By Members of the Hanahau‘oli School Entering Teacher Cooperative, 2023-24 Cohort

In 2018, Hanahau‘oli School launched The Entering Teacher Cooperative (ETC). Documented in a previous blog, this program was designed to on-board and orient new faculty and staff to the Hanahau‘oli School community. Deeply grounded in the school’s progressive philosophy and pedagogy, the year-long ETC experience aims to provide newcomers with a physical, intellectual, and emotionally safe space to make sense of and reflect on their first year at the school. To accomplish this goal, ETC participants are not only introduced to foundational knowledge that is needed for teaching and working at a progressive school, they also create a professional community of inquiry where regular opportunities for collaborative and purposeful dialogue support the development of relationships and deep understanding.

This past May, the fifth cohort of the Hanahau‘oli School ETC program wrapped up their first year together. As a part of their final community of inquiry gathering, all members reflected on several key questions, including: How did you grow personally and professionally this school year? What were your biggest challenges? What have you learned about what it means to be a member of the faculty/staff and a learner at Hanahau‘oli? How did the ETC support your learning? What would you add or change? What professional questions are you looking forward to pursuing in upcoming years? In this blog post, we share their responses in an effort to give insight into what it feels like to be a newcomer at not only Hanahau‘oli School, but a progressive school setting in general. Listen to what they have to say.

How did you grow personally and professionally this school year? 

“Personally, I feel like I am learning to open up more and am more confident in sharing and asking questions. I am by nature an introvert, but everyone is so friendly and inclusive that I am slowly getting to feel more comfortable with reaching out to others. In conjunction with this, professionally I learned to ask more questions and reach out for feedback. Generally I would just do what I felt was right, but I’m learning that teaching at Hanahau‘oli is different, so I’ve been asking for help.”

“I think I gained a lot more perspective on what it takes to be a teacher in a private school. I think there’s a unique environment here and I think I have begun to understand and work toward navigating the demands from external sources (parents, other classes, other schools, etc.) and balancing them with what I believe to be true about providing an authentic and progressive education for my students. Personally, I think I’ve been more willing to come out of my comfort zone and explore things that are not usually something I’d be interested in or even willing to do.”

“I enjoyed getting to learn alongside my colleagues within the ETC and outside of it. I appreciated hearing that the challenges I faced were a shared struggle among us and that we could work through them together. I learned how to challenge my students and guide them with questions that pushed their thinking deeper. I learned to believe in myself more and not feel like I had to hold back certain aspects of myself as an educator.”

What were your biggest challenges this school year? 

“Adjusting to the schedule. Learning about my responsibilities to others, and finding ways to enact the curriculum and teaching styles in which I believe. Learning school songs. Releasing control of classroom/curriculum/schedule etc.”

“Time management has been very difficult. There is so much to do in each moment. I kept feeling like I had to be doing something for work all the time so that I wouldn’t fall behind. But, I had to learn to let some things go to be able to be present with my students and with my own family.”

“So far, I think my biggest challenge has been learning about this community. Though we talk a lot about progressive education and what it means to be a progressive community, there are so many areas of this school that are not covered in ETC. For example, all of the songs and traditions, some of the Hawaiian cultural pieces –– these are things that many long-term faculty/staff have learned over the years; but, when you’re new, it can be intimidating to ask or just in general to stand still while others know.”

What have you learned about what it means to be a member of the faculty/staff and a learner at Hanahau‘oli? 

“I’ve learned that it means being supported as a “whole person.” Just as we teach to the “whole child,” I feel like at Hanahau‘oli we are supported as “whole people.” Everyone checks in on each other to see how they are doing. We have fac/staff meetings about everything from progressive education to our feelings about/reactions to community tragedies to ALICE training to open enrollment for health benefits. I have had countless opportunities to learn, from PD to ETC meetings.”

“Community, arts, performing arts, ceremony and tradition, all play a much larger role here than I’m used to. Much is expected of us as teachers, and of the children, and that often creates incredible results. The capacity for examining growth and learning over a long period of time is wonderful, and intentionally examined.  Working with others across small groups, classes, ages, and even departments is crucial.  While this is wonderful, it can also make enacting change quite difficult.”

“I appreciate so much that we are allowed to be true learners who make mistakes, who are still seeking answers, and who want to keep growing and changing. The support here is amazing because every challenge was an opportunity for growth and strengthening of camaraderie, which I am thankful for. One instance that sticks out is how our professional development was changed from what was initially planned to be something so much more grounding, something we all needed.”

How did the ETC support your learning?

“ETC was great in providing an orientation to the culture, history, and background of Hanahau‘oli. Since the school is so steeped in tradition, it’s important to understand where these traditions come from–it makes them so much more meaningful. I found the cohort helpful because it was comforting to know that I was in the same boat as others. The other new faculty and staff also found many of the same things overwhelming or worth wondering about, and it provided some relief to be able to voice these questions and perceptions with the knowledge that others felt similarly.” 

“Just having the support and knowledge that it can be very challenging coming into a new school, and that others may feel similarly, has been very helpful, especially as someone completely new to the community.”

“ETC provided a space for us new folk to talk and hear from others. I loved getting to check in as frequently as we did (it wasn’t too much or too little). I was thankful for getting to also talk with our Head of School every other week. It meant a lot to know that what we thought and how we felt were valued. The various activities were also very valuable in providing insight into the history of the school and where we fit in the time that we are here (what is progressive education, what are some challenges, visiting the archives, hearing from other new staff).”

“ETC was helpful in learning more about progressive education and how teaching works at this school. Though I’m not in the classrooms in my role, this is good information to know so I can know what is going on in the classrooms, and be able to talk about and advocate the importance of Hanhau‘oli’s mission to a broader community.”

“ETC provided a structured way to learn more about Hanahauʻoliʻs mission and vision, history and traditions and especially its progressive pedagogy. It also gave me a sense of being welcomed and being a valued part of the community. It helped me understand more about the roles of other members of the community. I especially enjoyed the meetings that included panels – of teachers sharing their roles and also the panel where former ETC members gave advice about the first year here. Because so much of what we do for Auxiliary Programs is on a different schedule (after school and in the summer) from the rest of the school, ETC has been really important to my sense of being valued and belonging.”

What professional questions are you looking forward to pursuing in upcoming years? 

“How can I integrate the ideas of progressive education further into my teaching? How can I incorporate Mandarin into the Hanahau‘oli community as a whole / make it more visible and inclusive?”

“How can I advocate for my students and help them be kids, without pressure, but also maximize their potential learning?”

“I’d love to participate in more PD, especially related to math in progressive education.”

“How can we continue to make ASC/ASE an extension of the school day? How can we balance our interest in excellence in leading ASC and ASE students with having some personal time?”

Final Thoughts

“Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate! I was a bit worried when I first arrived that there was no formal orientation for newcomers, but I really appreciate this format where we meet continually throughout the year–not a “one-and-done” approach.” 

“Thank you so much for all of your work and for making this such a welcoming place!”

“I so appreciate being included in ETC. I realize that it takes time to organize this and be away from our usual responsibilities to do this, but I think it is incredibly important.”

Learn more about Hanahau‘oli School’s Entering Teacher Cooperative HERE, and think about how your school organization might take a similar approach to welcoming newcomers in a way that resonates and aligns with your unique progressive education mission.

Photos by Howard Wolff Photography