The @MLTSinHawaii Newsletter
Happy New Year 2021!
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Hawaiʻi Innovation Experts In New Films From WhatSchoolCouldBe.org
Ian Kitajima
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A Tech Sherpa, translator, quilt maker, story teller, talent agent, chaos maker, a Jedi-in-Training at Oceanit, Ian Kitajima's mission is to put more into life than he takes: to create value that will outlast him. Ian, more than anyone in Hawaii has helped develop professional capacity for educators in the ares of coding, AI and design thinking. In these new films from Team Ted Dintersmith, Ian talks about real world challenges, the learning that comes from taking risks and authentic assessments. |
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If I were to line up all the people I know who understand individualized, student-driven learning, Susannah Johnson stands at the front…by a lot. After a career in business she moved to the classroom at Assets School; the lives of kids have been impacted ever since. She is the kind of teacher (meaning guide-on-the side, sponsor, coach, mentor) I would have thrived with when I was in school 40 years ago. She is now the co-founder of IMPACT Bound and a consultancy named Individualized Realized, LLC. Listen as she talks about mobilizing communities, student agency, authentic assessments and caring and connected communities. |
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Hawaiʻi Innovation Experts In New Films From WhatSchoolCouldBe.org
Melissa Speetjens
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The Principal at Waimea Canyon Middle School on the island of Kauai (the westernmost middle school in the United States), Melissa Speetjens and her faculty have implemented a dynamic program called “20% Time,” where 6th, 7th and 8th graders spend 20% of every school day working on complicated and complex global issues. Students self-select into themes such as peace and justice, or ocean sustainability; they train in design thinking; they immerse themselves, with their teacher guides and coaches into project-based learning; they prepare for public exhibitions of learning (called student showcases); and, they put the needs of family and community front and center. Listen as Melissa talks about caring and connected communities and the value of digital advisories. |
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Hawaiʻi Innovation Experts In New Films From WhatSchoolCouldBe.org
Dr. Kū Kahakalau
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Aunty Kū Kahakalau is the founder and Executive Director of KŪ-A-KANAKA. An award-winning educator, researcher, songwriter and Hawaiian language and culture expert, Aunty Kū has been involved in indigenous (particularly Hawaiian) education and research for over 30 years. She and her progeny provide a wide range of small and large-scale cultural and professional development, consulting and research services to schools and organizations across the Hawaiian Islands. Listen as she talks about mobilizing communities, authentic and real world learning and caring and connected communities.
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Hawaiʻi Innovation Experts In New Films From WhatSchoolCouldBe.org
Dr. Katina Soares
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As a kid, Katina Soares attended Molokai’s Kaunakakai Elementary, Molokai Middle and Molokai High School. She has an associate’s degree from the University of Hawaiʻi, Maui College, a bachelor’s degree from Judson College, a master’s degree from Liberty Univ. and a Ph.D in education leadership from Walden Univ. She is a School Retool Fellow and a member of the Hawaiʻi Innovative Leaders Network. She has been a child care provider, a college academic advisor, a public school counselor and both a public and charter school vice-principal. Three years ago, in 2017, she fulfilled a life-long dream when she was appointed Principal at Molokai High School, which is in the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s “Canoe Complex.” Listen as Katina talks about mobilizing her Molokai community and the value of student-driven learning. |
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At Nalukai Academy, Aaron Schorn creates and implements curriculum, hustles to find mentors, and teaches digital storytelling. Outside of Nalukai he is focused on creating student-centered systems to authentically tell the story of learning communities. At Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy (HPA) he teaches Digital Journalism and Social Entrepreneurship courses that are centered around Product-Based Learning, the Lean Startup methodology, project management, and building digital brands. The class is supported by mentors across industries working directly with students on their products. Aaron's professional background is in international business, digital storytelling, operations/management, UX/UI, and content creation. Aaron is also the Capstone Coordinator at Hawaiʻi Prep. Listen as he talks about real world learning and authentic assessments. |
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Hawaiʻi Innovation Experts In New Films From WhatSchoolCouldBe.org
Josh Reppun
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Hi, I am Josh Reppun, former chef, hotel manager and (for 17 years) teacher. I was born and raised in Kahaluʻu on the island of Oahu, attended a public elementary school, a private middle and high school and helped found a charter school. I have an undergraduate degree in history and a masters in education foundations. I currently work full time at Apple, Inc. as a sales specialist. I am the founder of Plexus Education, LLC, which is DBA @MLTSinHawaii, “a movement” founded by extraordinary people dedicated to developing public, private and charter school conversations around Ted Dintersmith’s film, Most Likely to Succeed and his book, What School Could Be. In these new films I talk about mobilizing caring and connected communities.
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Featured Reading: Looking Toward A Shared Future Of Education And Workforce Training
Dr. Paul Turnbull
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Excerpt: Today, our society's shared dilemma of relying on an aging education system has been presented in multiple ways. We in Hawaiʻi find ourselves moving, along with the rest of the world, from an age of information technology brought about by the internet (the 3rd Industrial Revolution) into an era of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning - the 4th Industrial Revolution. We are witnessing how rapid advances in technology introduce new and more efficient ways for industry to accomplish its goals.
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Through thick and thin, ups and downs, struggles and triumphs, Mark Hines has been a huge part of my education redesign journey. Without him, I would be way, way further back. Mark is the Jedi Master of student-driven learning and an inspiration to multitudes of educators and education leaders in Hawaii and beyond. I am privileged to call him a friend. |
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