By Amber Strong Makaiau
The Hanahau‘oli Teacher Collaborative is a two-week institute for educators that focuses on interdisciplinary curriculum design for the purpose of engaging youth in meaningful learning. It is led by progressive educator and former Hanahau‘oli Head of School, Dr. Robert Peters. Held on campus, participants have the opportunity to engage in foundational seminars, learn from practicing teachers, observe interdisciplinary lessons and units in action, experience interdisciplinary strategies and resources, collaborate with other educators, design interdisciplinary units of their own, and receive individual coaching as they implement curriculum and reflect on their practice.
Topics explored at the collaborative include:
Progressive Education - Progressive philosophy and pedagogy, with connections to school design, student voice, and teacher collaboration
Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design - Thematic interdisciplinary instruction capitalizes upon student interests and promotes critical thinking and collaboration, integrating skill-development, the arts, and literature
Collaboration & Communication - Create an environment that supports working together as problem-solvers, while developing the skills to become effective communicators
Critical & Creative Thinking - Foster inquiry by building upon natural curiosity and asking questions that promote thinking
Assessment & Standards - Know what is important for students to learn and how to assess it—to inform instruction and evaluate student progress
Technology as a Tool - Integrate technology effectively as both an instructional and evaluation tool
At the end of the collaborative participants walk away with a draft interdisciplinary unit that includes student outcomes, instructional strategies and resources, assessment tools, and a network of lifelong colleagues to collaborate with in the future.
This year teams of educators from six different schools joined the collaborative. They came from public and private institutions, Hawai‘i and the continent, and they represented a wide range of grade levels and school roles, including teachers, administrators, and counselors. Collectively, they were brought together because of their passion for improving the educational experiences of children and their shared interest in learning more about how Hanahau‘oli School uses “age level conceptual themes and topics of study” to create “two-year cycle[s] of thematic units that support the development of global concepts, such as interdependence or survival/adaptation” (Peters, 2019, p.57).
Curriculum design and instruction at Hanahau‘oli School emphasizes concepts like these that spiral or progress throughout the students' eight year journey at the school, increasing in complexity from JK to 6th Grade. Science/Social Studies thematic units form the basis of study and help children to address three questions that motivate learning: Who am I? How does the world work? And Where and how do I fit in that world? While factual information is valued as a foundation for concept development, it is not the focus for assessing learning. The more traditional academic skills are taught in an integrated fashion when appropriate to lend meaning and relevance, discreetly when needed, for mastery. National curriculum standards from each discipline help to define the essential concepts, processes and skills infused throughout the curriculum.
The integrated, interdisciplinary, thematic and conceptual approach to curriculum design and instruction found at Hanahau‘oli is a hallmark of progressive philosophy and pedagogy. Philosophically, it is a “naturalistic pedagogy (which arises from the needs, interests and capacities of the child and responds to the will of the child) and a skill-based curriculum (which focuses on providing the child with the learning skills that can be used to acquire whatever knowledge he or she desires)” (Labaree, 2005, p. 280 - 281). In practice, this translates into “interdisciplinary studies, thematic units and the project method” (p. 281). A beautiful example and further explanation of this progressive education approach to curriculum design and instruction is found in the opening pages of the Arbor School of Arts and Sciences’ Environments: Arbor Thematic Curriculum publication. The school shares:
We thought long and hard in the construction of the school’s thematic curriculum about just which conceptual threads ought to be picked up for the elementary school-age child. In devising each step of the curriculum, multiple considerations came into play. Are the ideas generative for the age child we wish to engage? Are the topics ones these students can come to care about? Are they dynamic enough to allow for in-depth study with ample room for individuals to make choices of importance to them? Are they rich and stimulating, with opportunities to create connections across domains and disciplines? What fundamental concepts are at work that can be built upon as the child matures? Are those concepts central and lasting? How can the ideas be used as vehicles for inquiry and expression, as topics for reading and writing, as sources for mathematical exploration, as material for rendering with line and color, for fabricating in three dimensions, for transformation through music? (Shaw & Nelson, 2014, p.3)
Full of questions like these, the participants at the Hanahau‘oli Teacher Collaborative deepened their thinking about the rationale behind why progressive educators design interdisciplinary thematic units of study, they engaged in dialogue with teachers who practice this approach at Hanahau‘oli School, and they began the process of developing thematic curriculum for each of their unique school contexts.
To close this blog, we share participants’ responses to two questions posed at the end of the two-weeks together. Hopefully their reflections will inspire other educators to experiment with this progressive approach to curriculum design and instruction. After all, students of all ages, “care about and deserve to learn about big ideas” (Shaw & Nelson, 2014, p.3).
How has your understanding of thematic integrated curriculum design developed over the past two weeks?
I think that my understanding of thematic integrated curriculum was strengthened during this time. I had a pretty good understanding of thematic units and teaching but this helped to solidify and affirm my understanding and practice of it.
I feel confident going into this school year! I also feel reassured that my beliefs are backed up by research and a strong group of people who also truly believe in it and see the positive impact. Most importantly, I feel inspired by this fantastic group of educators who are so passionate about this work.
I gained a lot of knowledge from this institute that deepened my understanding of both progressive education theories as well as the specific components of designing a thematic integrated curriculum for elementary school age children (and beyond).
[At my school] we were developing project based units of study, but we were lacking the conceptual piece or the generalization. I think this will help my school make stronger connections with our students about the different topics that are studied. Hopefully students gain a deeper understanding about what they are learning and will carry it with them as they move from grade level to grade level.
I have gone deeper in my understanding, with different language to put around it. I particularly have enjoyed thinking beyond the outcomes of skills and feel free to have a goal for my students to "understand" a broader concept.
I came away with a framework to share with faculty in terms of the thought process around thinking about curriculum in this way - identifying big ideas/ concepts, then thinking about what we want students to come away with, then finally thinking about what to do in the classroom.
My understanding of thematic integrated curriculum design has developed significantly in the past two weeks. I came to the institute with no knowledge about it. Our theoretical and practical sessions helped me learn the basics to understand this kind of teaching philosophy and curriculum design. It has been a great, very enriching, inspiring experience for me.
Do you believe this approach enhances the educational experience of children?
When the learning is meaningful for students it has a great impact on their understanding of being a lifelong learner.
Thematic units support all children in reaching deep understandings. It also allows children to thrive in different areas from art to math to science and everything in between. It allows for deep, meaningful learning that goes beyond the classroom.
Focusing on the learners and engaging them in real-world experiences gives a context for learning that is meaningful and long-lasting.
It's a strength model rather than a deficit model. It takes into consideration what the child already brings with them and that is the starting point to move the child forward in their learning.
I have taught this way before and saw the benefits then and am excited to be in a school that is again embracing this philosophy. Students see learning as a part of the journey and not something to be mastered. While school is already a joyful place, it will make what they are doing in school so much more purposeful, meaningful, and engaging, building on their curiosity.
It follows along with the natural wonderings and questions of students, allowing them to have a say in the direction of the learning.
Once students can understand these big concepts & generalization, they are able to apply that understanding to make connections and ultimately learn anything! Life is made up of patterns, once you see them anything can be unlocked.
Works Cited:
Labaree, D. (2005). Progressivism, schools and schools of education: An American romance. Paedagogica Historica, Vol. 41(1&2), pp. 275–288.
Peters R. G. (2019). Hanahau‘oli School: 100 Years of progressive education. Mutual Publishing.
Shaw, D. & Nelson, E. (2014). Environments: Arbor thematic curriculum. Arbor Center for Teaching.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Amber Strong Makaiau is a Specialist at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Director of Curriculum and Research at the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, Director of the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center, and Co-Director of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy MEd Interdisciplinary Education, Curriculum Studies program. A former Hawai‘i State Department of Education high school social studies teacher, her work in education is focused around promoting a more just and equitable democracy for today’s children. Dr. Makaiau lives in Honolulu where she enjoys spending time in the ocean with her husband and two children.
