Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 2, 1 February 2001 — Creating an educational model that promotes learning, maintains cultural identity [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Creating an educational model that promotes learning, maintains cultural identity

By Dr. David Kekaulike Sing Editor's note: Dr. Sing is the director ofNā Pua No 'eau, a programfor gifted and talented Native Hawaiian Children, and coordinates submissions for Ka Wai 01a's monthly education eolumn. N THE past 10 years, Hawai'i has eome a long way

īn recogmzing the umque and special eultural offerings of the Hawaiian culture. While the visitor industry and other organizations have utilized Hawaiian values as part of their organization climate and facade successfully, society and education have not clearly articulated how "our Hawaiianess" is intertwined into society and education. For

many people and organizations who have socalled designed an atmosphere to promote Hawaiian culture, it merely presents itself as a culmral exhibition. It may be successful in increasing viewers' satisfaction but does little for the Hawaiian people. It's like watching a hula show performed for visitors or other dis-

play of cultural performance. While that has value to both visitors and Hawaiians, the reality is that it continues to be a separate part of society and not integrated into all aspects of society. For most Hawaiians, cultural identity is not in exhibit-

ing one's proficiency in language or culture, it's the way we think, act, perceive and leam as defined within the boundaries of our culture. Teaching a Hawaiian language or history class 40 minutes a day does not make that mueh of a dif¥erence in the education of a Hawaiian child. It does promote pride and helps the Hawaiian child to define for himself what being Hawaiian is. However, education needs to

Children is a forerun- . ner of these concepts.

The Center s program model is designed to

promote identity, optimize learning and create a passion for learning among Hawaiian students by including the following concepts: 1) Enhanee the talent of smdents. The Center has found that helping smdents recognize their strengths and talents has a lot more far-reaching impact on their

take a bigger leap in reaching and educating our Hawaiian population. What does make a difference is recognizing and knowing how a student learns, thinks and allows the student's own personal experiences to be integrated into the lesson. There is enough information and research that has been conducted that tells us that there are classroom conditions whieh optimizes learning for Hawaiians. There are enough successful programs and teachers who recognize what works best for Hawai-

ian students. Nā Pua No'eau the Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian

desire and motivation to leam than to focus on deficits. 2) Ho'āla hou. Smdents ean be spurred forward with diligence and enthusiasm with the sense of reawakening of their spirit. Drawing from deep within their na'au ean bring life and enthusiasm to their learning. 3) Strengthening the 'ohana. There is so mueh of a smdent's behavior and thought process that revolves around the 'ohana. It's important to acknowledge that many of us think and make decisions with and for our family and community. Thus both the context of learning and the inclusion of family are viable aspects of education for the Hawaiian student. 4) Integration of Hawaiian language, culture, history and technology. Connecting the content or discipline to the Hawaiian perspective or the traditional uses of the discipline ean provide Hawaiian smdents

with information that their ancestors were steeped in that area. One of the popular classes that demonstrate this is the voyaging class. Through this class the students are able to leam astronomy and marine science as their ancestors had. Students will onee again be exposed to this method of learning at Nā Pua No'eau's Summer Institute 2001 to be held at University of Hawai'i campuses at Hilo on June 10-23 and Mānoa on June

17-30. lhis two-week residential, educational, enrichment program is for students

of Hawaiian ancestry currently in grades 6-11. Interisland transportation will be provided to neighbor island participants. Students must have a high interest or ability towards the class offered and has not attended a Summer Institute Program before. Classes being offered at UH-Hilo for grades 6-8 are: • Aloha 'Āina — Hawai'i's Natural Resources (explore conservation and ecology outdoors),

• Creating Treasures — Visual Arts (leam drawing techniques various media), • Hawaiian Puppetry (experience Hawaiian legends through puppetry while carving your own puppet), • Volcanology (leam geology and natural history of volcanic sites). Classes being offered at UH-Mānoa for grades 6-8 are: • 'Ikena Lolo Uila — Computer Technology (for grades 9-1 1). • Ho'okele — Voyaging (experience aspects of oeean voyaging from astronomy to oeean safety to physics), • Lā'au Lapa'au — Medicine (explore the field of medicine in both traditional nd contemporary context.) Please complete and return the Summer Institute Application Request Form at left or eall our Hilo office 808-974-7678 for more information, or visit online at http://npn.uhh.hawaii.edu ■

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PHOĪO COURTESY: NĀ PUA NO'EAU