The @MLTSinHawaii Newsletter May, 2021

WSCB Smart Steps Spotlight SOHO TV - A Presentation About Student-Driven Learning

In this first What School Could Be Community Small Steps Spotlight retired Long Island, NY principal, David Gamberg presents a dynamic slide deck (embedded with showcase video clips) about how he and a Long Island school's students, faculty and staff built a student-driven, student-run TV station. This is about student voice, real world challenges, authentic assessments and mobilizing your community around #whatschoolcouldbe. Join me as I moderate David's presentation! And then take your own small step!

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The What School Could Be In Hawaiʻi Podcast

Season Two is in the books and our podcast has surpassed 23,000 downloads in 61 countries! Thank you, listeners, for this wonderful journey together as we voyage towards 1000 points of light. And thank you Semester Two guests: Wrayna Fairchild, Melissa Montoya, Art and Rene Kimura, Stephanie Malia Krauss, Serena Cox, Buddy Leong, Robert Pennybacker, Kalei 'A'arona Lorenzo, Florence Scott, Jeanne Wilks, Jonathon and Erin Medeiros, Matt Tom, Fred Delse and Will Reppun. You are all amazing educators and community members who inspire me each and every day.

Listen To The Podcast

Two Hawaiʻi State Teacher Fellows: Innovation From The Grassroots

Zach Morita and Stacie Kaichi-Imamura are two members of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education Leadership Institute, State Teacher Fellows program facilitated by Kristen Brummel. Zach and Stacie have seized the initiative and, with three other Fellows, built a PDE3 professional development course for Hawaiʻi public school teachers focused on Ted Dintersmith's book, What School Could Be. Inspired by the film, The Innovation Playlist, Zach and Stacie and their partners will guide educators along a journey towards mobilizing their communities, student-driven learning, real world challenges, authentic assessments and caring and connected communities. All 50 slots for this PD program were taken within minutes of the offering! Way to go Zach and Stacie! You are the embodiment of teacher leadership!

Learn More About The HIDOE Leadership Institute

Fantastic PD Opportunity From Oceanit

Please join us for the 10th annual Design Thinking Hawaii Bootcamp. We took a break but we’re back! Join us online for TWO action packed HALF-DAYS to learn the process of innovation from our Stanford d.school facilitators, produced by: Oceanit Research Foundation. What: 10th annual Design Thinking Hawaii boot camp, sponsored by the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation & Hawaii State DOT Highways Why: If you need a human-centered team-based process to help you CREATE the future, then join us. When: each half-day is from 8-12pm, June 17 & 18, Hawaii Standard Time Where: offered statewide in Hawaii via Zoom. A separate Zoom login info will be sent after you register. Who: designed for people new to Design Thinking or who are a bit rusty and want a refresher. Teachers and students will have priority but we welcome everyone who is interested to learn the process and mindset of innovation. Attendee limit: 175 online (25 seats for non-educational attendees). Cost: $0 for teachers and students, everyone else $265. Preparation: none. Sponsors: Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation, Oceanit Research Foundation, and Hawaii State DOT Highways.

Register For The Workshop

The Shot Heard Round The World - Stunning!

NEWS FLASH: The University of California will not take SAT and ACT scores into account in admissions or scholarship decisions for its system of 10 schools, which include some of the nation’s most sought-after campuses, in accordance with a settlement in a lawsuit brought by students. This is the most important news in the field of education in the past five years, IMHO. Standardized testing is a relic of an age that is already in the rear view mirror.

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Kupu Hou Academy Virtual Summer Workshops Design for Deeper Learning

I am happy to inform you that Kupu Hou Academy is once again offering its “Designing for Project-Based Learning” workshops during the summer of 2021! The outcome? Teachers will receive the tools, expertise and time to implement deeper learning practices in their classrooms. Following the ASPIRE™ framework (Assessment, Standards, Product/Performance, Integration, Relevance, Experiential), these virtual design workshops will cover such salient topics as: The Nuts and Bolts of Powerful Deeper Learning Leveraging Essential Questions to Guide Virtual Learning Formative Assessment Strategies in Virtual and Distance Learning Environments. In addition, all workshops are now featuring elements of “Designing to Incorporate Social Emotional Learning Attributes,” with support by acclaimed Trauma-Informed Care expert, Danny Goya.

Learn More and Register

And Finally, A Fun Story!

Last week I was privileged to advise students at the Korean and Oahu campuses of the Asia Pacific International School. School Director, Chris Stapleton's media students are designing and building a podcast that will tell the story of the relationship between the USA and Korea over the past 50 years, a wonderful example of student-driven, real world learning. Chris set up this virtual session so that I could share the story of how Ryan Ozawa and I built the What School Could Be in Hawaiʻi podcast. What a blast to talk to and take questions from these middle school kids!

#attitudeofgratitude! Anyone who knows Leigh Fitzgerald will tell you that she is everywhere all at once doing amazing things in the interest of young learners around the state and at her school, Mid-Pacific Institute. It is my privilege to have been a part of that journey, and to call Leigh one of my "best buds" and education partners. She is kind, compassionate, innovative, funny as all get out and she inspires me each and every day! Thank you, Leigh!