Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 9, 1 September 2001 — HOʻONAʻAUAO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOʻONAʻAUAO

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New BOE policy to fortify, advance Hawaiian studies and immersion programs

By Puanani Wilhelm Editor's note: KWO's education eolumn is coordinated by Dr. David Kekaulike Sing, director of Nā Pua No'eau. This month's writer, Puanani Wilhelm, is the state eduealional specialist for Hawaiian language immersion. She has the distinction of being the first Hawaiian language immersion instructor, a position she held in 1987 at Keaukaha Elementary in Hilo, and subsequently taught at Kapa'a Elementary on Kaua'i before accepting her current administrative post. When the Hawai'i State Constitution was amended in 1979 mandating the state to promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history and language, an innovative pilot program was funded by Alu Like ine. to train kūpuna (elders) to teach children Hawaiian concepts and language, providing supplemental support to classroom teachers. In 1981, the State Department of Education (DOE) began its Hawaiian Studies Program to provide K-6 students some exposure to nā mea Hawai'i - things Hawaiian. At that time, many of the kūpuna were native speakers and could support student learning of Hawaiian language and cultural concepts. The DOE at one time provided for a staff of three at the state office as well as eight additional resource

teacher positions in eaeh district. In 1995, the Hawaiian Studies Program, along with a number of other programs, lost its support via resources and teacher positions. As elementary school populations grew, resources were diminished. Today, of the 300 DOE kupuna — whieh include many of a younger "makua" age range, approximately one-third have any degree of Hawaiian language fluency. This is due to the shrinking population of those elders who were raised in a more traditional manner in Hawaiian speaking homes, and the increase of younger ones who learned language and culture institutionally. Over time, Hawaiian Studies curriculum has become marginalized, following other programs whose content is not included in the Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards II (HCPS II). Current standards do not contain significant content related to Hawaiian lan-

guage, history or culture, subjugating nā mea Hawai'i as "complementary" with no significant support. Hawaiian knowledge is viewed by many as generally appropriate for programs that are remedial in nature and not considered serious academic content.

What is greatly needed is systemic support for program improvement. All organizations that link to the DOE system must consider how they assist in making curriculum more locally relevant and culturally satisfying. Universities must require basic competency in Hawaiian history, culture and language as a prerequisite to entrance to teacher training programs. Materials used in the program must be continually reviewed and renewed to assure accuracy and relevance. Systemic support ean institutionalize Hawaiian knowledge and give it appropriate academie status. This year, a breakthrough in Hawaiian education was realized when the DOE and the Board of Education added its support of the State Constitution by creating Board Policy #2104 that supports both the Hawaiian

Language Immersion and the Hawaiian Studies programs and assures the resources to fully implement both. When the Hawaiian Studies Program began, it was expected that classroom teachers would be responsible for the Hawaiian eulture and history content and that kūpuna would complement that curriculum. It was also expected that Hawaiian content would be integrated with other content areas to provide a relevant curriculum that would serve to "ground" eaeh student in culture. With this new level of commitment to support both the Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian immersion programs, we ean expect great things in the years ahead. ■

"Ua lehulehu a manomano ka 'ikena a ka Hawai'i" '' iliMli £ - > (Great and numerous is the knowledge of the Hawaiians). This 'ōlelo no'eau, recorded by Mary Kawena Pūku'i, extols the vast knowledge of our people. Perhaps Hawai'i's public schools students will now have an opportunity to utilize this knowledge to build a better Hawai'i for future generations. ■

Kupuna gathered at last year's DOE kupuna conterence to discuss issues relating to Hawaiian education, and share in cuitural enrichment. Photo: Hiko'uio Hanapi