In February 2026, I (Junya Kubo), together with my colleague Ryo Kumagai (Associate Professor, Miyagi University of Education), had the opportunity to visit Hanahauʻoli School. There, we observed children engaging in self-directed learning based on their own interests, within an environment that ensured both safety and security. This was seen in a variety of settings throughout the school day: morning circles; student engagement in interdisciplinary thematic units of study; free choice time; arts integration; and each Wednesday when the students are supported by a Philosopher in Residence from the University of Hawai‘i as they participate in Philosophy for Children (P4C) sessions with their peers and teachers. While this overall progressive education approach differs significantly from the school environments we are familiar with in Japan, it does reflect the kind of learning environment we aspire to create when doing P4C in Japanese schools. Our time spent on campus at Hanahau‘oli also reaffirmed that progressive education, especially doing philosophy with children, can be essential for the most vulnerable children.

In a previous blog, I shared about the Hanahau‘oli School Entering Teacher Cooperative. Unlike traditional new teacher orientation programs–which rely on stand-and-deliver presentations of overwhelming amounts of information and rapid fire introductions to key people on campus–the Hanahau’oli ETC is a year-long, structured induction and mentoring program designed to onboard new faculty and staff into the school's progressive education philosophy, multiage teaming approach, and, more broadly, its culture. And just as the cooperative and collaborative Hanahau‘oli School classroom is made up of “entering” and “continuing” students, the ten month ETC experience creates opportunities for entering and continuing faculty and staff to learn from one another.

At the heart of every child is a natural scientist – a curious explorer ready to ask "why" and "how" about the world around them. But as educators, how do we shift from being the source of all answers to being the facilitators of their discovery? Supported by the continued generosity of the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation, the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center (PDC) offers an annual place-based STEM workshop titled Natural Scientists: Children in Charge to help early childhood educators address this very question. At its core, the program champions a progressive pedagogical shift, moving away from rote instruction toward a model where children lead through their own questions and environmental observations. By centering the curriculum on a framework for scientific observation developed by former Hanahau‘oli teachers specifically for young learners in our diverse community, the workshop provides participants with detailed examples of early childhood unit and lesson plans, culturally responsive strategies, and hands-on practice implementing this approach to teaching.