolving spaces and places.
My
current Place is in full acknowledgement of the need to continue cultivating a
true Sense of Place. My current Place is
opening my eyes to fostering each of my students’ senses of Place in my
classroom so they can carry this sense throughout their lives. I want my students to KILO their world and
fortify their experiences in conscientious thought and questioning. I also feel the immense gravity of
instilling a true sense of Place in my young son; connecting our understandings
into my home. So, sense of place not
only matters, it encompasses every fiber of my being and extends to every
second of my life and the lives of all who I know. Heavy… right?
For the purposes of not writing another novella, I will try to keep the
remainder of this blog to focus on the question above. I will attempt to dive into my teaching
practices at my school with my students.
As
I’ve shared before, I am evolving my teaching practices to support a constant
understanding of Places in my learning spaces.
I am trying to integrate O’lelo Hawaii through my STEM classroom (during
school) and Garden Club (after school).
I attempt an honest, humble approach to demonstrate I am NOT an expert
on any one thing; especially Hawaiian culture or language. I want my students to FEEL my excitement and
the gravity of my actions/words when engaging their hearts and minds. I fail at least 10 times a day in this. I get caught-up in the routine and ritual of
working in a DOE system which says it honors our host culture, but fails to do
so with meaning through its structure and practices.
Through
our readings and research, Gruenewald provides his 5-point framework to help
communicate and articulate a sense of place.
It has been pointed out Gruenewald is supported and rooted on the
education field through peer-reviewed documents and provided a multi-layered
approach. I feel this outlook to be
essential in how I choose to support my thoughts. I will use these 5 elements (Perceptual,
Sociological, Ideological, Political, and Ecological) to frame my
conversation. Like we know, these
elements are not individualistic. They
blend, overlap, and exist all at the same time through an interconnected
experience. It would be illogical to
discuss these ideas in segregation to each other, but I will use them as an
organizational tool to help articulate my current sense of place in my
school.
Perceptual:
Places are ALIVE! We connect through
tangible, emotional experiences with others in any one place at any one time,
across all places and all times… Jeez, again… deep!
My
classroom and the land we have access to on campus for our Gardens are very
much ALIVE! I try to demonstrate this
through some Hawaiian cultural practices we’ve learned, research-based
educational practices to engage students’ sense of inquiry, and other personal
passions. In the front of my classroom I
have a small aquaponics area representing a living and symbiotic cycle. This comes from my personal passion for
aquaponics and how I want my students to engage in thought about life, food,
our island resource to reshape perceptions of what is important. It also connects to other Hawaiian cultural
practices of ahupua’a, resource management, and the respect for working with
living and non-living resources. My 2nd
grade students will encounter a whole unit on aquaponics in the 2nd
semester where they will engage in discovery, inquiry, collaboration, and
communication about this process. It
culminates with an activity where they will develop a plan to design and create
their own aquaponics system or design an upgrade to our classroom system. I am working on trying to also engage in
bigger perceptions of the need for these systems in our environment based on
many external and global factors (water use, land use, food resources on our
islands, changing global environment, and bioregionalism).
My
classroom is festooned with cultural, educational, historical, and personal
messages and information. Questions are
posted all over the room. I am trying to
appeal to a visual learner and offer constant resources which support my
continued practices and level of engagement with my students. For example, on the back wall of my room I
have two posters next to each other (because I feel these ideas are interconnected)
sharing what Kilo and Maka’ala/Maka’ala mean. I introduced these concepts in week one and
constantly refer to them during each class.
It’s my way of attempting to integrate o’lelo Hawaii into my current
teaching vocabulary with a purpose. I
want to show how we can integrate culture, the past, and our present places
through demonstrating their worth. I
also have a wall of scientists, engineers, and inventors where the kids can see
some individuals I feel have made immense impacts on how we live today. I continuously refer to this area when
discussing and sharing our engineering design practices through our Project
Lead The Way (PLTW) curriculum. What is
lacking is a stronger Hawaiian cultural presence in this area; I want to
continue to integrate more Hawaiian inventors, scientists, and engineers and
feel I am beginning to have the resources to do so (through our SYEMS^2
cohort).
Sociological:
Our Collective Social Beliefs; Our Places are Socially Constructed…
Through
the visual elements and day-to-day practices of my class and my Garden Club, I
try to create a sociological environment within the spaces I provide for my
students. I want to engage my students
in ideas and questions which target the societies we come from, the societies
we live near, the place we live, and all the differing and connected social
beliefs. I try to purposely engage in
conflicting societal beliefs with an objective view. This is difficult and a constant point of
personal emphasis; I tend to be less objective when, in my view, an alternate
view does not fit within my personal insight. For example, through our PLTW lessons we offer ways for the kids to be
engineers in tackling some ‘issues’ they may face today. Our 1st Grade class engages in
learning about light, sound, waves, energy, and how these concepts can be used
or harnessed to solve a problem. One
activity in the 2nd semester will have them observe the sun, moon,
and stars in connection to light waves.
I will attempt to integrate more Hawaiian culture into this learning
space through the use of the Hawaiian Lunar calendar. I want my students to start their own “Lunar
Journal” to record their Kilo; then share out and compare/contrast with what
the Hawaiians did during certain times of the lunar cycles. I connect this cultural component because I
see the value in learning about our host culture because it’s where we
live. I believe we can honor the past
and the Hawaiian culture through incorporating it into our present
classrooms. This is may seem, to some, a
superficial exercise in connecting culture, but it is my attempt in delving
deeper into the questions of Why.
Ideological:
A set of Ideas or Beliefs groups form to create actions within a Place…
All
of the above classroom activities connect and integrate with an Ideological
view of our learning spaces and places.
I believe if I present and offer meaningful experiences through
culturally relevant activities, I can help establish an ideological framework
my students will carry with them. I work
with K-2 students. These young minds and
hearts are so open and willing to deeply engage with concepts and content some
feel is way beyond their capacity. This
is also based on current educational research and best practices for young
learners. Basically, set the bar high
with the appropriate supports and engagement and students will rise to the
occasion! A better man would have a specific
citation for this idea… I’m working on it…
I found this Ideological section of
Grunewald’s “Foundations of Place” article most engaging and
thought-provoking. It seemed my
highlighter and notes were rampant throughout because I felt this ‘Place” in
our current educational system lacks support for any cultural ideology to foster
an understanding of people and places. I
feel there are huge globally-connected, financially-supported systems in place
which (in my view) purposely disconnect us (people) from our places in order
for a select few to maintain power, money, land, resources, and influence. Like Gruenewald, I feel we need to recognize
that places are what people make them and what is ‘established’ as a ‘norm’ can
be changed. It also suggests how schools
can play a revolutionary role in changing shifting our ‘norms’ to ones where we
connect more thoughtfully with our environment, resources, land, and people
through alternate views. Specifically,
we can establish learning and teaching norms which use multiple cultures and
histories to engage in questions about power, land use, resource management,
and the influence of money. If we can
actively and purposefully engage in “reflecting on how a diversity of places,
and our ideas about them, became what they are”
(Gruenewald, 2015).
Political:
Constantly Affected by the Distribution of Capital – How can we influence
actions inside a governing body?
I
see my classroom as a potential catalyst to engage in political perceptions and
norms. Politics can be as basic as how
we enter and engage in a learning space or as broad as how money and power
influences the global distribution of wealth and resources. Everything, in my view, is political. I do not want to reduce the term politics to any
form of state or federal governing entities, rather it is how we can engage in
our places as a collective people. This
area is also deeply connected and integrated in the other 4 components of Place
and I am starting to see how I can engage in political discussions with my
students while attempting to offer objective perspectives. Again, this is very difficult for me because
I have deep feelings and opinions about equity, ecology, human rights, and
personal responsibility.
Our Garden Club is attempting to establish a
political foothold in our school’s political culture. We want to engage in conversations about the
uses for, reasons for, and ideas about what gardens are and how they connect to
learning on a public school campus. We
do have our school administrator’s backing and support to engage and explore
these potential opportunities, but we are continuously evolving our positions
on how we can effect change. For
example, through kilo, collaborative discussion, and reflection, this year’s
Garden Club mentioned a way for us to gain some political capital in our school
and community. Our students came up with
the idea of offering plants to each teacher and staff member as a gesture and
token of what we value. We wanted to use
this as an opening to invite more school personnel to the Garden and try and
demonstrate a sense of community sharing.
We also wanted to extend these gestures or gifts to our surrounding community
as a way to bridge the information gap between our club’s actions and our
families. Other ways to extend this
political influence may manifest through a link to our own Garden Website/Blog
through our school’s homepage. We are
also trying to coordinate more community-based activities to reach-out to our
surrounding population. We will be
working with KUPU (MAHALO HAYDEN!!!!!), the Malama Learning Center (MLC) at
Kapolei High School, and other community partners through work-sharing outreach
activities. One such activity is a
collaborative effort with KUPU, MLC, our Garden Club, the “Go Green” club at
Kapolei High School, and the parents/families of our Garden Clubbers to do a
Koa Out-planting activity this year.
Ecological:
Multiple Interactions Constantly Working Together at all Times in Places and
Spaces
I
really enjoyed and engaged in the article by Shawn Malia Kana’iaupuni, “Ka’akalai Ku Kanaka: A Call for Strengths-Based Approaches from a
Native Hawaiian Perspective,” for many reasons.
I believe the author offered honest critiques of our current histories
and systems which perpetuate our histories embedded within our educational and
social systems. To me, his approach and
perspective was ecological and helped me to think about what I’ve learned and
accepted as scientific fact. He speaks
of drawing on the strengths of groups or individuals as an impactful and
meaningful way to support individuals, families, and cultures. I feel this is what I am trying to establish
in my classroom and through our Garden Club. I do have specific political, ideological, sociological, and perceptual
agendas in mind. I am working to merge
my personality and beliefs with my students in a way which gives each
individual a voice to express their personality and beliefs. This is a constant work-in-progress as I
continue to learn more about my ever-changing and growing students. It is also a temporal challenge because of
the limited exposure I have with my students.
At best, I can engage with them from kindergarten through 2nd
grade in my STEM class, them possibly work with them in a different way through
their 3rd-5th grade years with the Garden Club. This may seem like a huge chunk of their
lives! It is, but each moment I engage
with them becomes a precious place with immense internal and external
pressures.
Wrap
it up already…
My
Place at this time includes many interconnected and vitally important
elements. My place with my students is
constantly evolving and growing. My
place offers challenges, opportunities, and continued reflection. My place has limits; my place can be
limitless. This is what I think we all
feel through this process of self-discovery and educational evolution. We want to lead or support a revolution while
respecting and supporting what we believe to be just. We are all going through this journey
together while working in isolation in our own bubbles. I take solace in our connection and our
causes. I applaud and appreciate how we
can all see something different in the words we read, the concepts we share,
and the meanings we form. Thank you ALL
for engaging in my current Place… It will continue to change because of who you
are and how you support and challenge me.
My sense of Place matters because it is my way to give my students their
own voice. It matters because I have the
privilege to work with such amazing students and teachers. A’o is alive and well and will continue to
thrive…
Overview: This blog will attempt to reveal the many dimensions and cultures of my school's teaching and learning environments. I will break down this critical analysis into three main sections. Section 1 will focus on painting a picture of the multiple cultures within our school community. I will reflect on how these cultures of our communities impact the culture of our school. I will use factual demographic data from several resources then share my personal insights based on my experiences living and working in my community. Section 2 will build from the communities in section 1 to paint a portrait of my school and its culture. I will again include basic factual information and my personal take. Section 3 will introduce the culture of my specific teaching/learning space. I will reflect on how my community and school cultures impact the culture of my classroom. This section will include facts and my deeply personal connection as well. Section 1: Cultures of our Community - Upper Makakilo, the Top of Kapolei This link shows the area of Upper Makakilo and my school, Mauka Lani Elementary School.
Now that you know where we are, lets talk some Demographic Data... I tried to break down the information into two main 'cultures:' financial or socio-economic status and racial identity. The funny thing is, all "official" demographic data from www.census.gov is from 2010. There's nothing more recent I could find from this data set.
Based on the information provided, Makakilo's population has dramatically grown in the past 15 years. I'd like to focus on this data for a minute...
Household Income and Average Income in Makakilotop
Median Income Under 25
$44,122
Median Income 25-44
$76,479
Median Income 45-64
$98,107
Median Income Over 65
$82,830
Median Income per age
25-
$44,122
25-44
$76,479
45-64
$98,107
65+
$82,830
Average Household Income
$96,849
Median Household Income
$93,651
Percent Increase/Decrease in Income Since 2000
44%
Percent Increase/Decrease in Income Since 2010
7%
Average Household Net Worth
$965,768
Median Home Sale Price
$427,106
Sales Tax Rate
4.5%
Average Household Total Expenditure
$69,052
Personal Insights:
My wife and I moved into Makakilo in October of 2010. We made a conscious decision to try and work where we live for many reasons. We wanted to be more intimately involved in the community where we live. I guess, in our own way, it was our attempt to "inhabit" rather than "reside" in our place. This was back before I learned so much about place-based education and identity. My wife and I are both teachers. I work at Mauka Lani and she works at Makakilo Elementary. We do have an invested interest (personally, financially, and morally) to our place and our community. We have been involved in our association's board of directors for several years to gain a better insight into the priorities of some members of our community.
After seeing all this data, I feel it doesn't truly reflect the sheer diversity of the socio-economic cultures of our neighborhood. We have such a drastic difference in socio-economic status in our area and my school, Mauka Lani, is very unique in our studetnt cultural identities.
What is striking to me is how the average household income is almost $100,000.00 and the median household income is almost $94,000.00. Based on where I live in Upper Makakilo and the neighborhood I live in, I am amazed at the disparity between many Makakilo residents income and household net worth. As a resident of this area, I can assure you, my household Net Worth is nowhere near what this data suggests. I understand how this data is only as good as it's source. I wish there was more current US Census data to compare these numbers to. This does speak to the uniqueness of our area. We have government apartment housing, low-income housing, and multi-million dollar homes in the same area. Typically, the increase in elevation equates to the increase in housing price and family wealth.
My association of Palehua Gardens is located between Mauka Lani Elementary School on Panana St. and Makakilo Drive. There are 4 clusters of 2-4 bedroom town homes; 98 individual residences in all. These town homes are situated in 4-unit clusters with common roofs. All are 2-story units. Our homes range in price from $250,000.00 (2 bed) to over $600,000.00 for the 4-bedroom units. We are a community of mostly 'blue collar' individuals; a mix of young families and older couples. We have a rental rate at approximately 40%. You can see from this information we are at a whole different financial level than what the above data shows. This tells me the homes on the high end of the spectrum in Makakilo are really helping to pull up the average in price and household worth.
What I see in my neighborhood is a mix of education levels, socio-economic levels, religious identities, cultural identities, and employment identities. We have many multiple-race/multiple-culture families (ours included) in our small community. We have a Mormon church in our neighborhood, our school hosts Hope Chapel each weekend, we have a Catholic church, and a Baptist church. There are single-family homes, town homes, and apartments all within walking distance of each other. We have several community parks, a convenient store, gas station, and access to hiking trails. There are many "associations" with their own rules, borders, and dues. I believe our greatest diversity in Upper Makakilo is our socio-economic status. Connected with this data point is level of education and home ownership status. I also see a diverse mix of 'imported' individuals like myself and 'locals' like my wife (born and raised in HI).
Section 2: School Culture - Multi-Layered, Complex, and Diverse
Here is data from the DOE arch.k12.hi.us website. It highlights some facts about our students, teachers, and assessment scores between 2012-14:
Here's what you would see if you searched the DOE website for our information:
I'd like to point out the very first sentence about the importance of literacy, thinking, and problem-solving skills. As a teacher at this school, I can attest to the culture of academic priorities; especially ELA, Math, STEM, and the 4-Rs (Complex initiative for behaviors: Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, and Resilience).
OK, facts are great, lets get the Real Perspective: A Cultural Perspective - Reale Style
It was a challenge to think about the multiple layers of culture in our school. I believe there are so many cultural components at play and it's hard for me to summarize them all. I will discuss what I believe are the predominant cultures which shift our school's direction and emphasis. This information is based totally on my opinions connected to my 4 years on staff at MLES. I hope I don't offend anyone.
1. Culture of the Staff:
Culture of Age and Experience: We have a veteran staff with about 12 years average experience. This is, in my view, a double-edged sword. The great news is we have competent, seasoned teachers who can handle the day-to-day rigor of managing and coordinating a classroom. We have teachers who do some amazing and innovative things in class with their students. Many of our teachers have been at MLES for over 10 years! Some have been at MLES for over 20 years! Some of these DOE and MLES veterans are truly inspirational because they seem to constantly challenge themselves to evolve and jump into any new experience. Those are the ones I gravitate to and pick their brains to see what continues to motivate them. Most of our staff is female, this year we have 6 male teachers out of a teaching staff of over 40. It's the most males we've had since I've been here.
The down side is we have a large number of staff (almost half) who are Very slow and resistant to change. There are tones of cynicism, sarcasm, and even moments of downright miserable behavior on the part of some staff. This is not a trend for the school, but I believe these feelings can spread just as quickly as any positive 'vibes' floating around our campus. There is also a resistance to having others come into "their" classroom for any reasons. This can be derived from previous negative incidents, or from a perceived (or real) negative relationship with our administrator. One thing I have heard since being at MLES is our boss will not hesitate to change you to a different grade level from year-to-year. This is spoken with the same tone and intensity just like she will take your first-born child and eat him or her in front of you... I have never bought into this notion of resisting change. I also believe if I hold a K-6 license, I better be able to use it in any grade level I'm asked to teach.
Culture of our Administration: This is from my point of view, and from what I've heard from other staff... I've heard our administration can be difficult to speak to, unwavering and inconsiderate to staff needs, and prone to outbursts. I've seen a person who has a constant open-door policy in her office (when she's there), someone who is constantly visible and mobile around the campus, a leader who speaks with respect and passion but can share honest limitations if needed, and a person who listens to others' ideas while considering what would be best for the school. I have witnessed first hand how willing and open my boss is to change and new ideas. I've been steadily supported and allowed to dream big in my ventures in and out of the classroom. I know my STEMS^2 aspirations will be supported fully as I attempt to literally revolutionize many aspects of what our school is.
Culture of our Families: We have a very diverse mix of families. We have young parents still living with their parents in a multi-generational home. We have families on government assistance living in "section 8" apartments. We have families living in multi-million dollar single-family homes. Our parents vary in age from their early 20's to their 50's. Our parents level of education varies as well; some with a High School diploma and others with multiple advanced degrees. Some of our students come to school with new clothes, cell phones and devices, accessories, and brand-name everything. Others come to school in very dirty and worn hand-me-downs with nothing name brand. We have a moderate Native Hawaiian population, a good local-mix population, a military population, and a white population. All students really do come together and get along with a honest level of respect. I am always impressed with how our kids handle themselves and not get into teasing each other based on their money situation. Many of our kids have 2-3 last names; hyphenated to indicate the scars of divorce and the new-age of 'family.' We are Title 1 and have half our students getting free and reduced lunch... Think about that; our median household income is almost $100,000.00 yet HALF of our kids get meal assistance!
Culture of our Land: Our homes, associations, parks, and schools are fenced-in. There are definite boundaries all over our neighborhood indicating the apartments, from the town homes, the town homes from the parks, the parks from the single-family homes. Our campus is fenced-in all along the back side; the space that is next to many of our homes. We are spread across a hill and have varying hills and steps. It's a small campus that is deceivingly tiresome to walk if you're not in shape. We have grass everywhere; being watered in the dead of the summer and spring day heat. We have Kukui Nut Trees, monkey pod trees, and shaded areas across our playgrounds. Our 3-5 kids use the public park next to our campus for recess each day because we don't have the room on campus to support our 600+ students. There is very little consideration (if any) to where our water comes from or how much it costs in money or otherwise. There is little to no conversation about the grass areas across our back hills. We do not connect to our land in any meaningful ways. We are all 'busy' with teaching Wonders, Stepping Stones, Common Core, Danielson, SQS, PDE3, calling and contacting parents, report cards, and all the other requirements of teaching in the 21st Century.
Culture of Change: I, and a few other open-minded teachers, are trying to use our passions, education, ideas, and connections to slowly create a culture of change in our school. Our administration openly and outwardly supports it yet is not engaged in the activities herself. We have the freedom and autonomy to initiate any number of community-based, place-based, and project-based activities and opportunities. We can and are creating lasting community connections, professional supports, and educationally place-based realizations for our students. This is slow, it is isolated for now, but I know it will keep growing as we continue to work together. Some of our veteran teachers have already shifted their mindsets and some have adjusted behavior and practice in the classroom to allow for more student-driven activities and learning opportunities. Some of our younger teachers are willing and able to get more involved in activities and cultural connections above and beyond the Common Core standards.
Section 3: Culture of my Classroom
Below are two links to my Google Drive Folders. These folders basically give you a glimpse into my classroom priorities for my two teaching and learning opportunities at my school. This information is just the beginning of what I am attempting to create!
Mutual Respect, Shared Responsibility, Resourcefulness with Ingenuity, and Resilience with a positive attitude
A'o with every individual in the room
Kilo our world and ask questions about our thoughts
Maka'ala individuals while supporting each other
Project-Based, Place-Based activities with a purpose
This is a work in Progress!
A Hawaiian Culture-Embedded Classroom with purposeful and insightful focus
Openness to learn and respect ALL cultures
Willingness to try and F.A.I.L.
What you do after you fail determines your success
Collaboration, Communication, and Continued Learning and Growing
I feel like the culture of our Community and our School does support and embrace many of these initiatives and ideas. There will always be some resistance and misunderstanding. I look at the individuals who doubt the most, are the least resistant to change, and who question every intention as my 'target audience.' Some of those individuals will become my staunchest supporters if I can show them my heart in my intentions. Just as some of our most 'veteran' teachers are now on board with the cultural components of my classroom (E Ho Mai at the beginning of every class). I really feel like my school/community culture reflects what real life throws at us all. What I mean is, it is not all good or all bad. Life is a mixed bag of incidents, issues, victories, failures, joys, and conflict. It's how we CHOOSE to deal with these events which define our character and our success. What I see and feel in my community and school allows me to flourish as an educator and challenges me to continue the change I feel is needed.
There are some negative impacts of my school/community culture on what I want to achieve. I think some of our families don't value the Hawaiian culture or the cultural importance of conservation, ecology, community collaboration, sharing resources, and re-defining personal land ownership. I know some will deny the impact money and power have on our 'global economy' and reject the importance or revolutionizing our economic, cultural, and social priorities... I mean, we're basically asking everyone to do a 180 on some really MAJOR ideas here! I would expect backlash!
Ultimately, I hope to demonstrate the value of these ideas through actions with our students. I want to begin creating children who know where they are, where they are from, how they effect their place, and how they can positively change the world around them. I wan them to be culturally aware, socially conscious, and environmentally responsible. I want to continue our human evolution so we will have a 7th generation to come while having all the amazing and diverse life on this planet. I want us to begin reversing the damages done to our planet because we have the INTELLIGENCE, RESOURCEFULNESS, and RESILIENCE to do so! Oh, I also want the Eagles to win the Super Bowl; completely unrelated and totally corporate-centered... Just a childhood dream...
Now, since you've made it through the "War and Peace" of all blogs, go have a drink, hug your kids if you have some, and remember... Change happens one instance at a time...
Mahalo for Surviving til the end!
PS - If anyone asks, Joe and Tara made me do this... ha
