Hanahau‘oli School continues to strengthen its role as a leader in the progressive education movement by increasing its capacity as a “living laboratory,” which facilitates the “scientific” study of teaching and educational excellence. In partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, College of Education, the living laboratory at Hanahau‘oli builds on the school’s already established Professional Development School (PDS) model (Goodlad, 1984) to promote the “simultaneous renewal of schools” and the “education of educators.” This partnership creates a school culture characterized by inquiry, systemic exploration, creativity, and data-driven discovery for the purpose of learning more about ourselves, one another, our place (environment), and the art of teaching (design, instruction and assessment). The living laboratory at Hanahau‘oli helps to increase the school and university’s prominence as sought after destinations for educators, researchers, scholars, and innovators who want to collaborate on educational improvement and the creation of a better future society. 

At the beginning of this school year, a group of International Fellows from the Asia Pacific Leadership Program, part of the East-West Center, had the opportunity to visit Hanahau‘oli School to learn more about education in Hawai‘i with a particular emphasis on progressive education. The group came from various countries, such as Columbia, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, and Japan. The participants included educators and professionals from secondary and higher education, community organizations, social enterprises, government, National Ministries, NGOs and UNICEF. The group aimed to connect their learnings at Hanahau‘oli School with their work in their home countries and to share innovative ideas in education with their communities. To follow are a handful of their reflections about the impact of this visit.

Beatrice Yong
Malaysia
Eats, Shoots and Roots

My name is Beatrice Yong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I run a social enterprise, Eats, Shoots & Roots and we empower urbanites with the tools and skills to grow their own food. We also have a sister nature-based Montessori School, Rimbun Montessori who we share our space with. 

When I visited Hanahauʻoli School, I wanted to learn specifically about the integration of outdoor classrooms (specifically edible gardens) into their syllabus and how it is used as a tool in the curriculum. I was curious about place-based learning and if there is any research or findings supporting its effectiveness in building well-rounded children with strong values. My goal was to understand how this approach can contribute to the holistic development of students and how it might be applied to our educational initiatives in Malaysia.

My visit to Hanahauʻoli School was deeply inspiring and thought-provoking. I was particularly struck by the independence of the students and the way they confidently navigated their learning journeys. The absence of traditional grades and assessments (even for teachers) and large classes did not seem to hinder their education; instead, it empowered them to explore subjects more deeply and organically. The school’s emphasis on peer learning, teamwork and the senior-junior pairing system fostered a sense of community and mutual respect, allowing students to learn from one another and grow together. Their commitment to inclusion and diversity was evident, not just in the curriculum but also in the interactions I observed—every student was encouraged to bring their whole self to the learning experience.

I observed how outdoor classrooms were woven into the fabric of the school’s educational approach. The use of outdoor spaces was not just an occasional activity but a core part of the learning process. It is interesting that the garden themes that students engage with evolve as they grow older. In addition to the outdoor classrooms, I was also captivated by how the school embraced arts, culture, and language learning such as Mandarin (and how the parents have a say in this!). The curriculum was enriched with real-world elements, such as discussions on voting, climate change and current global events, which made the education not only holistic but also highly relevant. This combination of nature, culture, and global awareness created a vibrant and engaging learning environment that nurtured well-rounded individuals.

This visit has made me reflect on my own educational experiences and wish that I had been part of such an environment. It has also sparked a desire to explore how we might incorporate some of these progressive elements into our own Montessori programs in Malaysia and within our Eats, Shoots & Roots Nature School. I am considering enrolling in the professional courses Hanahauʻoli offers, even though I am not a formal educator, as I believe they could deepen my understanding of how people of all ages can learn. The parallels I noticed between these courses and the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP), particularly in the use of portfolio presentations, have further reinforced my interest. This experience has opened up new possibilities for enhancing educational practices in our community.

Satoko Oshiro 
Okinawa
Okinawa Peace Assistance Center

My name is Satoko Oshiro from Okinawa, Japan. For the past six years, I have been working in the education field. I wanted to learn three things: the school's vision and values, what kind of curriculum and activities Hanahau‘oli School, a progressive school, offers, and how they interact with their students.

The biggest take-away from the school visit was the school's activities and educator interactions are designed to draw out the children's curiosity. Teachers see what is going on in the world, observe students’ personalities and reactions, and design activities. The school also welcomes parents and families to be part of the school community. I think this makes children feel safe to learn about the world. 

I was also impressed by the portfolios the students compile their learning outcomes. I was surprised to see how their learning at that time was systematically and nicely compiled (in fact, compiled by the students themselves!). We really enjoyed reading their portfolios! I would like to incorporate this into the educational programs for high school students and youth that we are currently working on at our organization. Once again, thank you for this wonderful learning opportunity. I will bring back what I learned to our community.

Rup Kumar
Nepal
United Mission to Nepal

I have been working on a number of development initiatives for the past five years with the goal of raising the standard of education in a few rural districts of Nepal. I was interested in finding out how to improve children's learning outcomes so that I could apply them to all of my education activities in Nepal when I learned about Hanahau‘oli School. These are a few of the inquiries I had before going to the progressive school.

• What encourages parents to register their kids for school?

• What elements are essential to enhancing academic performance?

• How may the school's general educational system be improved?

• Were there any plans in place at the school to meet the needs of kids with disabilities or special needs?

By visiting Hanahau‘oli school, I saw what it takes to make education progressive. I found the philosophy, methodology, physical infrastructure, and dedication of parents, teachers, and students to be crucial for making a school education more useful and improving learning achievements. Firstly, the humble beginning of the school as “joyful work” was very inspiring on how the foundation of the progressive school was laid as a new initiative of learning with fun. Next, the extensive use of a forward-looking approach to educating children with the state-of-the-art facilities available for every child was something extraordinary I could see during my visit. Furthermore, the rigorous care of every child at school was very remarkable. I think giving special attention to every pupil by all possible means aimed at enriching the budding enthusiasm of them and facilitating them grow accordingly was very inspiring. Also, engaging parents in facilitating children’s learning was, I think, very helpful for ensuring a better learning outcome. I have learned a lot from visiting this wonderful school. Helping every child to grow and flourish at their own pace and interest was something I haven’t seen before. Likewise, supporting children to go to higher classes without putting through strict scrutiny of examinations but rather graduating through their project work was truly a testimony of a progressive thought. If possible, I will try to implement them in my working areas as well. 

Educators and researchers interested in learning more about Hanahau‘oli School are invited to visit the website here to sign up for guided learning tours and explore our more comprehensive long-term visiting scholar program. Our next guided tour is conveniently scheduled during the HIDOE Fall Break on Monday, October 7, 2024, 7:30am to 1:00pm. Visitors will meet the entire student body at our morning ritual of gathering around the flag pole, receive an introduction to Hanahau‘oli School’s history of progressive teaching and learning and the work of the PDC, explore the 146,000 sq ft campus while spending time observing our multi-age classrooms and team teaching approach, and engage in dialogue with administrators and teachers over a hosted lunch. To register for this special event, please visit the PDC Calendar at www.hanahauoli.org/pdc-calendar.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

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.

Ivee Cruz is an educator, facilitator, and consultant. Her background includes working with first generation, low income, and marginalized communities. She has worked at public, private, and charter schools primarily in secondary and higher education. Her experience spans across Hawai‘i, California, New York, Washington, D.C., the South Pacific, Philippines, Vietnam, and Spain. Ivee is passionate about community, consciousness, social justice, youth leadership and wellbeing. She is a lifelong learner, future ancestor, and her greatest teachers are her children.