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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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Understanding Filipino student sense of belonging in a Hawaiʻi public school
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Understanding Filipino student sense of belonging in a Hawaiʻi public school
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Content
UNDERSTANDING FILIPINO STUDENT SENSE OF BELONGING IN A HAWAIʻI
PUBLIC SCHOOL
by
Melissa Montoya
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2024
Copyright 2024 Melissa Montoya
ii
Dedication
To my former students at all chapters of my book of life …
thank you for letting me learn and grow alongside you.
iii
Acknowledgements
To my husband, thank you for choosing me day in and day out and for telling me that it is
not an option to desert the dissertation. All we do is win.
To my mom, thank you for being my first teacher. I have said it in print before, and I will
say it again now. You taught me two things: (a) the ultimate goal of life is to help others, which
has been behind every decision I have made; and (b) people can hurt you, and people can take
from you, but no one can take away the knowledge you get from education, so keep learning.
To my daddy Bob, thank you for teaching me patience and that higher education is more
than sports—though it is a fun perk.
To my family (on Earth and in the stars), my friends, my colleagues, and especially nā
chase, I love you all for the grace you have given me, the pushes to complete this, the questions
of where I am, and the wonderings of how much longer.
To my committee, Dr. Tracy Tambascia, Dr. Linda Furuto, Dr. Alan Green, and Dr.
Larry Picus, mahalo for all you have done. It is truly a privilege to have you on my team. Dr.
Picus, you have an unwavering support for Hawaiʻi. Mahalo for pulling through for me one last
time and so last minute. AGG, you helped me in class many years ago and have helped remind
me to never say no to anyone in need. I appreciate you saying yes to supporting me this long.
Linda, you are the most humble and inspirational person who I look up to immensely. I am
amazed at all you have done in supporting education in Hawaiʻi and impacting even more
globally with your gifts. Tracy, my chair and cheerleader, thank you for all your support and
encouragement through many, many years. Your patience with me is admirable. You have been
the epitome of what it means to be a kumu and being there when I was actually ready.
iv
I don’t know that I can ever repay all my supporters for their love and patience as I
completed this product or the participants who shared their important manaʻo with me. What I do
know is there is so much more work to do for Hawaiʻi and her keiki. Let’s go.
Ma kāhi o ka hana he ola malaila. Where work is, there is life. #2090
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui
v
Table of Contents
Dedication....................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ iii
Abstract......................................................................................................................................... vii
Chapter One: Overview of the Study...............................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem...........................................................................................................3
Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................................4
Significance of the Study...........................................................................................................6
Definition of Terms....................................................................................................................6
Chapter Two: Review of Literature .................................................................................................8
History of the Community .........................................................................................................8
Filipino Students in Public Schools.........................................................................................12
Culturally Relevant Education.................................................................................................14
Student Belongingness Through Instruction............................................................................19
Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks ................................................................................24
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................28
Chapter Three: Methodology.........................................................................................................29
Qualitative Methods.................................................................................................................29
Research Questions..................................................................................................................30
Site Selection ...........................................................................................................................30
Population and Sample ............................................................................................................31
Instrumentation ........................................................................................................................31
Data Collection ........................................................................................................................33
vi
Data Analysis...........................................................................................................................35
Validity ....................................................................................................................................36
Role of the Researcher.............................................................................................................37
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................38
Chapter Four: Findings..................................................................................................................39
Participant Demographics........................................................................................................39
Interview Participants ..............................................................................................................40
Emergent Themes ....................................................................................................................41
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................67
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations for Practice ......................................................68
Discussion of Findings.............................................................................................................68
Recommendations for Practice ................................................................................................70
Limitations and Delimitations..................................................................................................73
Recommendations for Future Research...................................................................................74
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................75
References......................................................................................................................................76
Appendices.....................................................................................................................................81
Appendix A: Email to Teachers...............................................................................................81
Appendix B: Preliminary Survey Questions to Alumni ..........................................................82
Appendix C: Alumni Interview Protocol.................................................................................83
Appendix D: Alumni Focus Group Questions.........................................................................85
Appendix E: Information Sheet for Research..........................................................................87
Appendix F: Posted Announcement on Social Media .............................................................88
vii
Abstract
In Hawaiʻi, there are over 170,000 students enrolled in public schools, with Filipinos comprising
almost 25% of the student population. Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language have
slowly gained an important role in school curriculum, but little is known about how students
from other backgrounds respond to it. The purpose of this research is to understand the sense of
belonging of Filipino graduates of a high school that integrates Native Hawaiian values, culture,
and language into the curriculum. This research allows for a critical look at how educators can
further Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language practices for the inclusion of non-Native
Hawaiian students. Student perception of sense of belonging through culturally responsive
teaching allows for feedback for further program implementation. The study included interviews
with participants who self-identified as Filipino and graduated from a Hawaiʻi public high school
from 2017 to 2020. Findings show that it is important to relate student learning to the value of
natural resources and Native Hawaiian culture in relationship to postsecondary goals as well as
place-based experiences. Also, nurturing and developing relationships increases belongingness
and Filipino identity. Recommendations for practice include increasing opportunities for students
to make connections to both their cultural background and Hawaiʻi, increasing culturally
responsive teaching training and curriculum resources for teachers related to students of Filipino
descent in Hawaiʻi communities, and increasing recognition of student identity in Hawaiʻi.
Keywords: sense of belonging, culturally responsive teaching, identity
1
Chapter One: Overview of the Study
Although research gives a spotlight to minoritized students and their sense of belonging
in higher education, there is a need to further understand students and belongingness at an earlier
level. Students internalize their surroundings and navigate through the difficulties of adolescence
to adulthood as they spend most of their days in school. A student wanted to tell the school’s
faculty about her new student group and the activities they completed throughout the year. She is
the president of the We Are Micronesia club on campus and started with the reasons for starting
the club.
A student stands up in front of the faculty and staff. She gives a speech about how a group
of students came together to start a club on campus because they felt that they were not
understood and did not identify with other groups on campus. In her explanation, she told a story
of how her group began when a peer asked, “How come we don’t have a Micronesian club?... We
have so many different clubs here on campus, but we don’t have a Micronesian one.” Her tearful
speech about representing students who are misunderstood shows the complexities that high
school students battle in finding identity and a sense of belonging in a large school community.
This student when on to explain, “The main reason the club was built was because we’re
spreading awareness that we are more than just what stereotypes claim us to be … I’m proud of
where I come from. Many of us are. Before the club, we were ashamed to be seen as the kids from
Micronesia.”
As teachers and learning environments provide the basics, there is more effort needed to
address all students. To address equity, there has been an increasing demand to provide proper
resources for children to learn, yet there is inconsistency among classrooms. Internationally, the
United States is still far behind the lead in education. According to the Programme for
2
International Student Assessment (PISA), the United States performed average in science and
reading yet below average in mathematics, with one in five 15-year-old students identified as low
performers (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2016). Additionally,
Hawaiʻi public school students fall academically below the majority of the nation (National
Assessment of Educational Progress, 2017).
There is a need in U.S. educational programs to include the histories and perspectives of
minoritized groups. Patton et al. (2016) explained, “The U.S. school system is designed to teach
history to U.S. students in line with its American heritage, and it perpetuates and propagates the
myth of the American Dream and values associated with the dominant culture” (p. 151).
Hawaiʻi’s history, culture, and diversity are unique compared to the other states, yet there is still
difficulty in ensuring the inclusion of all students and their affective needs in the public school
system. Cultural genocide continues to define mainstream education, and there is a need to
increase multiculturalism and multilingual learning. This need is demonstrated by the
educational system’s continued failure to fully incorporate the perspectives of Indigenous
cultures and others of non-White heritage in the design and delivery of curricula (Harrington &
CHiXapkaid, 2013).
In the culturally relevant classroom, students learn about and develop pride in their own
and others’ cultures (Aronson & Laughter, 2016). In Hawaiʻi, there has been a focus on the
integration of Native Hawaiian cultural perspectives through the years, including a focus on the
state within the context of the tourism industry (Baker, 1997) and on schools engaging in a more
rigorous intention through Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ). The latter focuses on skills, behaviors, and
dispositions that are reminiscent of Hawaiʻi’s unique context. HĀ honors the qualities and values
of the state’s indigenous language and culture (Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, 2019).
3
Hawaiʻi has a significant population of people who identify as immigrants. One in five
workers in the state’s labor force is an immigrant, and over one-third of all workers in the hotel
and food service industry are immigrants (American Immigration Council, 2017). The majority
of immigrants to Hawaiʻi come from the Philippines (46.1%). The children of these workers are
in the state’s classrooms and have varying levels of grade and English-language proficiency.
Compared to Japanese and Polynesian populations, Filipinos have the highest percentage
(15.4%) of people with less than a high school diploma, the highest percentage with some
college or associate’s degrees (33.2%), and the lowest percentage with a graduate or professional
degree (2.9%). Compared to students of Japanese and Polynesian descent, Filipinos have the
lowest rate (42.1%) of speaking English at home, the highest percentage identified as speaking a
language other than English (57.9%), and the highest percentage (33.6%) of individuals who
speak English less than very well (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Among migrants from the
Philippines, 10.7% speak English only, 89.3% speak a language other than English, and 54.1%
identified that they speak English less than very well (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). However,
compared to the total foreign-born population in the United States, Filipino immigrants were
more likely to have strong English language skills and be college-educated (McNamara &
Batalova, 2015). Thus, students come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, even if they
migrate from the same country. To meet their needs, school leaders must recognize the cultural
diversity in their education systems and prioritize social equity when setting goals for their
students.
Statement of the Problem
Filipino students represent a quarter of Hawaiʻi public schools where there are attempts
to include Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language as culturally responsive. However,
4
there is little known about the effects on sense of belonging for Filipino students who are
learning through these practices. The argument for conducting this study stems from conceptual
frameworks found in Gay’s (2018) culturally relevant teaching practices and Faircloth and
Hamm’s (2005) dimensions and contexts of belonging that lead to academic success. There is a
need to further understand students and their perceived sense of belonging when attending a
Westernized public high school and learning through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and
language.
The shift to culturally relevant strategies is progressively evident in many ways; however,
students are exposed to learning through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language, whether
or not they are Native Hawaiian. The participants in this study attended a public school that still
has strong ties as a Westernized establishment with structure and mandatory state testing across
content areas. Students learn in both English and Native Hawaiian, although their primary
language and culture may be neither. As the population of Filipino students in higher education is
not proportionate to their number in the public school system, there are questions regarding what
might be limiting them. Research for such a large student population allows for an examination
of school programs’ effectiveness through the students’ experiences. The cultural component also
may affect how immigrant students identify themselves in a new community. There is interest in
constructing support for student success at all levels of education, as there is a major transition to
adulthood after high school.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to understand how Filipino students who attended a Native
Hawaiian-focused program at a Westernized public school perceived their sense of belonging.
The study examined representation from these students’ perspectives and the effects of teaching
5
through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and practices to prepare them for postsecondary
education and careers. This study sought to enable teachers to develop culturally responsive
teaching strategies that provide a more inclusive environment for Filipino students to navigate
identity and encourage belongingness. Two research questions guided this study:
1. What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino students who attended a
Westernized public high school in Hawaiʻi?
2. What is their experience with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language
instruction?
This study involved participants who self-identified as Filipino, either immigrants from
the Philippines or born in Hawaiʻi. They were part of the Academy of ʻāina-based Learning, a
pseudonym, and have learned through Native Hawaiian values, cultural practices, and language.
I selected participants for interviews and focus groups if they met the study criteria.
I collected and examined data under the framework of culturally responsive teaching
(Gay, 2018) and sense of belonging in the context of a school environment (Faircloth & Hamm,
2005). Although Gay (2018) identified eight practices, this study addressed only five. Culturally
responsive teaching is (a) validating and affirming, (b) comprehensive, (c) multidimensional, (d)
transformative, and (e) emancipatory. Faircloth and Hamm (2005) developed a theoretical model
of dimensions of belonging linked to academic success: (a) belonging through time spent in
extracurricular activities, (b) belonging with teacher, and (d) belonging based on perceived
discrimination based on ethnic group membership.
The comparisons addressed the research questions that guided this study. These
comparisons allowed for the effects of belongingness and identity to emerge when students were
immersed in this learning experience. Using Native Hawaiian values, language, and cultural
6
practices allows for the minoritized Native Hawaiian community to be recognized; however,
there is interest in how students from other minoritized backgrounds navigate their own identity
and belonging in the same classroom.
Significance of the Study
This study is significant to the field of education because the number of Filipino students
continues to increase in Hawaiʻi, and there is a need to address their affective needs. Although
the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HI DOE) implements strategies to assist the English
language learner (ELL) community and has a statewide focus on Native Hawaiian values, there
is a lack of implementation of strategies catered to inclusion and recognition of the Filipino
population. This additional research may influence educators and administrators since the
Filipino population is such a significant part of Hawaiʻi. The students at a Hawaiʻi public high
school are important because they can give insight into minoritized communities’ needs and their
belongingness at other schools.
This study contributes to literature on the relationship between belongingness and
minoritized students’ academic success (Faircloth & Hamm, 2005). This study may provide
insight into graduates of the HI DOE system and provide a better understanding of meeting their
affective need of belonging.
Definition of Terms
The following terms were used throughout the study.
Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast
Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including the Philippine Islands (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019).
Belonging: perceptions of positive connection with peer and teacher relationships and
activities at school (Faircloth & Hamm, 2005).
7
Culturally responsive teaching: using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames
of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters
more relevant to and effective for them (Gay, 2018).
Conclusion
Chapter One focused on an overview of a problem in education, the population studied,
and the significance of this study, which may provide more information to educators about the
students they serve. Chapter Two will discuss literature on studies about the effects of sense of
belonging and the significance of culturally responsive teaching among minoritized populations.
8
Chapter Two: Review of Literature
The purpose of this study was to help educators better understand Filipino students in a
Hawaiʻi public school and the impact on them of learning Native Hawaiian values, culture, and
language by exploring these students’ perceptions of sense of belonging and cultural
development. Sense of belonging is crucial during the adolescent years, and schools must nurture
support for all students. This chapter discusses the history of the community, and demographics
of the site, culturally relevant education, and themes of belongingness. This study focuses on
Filipino students since this population is the largest non-Native Hawaiian population in Hawaiʻi
public schools. The following questions guided this study:
1. What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino students who attended a
Westernized public high school in Hawaiʻi?
2. What is their experience with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language
instruction?
This literature review examines research on the Filipino community and the formation of
identity and sense of belonging for this immigrant population in Hawaiʻi. The literature discusses
the strong presence of the Filipino culture and community in conflict with learning through
Native Hawaiian values, practices, and language as navigated by recent high school graduates.
There is an emphasis on sense of belonging and culturally relevant pedagogy to better understand
how programs affect non-Native Hawaiian students.
History of the Community
Hawaiʻi has over 1.4 million people and a rich history of diverse populations (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2019). Communities evolved from former plantation towns to their current state
through colonialism and capitalism that encompassed Japanese, Filipino, and Portuguese
9
cultures. In many ways, the former plantation towns are still apparent where pockets of specific
cultures exist, now described as a majority-minority population (Ryoo & McLaren, 2010; Trask,
1993).
Historical Background
The Philippines consists of over 7,000 islands, and multiple settlements created its
current culture. Historically, the Philippines had several different influences and control by
different countries, from island natives of the Philippines, to Spanish rule, to United States claim,
to Japanese occupation. After almost 3 centuries of Spanish colonial rule, a revolution ended in a
truce in 1897 (Asis, 2006). This long-standing settlement led to a strong connection with many
identities within the Filipino culture and was emphasized more when the United States ruled over
the Philippines.
The Spanish-American War greatly impacted the Philippines. During this war, a U.S.
fleet defeated Spanish forces in 1898, resulting in the United States paying Spain to take control
of the Philippines, as it was then ceded to the United States through the Treaty of Paris (Asis,
2006). However, this control did not last long. Resistance to American rule led to the 1899–1901
Philippine-American War, which resulted in the establishment of a civil government throughout
the Philippines in 1902 (Asis, 2006).
There are also influences from the Japanese culture because of an invasion and
occupation during World War II, which led to the Philippines becoming independent in July
1946 (Asis, 2006). The newly independent country implemented strategies to ensure economic
success, including exporting labor internationally. Since the 1970s, the government of the
Philippines has used labor as a primary financial export and has since developed programs and
services in all phases of migration (Asis, 2006).
10
Immigration
With a strong dependence on labor as an export, Filipino immigrants have been one of
the largest foreign-born groups to relocate to the United States. In 2013, the fourth-largest
country of origin of immigrants in the United States was the Philippines, which accounted for
4.5% of the 41.3 million total immigrants (McNamara & Batalova, 2015). There were three
major waves of Filipino migration to the United States. In 1899, following the U.S. annexation
of the Philippines, laborers were needed in California and Hawaiʻi due to agricultural labor
shortages. After World War II and following a quota, migrants entered as war brides, military
personnel, and students of nursing and other healthcare fields. The third wave took place after
the Immigration and Nationality Act’s removal of the national-origin system in 1965 due to the
relationship between the United States and the Philippines (Asis, 2006; McNamara & Batalova,
2015).
All three migration waves significantly increased the population of Filipinos in Hawaiʻi,
but one component influenced the community and high school in this study: the need for
agricultural labor. Beginning in 1906, Filipinos immigrated to work on sugarcane and pineapple
plantations, where a majority of migrants were single males (Asis, 2006). Migration patterns
from the Philippines, which was once considered a U.S. colony, were considered internal
migration, and those migrating to the United States were nationals who could freely enter and
leave the country. However, they were not considered U.S. citizens (Asis, 2006). The TydingsMcDuffie Law in 1934 required immigration quotas that limited visas from the Philippines to 50,
yet there was a clause that allowed the governor of Hawaiʻi to hire Filipino workers due to a high
need for labor (Asis, 2006). An estimated 120,000 to 150,000 Filipino workers arrived in the
United States, with the majority migrating to Hawaiʻi prior to continuing their journey to
11
California, Alaska, and other states (Asis, 2006). Given the more than 1.9 million Filipinos
migrating to the United States in 2016 (Zong & Batalova, 2018), they are still a population that
adds to the U.S. workforce.
Immigration to Hawaiʻi
Because of the demand for labor, Filipinos became a historically significant part of
Hawaiʻi’s culture. The plantation-based economy’s needs initially shaped the development of the
Filipino community in Hawaiʻi; more recently, the majority of Filipinos in Hawaiʻi work and
live in these transformed urban areas (Alegado, 1991). This development allowed the Filipino
ethnic identity to persist culturally in the context and reality of Hawaiʻi’s changing political
economy. On the leeward side of the island of Oʻahu, Filipinos developed a community on a
former sugar cane plantation that has turned into an urban community, where the population
continues to increase. The U.S. Census Bureau (2019) reported that people who identify as
Filipino alone or in combination with another race or ethnicity comprised 25% of Hawaiʻi’s
population. This population is significant in Hawaiʻi.
Filipinos are the fastest-growing ethnic minority in Hawaiʻi due to continuous
immigration and high birth rates (University of Hawaiʻi, Center for Philippine Studies, 2011).
Immigration after the millennium includes family separation, where there is separation from one
or both parents for extended periods (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2005). Schools need to be prepared to
support these students as they are away from their families and home country. Families migrate,
or parents send students alone to Hawaiʻi in hopes of a better education than they can receive in
the Philippines.
Migrant workers send remittances that contribute to the Philippines’ economy; in 2017,
formal remittances reached over US$35 billion (Asis, 2006; Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, 2018).
12
Remittances from Hawaiʻi sent to communities in the Philippines pay for basic needs, housing,
education for children, and starting or investing in businesses (Asis, 2006). This central aspect of
migration is connected to the country’s economy. The economic capital of these communities
extends outside of Hawaiʻi.
Filipino Students in Public Schools
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the
nation, yet Filipinos comprise only11% of undergraduates and 4% of graduate students
(University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Office of Student Equity, Excellence & Diversity, 2016). Thus,
K–12 schools should ensure students have higher education options. Filipino students ranked
second to last in both math and language arts out of all of the major ethnic groups in K–12 public
schools, based on the 2006 Hawaiʻi state assessments, where White and Asian students generally
scored higher than all students statewide (Halagao, 2016).
This study focuses on a high school in a community located on the leeward side of the
island of Oʻahu. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2019), the community has a population
of 38,216 as of 2010, and the median household income between 2014–2018 was $77,227. In
this community, 17% of people have less than a high school degree, compared to 10.2%
statewide, and 20.1% have a college degree, compared to 29.4% in the state (U.S. Census
Bureau, 2013).
Hawaiʻi public schools have a total enrollment of 180,837 students, with 14,773 ELL
students for the school year 2017–2018 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). The
Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HI DOE) measures success through college and careerreadiness indicators, including completion rates, state assessments, and college enrollment. Since
2000, Native Hawaiian and Filipino students have been the largest ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi’s
13
schools, where Hawaiian (26%) and Filipino (22%) students make up nearly half of the
population. However, only 6% of teachers have Filipino ancestry (Halagao, 2016).
Regarding the school examined in this study, Filipino students are a majority of the
student population (69.42%), followed by Native Hawaiian (8.73%), Samoan (6.44%), and
Micronesian (5.08%; HI DOE, 2018). This population has roots in the colonized plantation
community that once existed, yet welcomes new arrivals, as immigration is still thriving. Almost
26% of this school’s population identified as former English learner students, and 16% are
currently classified as English learners. Over 43% of the school’s students are, or were identified
as, English learners. This overall percentage includes English learners who are current, recently
exited, no longer identified, and those whose parents refused services (Allen-Rotell & Brown,
2018). With such a significant number of students characterized as needing or having once used
English learner services, there is a demand for culture-based education that encourages identity
growth. These students’ experiences can create a learning model that allows for further
integration of students’ differences and tolerance. While this school has a graduation rate of
79%, 53% of graduates enroll in postsecondary education the fall after graduation (Hawaiʻi
Public Schools, 2018).
Academy of ʻĀina-based Learning
The setting of this study is a high school separated into different academies with different
career and college goals for their students. Specifically, the Academy of ʻāina-based Learning
prepares all students to become environmentally conscious citizens who practice good
environmental stewardship and become contributors to a sustainable world. This academy
participates in ʻāina-based learning that integrates Native Hawaiian language, values, and
practices through the curriculum. Students learn in an environment that has a Westernized,
14
public school agenda of progress toward graduation and top scores on national and state
assessments, but this academy also incorporates Native Hawaiian indigenous practices.
In implementing a place-based program, the academy’s leaders recognize students’
diverse backgrounds yet seek to instill the common idea that Hawaiʻi is everyone’s home, where
each student belongs and develops a desire to contribute to its betterment. They also infuse
Hawaiian culture in the academy, describing it as a connection of culture to ʻāina with natural
resources and relationships. The connection between sense of belonging in Hawaiʻi and
recognition by the teachers allows for accomplishing the academy’s mission to care for the place
in which the students are immersed and learn its history rather than focus only on Native
Hawaiian practices and culture.
Culturally Relevant Education
The push for the decolonization of Western-based curriculum increases alongside the
need to replace it with the histories and stories of minority groups. Cultural genocide continues
to define mainstream Westernized education, as demonstrated by the educational system’s
continued failure to fully incorporate the perspectives of Indigenous cultures and other nonWhite heritage in the design and delivery of curricula (Harrington & CHiXapkaid, 2013). In
Hawaiʻi, there is still work to be done to ensure all students gain and progress in the public
school system (State of Hawaiʻi, 2020).
In the culturally relevant classroom, students learn and develop a sense of pride about
cultures (Aronson & Laughter, 2016). Culturally relevant teaching strategies allow students to
support cultures different from their own. Gay (2010) found that the most effective culturally
responsive practices included cultural knowledge, experiences, and performance of a diverse
student population. Culturally responsive teaching empowers students as socially and
15
academically and is multidimensional through knowledge, experiences, contributions, and
perspectives. It validates every student’s culture between school and home. It is socially,
emotionally, and politically comprehensive as a whole child approach and transforms schools
and societies by using student strengths. It is emancipatory and liberating from oppressive
educational practices and ideologies (Gay, 2010). Students should be able to recognize these
practices from teachers in culturally responsive settings as they build their identity and sense of
belonging.
In 2018, Gay updated these teaching practices. Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is
validating and affirming, comprehensive and inclusive, multidimensional, empowering,
transformative, emancipatory, humanistic, normative, and ethical (Gay, 2018). These practices
are updated and more inclusive because there was a need to improve the performance of
underachieving students from various ethnic groups (Gay, 2018). Furthermore, Gay suggested
that teaching through these practices allows content to become more personally meaningful and
easier to master.
In recognizing the need for culturally responsive learning opportunities, Hawaiʻi schools
have started implementing culturally responsive practices toward student success. The highest
growth rates in Hawaiʻi state assessments in language arts and math were found in largely Native
Hawaiian populations of Kaʻu and Pāhoa districts of the island of Hawaiʻi, where there is a
strong emphasis on culturally responsive practices (Halagao, 2016). These growth rates show
that Native Hawaiian students score better on state assessments, yet there is no indication of how
this curriculum affects non-Native Hawaiians.
Public schools throughout the state are implementing similar programs since the HI DOE
establishes policy for the entire state. Although there is a common goal for schools to foster
16
academic success, students do not necessarity learn effectively from one common curriculum.
Sylva et al. (2010) studied Native Hawaiian indigenous curriculum based on situated learning.
Native Hawaiian ways of learning are experience-based, embedded in real-life purpose and
context, highly interpersonal, and location-specific. The study found that students addressed
Hawaiʻi-specific problems, which helped them connect their culture with their learning
experience. Historically, Hawaiians acquired and used scientific knowledge in problem and
community-based contexts that can be implemented in the same manner for current students,
especially Native Hawaiian students (Sylva et al., 2010). Additionally, both Native Hawaiian and
non-Native Hawaiian teachers implemented the curriculum but lacked discussion of the impact
on non-Native Hawaiian students. The study only suggested that non-Native Hawaiian students
can have learning experiences that are similar to non-Native Hawaiian teachers. There remains
the question of the effects of Native Hawaiian embedded curriculum on non-Native Hawaiian
students and improvement in state assessment scores and graduation rates.
Misalignment for Non-Native Hawaiian Students
Culturally relevant programs do not address all problems with inclusion for all
minoritized populations. One study addressed the relationship between successful Indigenous
programs and applied the program to another Indigenous culture. There were signs that the
program was incompatible with different indigenous groups. Vogt et al. (1987) examined a
program that succeeded in Hawaiʻi but could not be replicated with another Indigenous group:
the Navajo. The educationally effective Hawaiian program was, to an extent, culturally specific,
and its specific cultural compatibility contributed to its educational effectiveness. In attempts to
use Native Hawaiian curricular strategies for Navajo children, cultural compatibility is one
credible explanation for school failure, as the program did not fit within the worldview or ways
17
of understanding for the Navajo students (Vogt et al., 1987). The study had detrimental effects
when the curriculum was not adapted for specific students and their cultural identities.
In a separate study, Native American students had positive experiences with culturally
responsive educational programs, though the programs did not directly affect academic content
test scores. The connection between culturally responsive educational programs and
socioemotional and educational development represents the circular nature of culturally
responsive educational strategies (Harrington & CHiXapkaid, 2013). This study was based on a
culture-based education framework from Ledward et al.’s (2008) framework, focusing on the
connection between culturally responsive education and improved socioemotional and
educational development. The framework followed best practices for culture-based education:
(a) active participation of family members in educational activities, (b) using the community as a
setting for students learning, (c) rigorous assessments accounting for a range of competency and
skills, (d) place-based and service learning project promoting community well-being, and (e)
career planning and preparation for global citizenship (as referenced in Harrington &
CHiXapkaid, 2013). There was an emphasis on student socioemotional well-being and
relationships for the educational strategies to be implemented. Furthermore, real reform required
innovation and attention to the cultural nuances of tribes and communities. Being aware of the
different cultures and sub-cultures in the classroom community allows for the proper
implementation of culturally responsive educational strategies to take place.
Identity Through Culture and Language
Research on identity through culture and language involves looking at how people
navigate environmental encounters and how people negotiate their lives in ethnic or racial ways
(Cornell & Hartman, 2007). Since students spend a significant amount of time in the classroom
18
with peers and teachers, there is interest in how students have determined their identities. “For
immigrant youth today, after the family, school is the single most important institution in their
lives” (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2005, p. xii).
Teachers and the curriculum they create both assist with students’ sense of belonging and
identity (Goodenow, 1993a). A case study found that when a student did not have a sense of who
they were, it was difficult for them to achieve academically (Halagao, 2016). Students need to be
able to relate to the curriculum and see themselves through the content they are learning.
Teachers influence curriculum and content delivery to students. Halagao (2016) described the
positive academic impact of culturally responsive practices on Native Hawaiian communities,
specifically recognizing Hawaiʻi Island communities with the largest increase in state test scores.
While Filipino students comprise almost one-quarter of the public school enrollment,
there is not an equitable focus on their academic, social, and cultural needs. McCarty and Lee
(2014) emphasized that parents and schools foster the community-desired competencies of
learning by engaging culture and local knowledge and by including language through Indigenous
education that can be applied to other minoritized groups. Educators at schools negotiate daily in
ways that affirm the identities and strengths of their students, where plurilingual and pluricultural
education exist (McCarty & Lee, 2014). Curriculum practices can go beyond one major cultural
group without compromising the host language and culture. Recognizing who the students are, as
well as recognizing their culture and language, allows teachers to fully support students.
To show success in U.S. schools, students must learn English while learning other
academic content (Lucas et al., 2008; Suárez-Orozco et al., 2005). Plurilingual and pluricultural
education can benefit more than one specific cultural group as schools emphasize many
languages and cultures. Hao and Bonstead-Bruns (1998) found that proficiency in parental
19
language significantly improves math scores and grade point averages. Bringing the diverse
student language and culture into the classroom, instead of only focusing on one, allows student
equity toward academic success.
Identity as Filipino
Historically, Filipinos have been categorized in the Asian cultural group. In a study of
parent-child interactions compared to highest performing Chinese immigrants, immigrant
Filipinos have a lower frequency of parental involvement in school, learning at home, and
extracurricular activities. On the other hand, Filipinos have a higher frequency of parental
involvement in other learning areas. Moreover, cultural community groups influence immigrant
and second-generation student success. Educational expectations are also strongly influenced by
socioeconomic status and educational attainment in comparison to other immigrants, suggesting
that group-level characteristics matter beyond individual family characteristics (Feliciano, 2006).
Since the community and group-level characteristics are such an indicator, there is pressure on
educators to allow options for students to attain higher educational attainments. Pluricultural
education allows for all students to benefit regardless of generational relationship to the U.S. and
individual demographics.
Student Belongingness Through Instruction
Belongingness has many layers, and schools are communities of belongingness. The
instructional facets include classroom practices, culturally relevant instruction that provides a
way for students to maintain cultural integrity, and the integration of English learners in a way
that recognizes their home culture at school. Regarding Filipino students, there is a lack of
research despite the fact that their numbers are equivalent to those of the Native Hawaiian
population. There is a need for schools to ensure that students’ home cultures are represented.
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Classroom Practices and Strategies
Educators can implement classroom practices to create an environment for students to
develop a sense of belonging (Benner et al., 2017; Faircloth & Hamm, 2005; Hopkins et al.,
2013; Museus & Maramba, 2011; Osterman, 2000; Tierney & Jun, 2001). The literature
encompasses grades K–12 and postsecondary education, indicating that belongingness is
important at every developmental level. Osterman (2000) suggested that students’ sense of
belonging through classroom practices is related to methods of instruction, teacher support, and
authority relationships between teachers and students.
Careful consideration into developing a classroom culture that applies to the student as a
whole instead of only covering standardized content can encourage students to internalize
content differently. Faircloth and Hamm (2005) found that “students value more highly those
activities that take place in environments [in] which their affective needs are met” (p. 296).
Curriculum and instruction can be further internalized when students have school belongingness.
This strategy allows another mode of retention for students outside of emotional and mental care.
In looking at student needs as they enter secondary school, Benner et al. (2017) found that
Specifically, youth who experienced decreasing levels of friend support and school
belonging across the high school transition experienced greater increases in both
depressive symptoms and loneliness from 8th to 9th grade than their peers who
experienced stable/increasing friend support and school belonging. (p. 2137)
Fostering an environment that supports programs for students to have a sense of belonging
through high school starts with the transition to ninth grade. Through Benner et al.’s (2017)
study of low-income and race/ethnic minority youth in the transition to high school, findings
suggested that stable and increasing friend support and school belonging were linked to fewer
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socioemotional disruptions (p. 2129). These results allowed for suggestions in designing
intervention and prevention efforts that include ways to build students’ feelings of school
belonging by helping students quickly integrate and make connections (Benner et al., 2017).
Cultural Relevancy
There is a connection between culturally relevant instruction that promotes school
belongingness for students, which accentuates the backgrounds of the students, including
families and neighborhoods (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Museus & Maramba, 2011; Tierney & Jun,
2001). Ladson-Billings (1995) noted that culturally relevant pedagogy must provide a way for
students to maintain their cultural integrity as they succeed academically. When developing a
program for low-income, urban, minority youths, Tierney and Jun (2001) suggested that
“education in culture is not a simple process of teaching neutral facts and figures to a faceless
population; it is an interactive process of individual identity development and the creation of the
community” (p. 209). Recognizing student demographics through classroom practices and
lessons allows for the nurturing of the school community members.
Work by Museus and Maramba (2011) addressed postsecondary students and found
factors that can be applied to secondary school environments. “To effectively create culturally
relevant programs and practices, postsecondary educators must (a) understand the cultures from
which their students come, and (b) incorporate values, beliefs, and traditions of those cultures
into their educational programming” (Museus & Maramba, 2011, p. 253). Furthering the role of
educators to recognize diversity and similarities through student cultures encourages familiarity
in the classroom in a positive way that, likewise, encourages cultural integrity. Tierney and Jun
(2001) explained the definition of cultural integrity as “those programs and teaching strategies
that call upon students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds in a positive manner in the development of
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their pedagogies and learning activities” (p. 211). Developing cultural integrity is an important
aspect of supporting students toward achievement. The authors asserted, “The adolescent’s
cultural background is a critical ingredient for acquiring cultural capital and achieving success”
(Tierney & Jun, 2001, p. 211). Fostering these individual assets allows students to see
themselves as contributing members of the community as students in the classroom.
In a study of adolescents who are African American, of Asian descent, Latino, and
European American, researchers found a relationship between belongingness and student
motivation and success where “practices should not be levied uniformly across the student body
without attention to how members of different ethnic groups might experience them” (Faircloth
& Hamm, 2005, pp. 307–308). A diverse population allows the opportunity for a rich community
to implement practices that encourage a positive mindset with differences outside the majority.
Allowing recognition in the classroom allows students to share experiences for all. Educators can
encourage the classroom culture to embrace these experiences by using culturally relevant
teaching practices and strategies.
English Learners
As immigrant populations increase and ELL students enter schools, immigrant students’
sense of belonging needs evaluation (Camacho & Fuligni, 2014; Hopkins et al., 2013; Malsbary,
2013). Students who immigrate to the United States bring a different worldview that deserves
attention to their sense of belonging when learning in Westernized educational systems.
Specifically, proper transition and inclusive integration are necessary for educational success.
With growing concern about young men of color and educational attainment in the United States,
there was a study of adolescents who are foreign-born Latinos to further understand how they
integrated into the U.S. educational system (Hopkins et al., 2013). The findings suggested that
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implementation of non-dominant cultural capital through bilingual instruction, with the help of
counselors providing information about social capital through high school graduation and
postsecondary education, yielded spaces of belonging (Hopkins et al., 2013, p. 292). Students
understood their role in the classroom and outside the classroom. These findings advocate for a
support system for students that allows integration; however, not all institutions implement this
structured support.
A study of after-school activities and GPA, school belonging, and intrinsic motivation
among immigrant youth found that the relationship between participation and GPA was greater
for first-generation immigrant students. In comparison to third-generation students, firstgeneration immigrants had an overall increase in school belonging and intrinsic motivation
overall, regardless of the type of participation (Camacho & Fuligni, 2014). Encouraging a space
for immigrant students allows for the attainment of higher achievements through school
belonging and intrinsic motivation.
Malsbary (2013) described the narrative of a multilingual, multiethnic, multigrade high
school class:
They have left behind family, friends, and an entire way of knowing the world. And, in
contact zones, they are grappling with intense globalization and localized transcultural
forms, in addition to learning a dominant culture with hidden expectations and a
pervasive dislike of the newcomer. … The practices of the youth demonstrated repeatedly
that their translanguaging, intercultural exchanges, and learning are closely aligned to the
reality of twenty-first-century life in a globalized world. (p. 1331)
The data from this study demonstrated a community where youths’ speaking practices were
central to their sense of belonging in an immigrant community but alienated from the rest of the
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school. Educators should support students to integrate into the community and value their home
cultures. Encouraging languages and practices allows the culture to be seen instead of alienated.
Although in a Westernized school, many students come from different cultural backgrounds,
many of which are from different countries outside of the United States and Hawaiʻi. Educators
need to acknowledge the home culture and cannot forget the experiences their students bring to
the classroom.
Belongingness for Filipino Students
As the Filipino population is prevalent in the school and its surrounding community, the
study focused on students who identify as Filipino, as few studies examine this population.
Faircloth and Hamm observed that “few researchers have addressed the relevance of teacher
support for the motivation and achievement of students of Asian-descent” (p. 294). Moreover,
Museus and Maramba (2011) found that there is little empirical research about Filipino
Americans and other ethnic subgroups in higher education.
Museus and Maramba (2011) found supportive evidence of cultural integrity as fostering
success among students of color, where cultural integrity refers to educational programming that
engages the cultural backgrounds of racial/ethnic minority students (p. 250). In Hawaiʻi, the
Filipino community comprises almost a quarter of the state population yet is not reflected in
postsecondary education, making it important to study this gap. Cultural integrity goes beyond
the host culture and Westernized institutions. Students can relate to concepts instead of only
learning through a Westernized lens.
Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks
This study was grounded with a framework focused on CRT and a study regarding
student belongingness. Educators are encouraged to teach toward academic success in
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Westernized academia, which can cause challenges. Looking at sense of belonging of the
students while connecting to CRT may produce the success schools seek. The purpose of the
study was to examine Filipino students’ experiences at a Hawaiʻi public school where many
students are identified as English learners, language is an important aspect of culture, and many
students have strong connections to their cultural backgrounds. With a shift to acknowledge
learning through Native Hawaiian values, language and practices, there is a need to look at how
other minoritized students are self-identifying cultural development and perceiving their sense of
belonging.
Gay (2018) expanded a list of practices included in culturally responsive pedagogy from
six to eight. When analyzing practices across several studies involving students from elementary
school to higher education, five are commonly demonstrated and, therefore, were the focus of
this study: CRT is validating and affirming; CRT is comprehensive and inclusive; CRT is
multidimensional; CRT is transformative, where there is explicit teaching for both academic
success and cultural consciousness; and CRT is emancipatory, where students are making
authentic knowledge about different ethnic groups as a cooperative community (Dickson et al.,
2015; Furuto, 2014; Keehne et al., 2018; Wurdeman-Thurston & Kaomea, 2015). This
theoretical framework allows all students to appreciate multiple perspectives and differences.
Faircloth and Hamm’s (2005) study focused on belongingness through a context of time
on extracurricular activities, perceived discrimination, and bonding with teachers as connected to
sense of belonging among different ethnic groups’ academic success. This study referred to
Osterman (2000), who noted that belongingness is a psychological phenomenon that has a farreaching impact on human motivation and behavior with benefits and risks, including academic
success. Goodenow (1993b) discussed students’ sense of belonging as psychological
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membership in the school or classroom, where a student should feel personally accepted,
respected, included, and supported by others in the school social environment. Goodenow’s
findings suggested that psychological membership alone may be an important contributor to
school motivation, effort, participation, and subsequent achievement. Additionally, Goodenow
and Grady (1993) described students’ associations with cultural and ethnic groups, their families,
and their friends are fundamental aspects of academic motivation. Sense of belonging in the
classroom includes student perceptions as personally accepted, respected, included, and
supported by others—especially teachers and other adults in the school social environment.
Sense of belonging is an important factor to recognize in the school community. Students
are building a perception of themselves based on peers, teachers, and the environment around
them. There have been studies that address students’ sense of school belongingness and the
impact on academic motivation (Faircloth & Hamm, 2005; Goodenow, 1993a; Hopkins et al.,
2013; Osterman, 2000). Goodenow (1993a) addressed the association between the quality of
psychological membership and school motivation and achievement. Belongingness is
specifically represented through students’ perceived membership.
As classroom diversity has changed, studies have focused on sense of belonging among
ethnic minority groups (Faircloth & Hamm, 2005; Hopkins et al., 2013). Specifically, Faircloth
and Hamm (2005) studied the relevant dimensions of belonging and the role of belonging by
explaining the relationship between motivation and achievement for students in four ethnic
groups. The findings concluded that students experience schools in different ways, where
multiple dimensions of belonging were relevant, but not uniformly so, across ethnic groups. This
gives room to continue the study of different ethnic groups and their experiences to examine the
perceived sense of belonging and connections to motivation for academics. Motivation becomes
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energized through interpersonal connections in key areas of school life (Faircloth & Hamm,
2005).
This study focused on student experiences through culture and sense of belonging as well
as on factors that influence students’ academic success in an environment in which graduating
high school is already an indicator of success. The parameters were sense of belonging and
cultural relevance. The emphasis was on participants’ reflecting on their high school experience
regarding how Native Hawaiian practices affected Filipino students in Hawaiʻi. There is a need
to understand sense of belonging through Native Hawaiian practices on non-Native Hawaiian
students, specifically with the Filipino community.
This study included only Filipinos born in the Philippines or Hawaiʻi to better understand
their experience in high school classes that focused on Native Hawaiian culture. The
participants’ sense of belonging in a Native Hawaiian integrated high school allows a further
understanding of whether the program meets Filipino students’ needs in a culturally responsive
manner. Since the students in Hawaiʻi are diverse yet not represented in the same proportion in
higher education, Gay’s (2018) CRT and Faircloth and Hamm’s (2005) work on student
belongingness helped to understand how students develop a sense of belonging while learning
through academic English and Native Hawaiian values, practices, and language. Culturally
responsive teaching confirms the needs of students from different cultural backgrounds with an
emphasis on validating every student’s culture. This link between validating student culture and
sense of belonging allows for a closer look at how students perceive their high school
experiences.
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Conclusion
This literature allows for a better understanding of the Filipino community and the
dominant culture of the school as non-Native Hawaiian, although students learn through Native
Hawaiian values, practices, and language. It is necessary to study minoritized communities that
are not part of the host population. With culturally relevant programs catered to Filipino
communities, the demand is present yet overlooked in schools. The next chapter will discuss the
methodology of this study.
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Chapter Three: Methodology
This chapter describes the qualitative methodology used in this study, including the
research questions that guided the study. The population and sample are indicated, followed by
instrumentation and the data collected. Once data were collected and transcribed, I analyzed
them using analytic tools, priori codes from CRT and belongingness, and the constant
comparative method.
Schools in Hawaiʻi increasingly focus on embedding Native Hawaiian values, practices,
and language into the curriculum. However, the state’s students come with diverse identities and
backgrounds. There is limited literature on the impact of the use of Native Hawaiian indigenous
practices and language on students from non-Native Hawaiian identities. Thus, this study
examined the experiences of the largest non-Native Hawaiian population in the Hawaiʻi public
school system: the Filipino community.
Qualitative Methods
The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand Filipino students’
perceived sense of belonging and identity at a Westernized public high school that teaches
content through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language.
Creswell (2014) explained that qualitative research is an approach to exploring and
understanding the meaning that individuals or groups ascribe to their experiences. A qualitative
research approach enabled me to examine the views of students who identify with an ethnic
group that contributes a significant population to the public school system in Hawaiʻi.
“Qualitative case studies share with other forms of qualitative research the search for meaning
and understanding, the researcher as the primary instrument of data collection and analysis, an
inductive investigative strategy, and the end product being richly descriptive” (Merriam &
30
Tisdell, 2016, p. 37). This study examined the participants’ perceptions of the program in which
they were enrolled. Since the sample was small, the interviewees’ perspectives were paramount.
Research Questions
In developing the research questions for a qualitative study, Merriam and Tisdell (2016)
described the intent to explore the general, complex set of factors and present broad, varied
perspectives of the participants. Two research questions guided this study:
1. What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino students who attended a
Westernized public high school in Hawaiʻi?
2. What is their experience with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language
instruction?
Site Selection
The site for this study is Makakita High School (a pseudonym,) which is a large high
school with a student population under 3,000 and where over half of the students identify as
current or former English learners (Allen-Rotell & Brown, 2018). Filipino students comprise a
majority of this high school’s population, making this the ideal site for the study. In the
community that this high school serves, 17.0% of the population has less than a high school
degree, as compared to 10.2% of the state’s population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013).
Makakita High School uses an academy model to support students toward the goal of
college and career readiness. The academy model allows students to select the focus for their
studies, ranging from communications and media to engineering. One of these academies is the
Academy of ʻāina-based Learning (a pseudonym), which was the focus of the study. This
academy integrates Native Hawaiian values, language, and practices through the curriculum,
based on state standards and Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ).
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Population and Sample
The population studied were graduates of the Academy of ʻāina-based Learning who selfidentified as Filipinos or immigrants from the Philippines. They graduated within the 3 years
prior to this study. They experienced the academy’s focus and participated in ʻāina-based
learning.
To gain the participants’ perspectives, I conducted eight interviews. Additionally, I
purposefully sampled individuals based on gender, years of education in Hawaiʻi, and years of
education in the Academy of ʻāina-based Learning. I also used snowball sampling; however,
there were not enough potential participants who met the criteria. In this study, snowball
sampling involved locating participants who met the study criteria to increase participation based
on recommendations from alumni, teachers, and administrators. Additionally, I used social
media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, to contact recent graduates who
identified as Filipino to ask for their participation in this study.
Instrumentation
After the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board approved this
study, I asked the assistant principal, counselors, and teachers of the Academy of ʻāina-based
Learning for permission to study the academy. I gained permission from the site to complete the
study (Creswell, 2014). Specifically, I interviewed the academy’s graduates about their
experiences.
Interviews
Creswell (2014) described interviews in multiple ways, including one-on-one and focus
groups of six to eight participants. Based on the pre-survey and participants’ willingness, the
goal was 15 individual interviews and two focus groups of six to eight participants; however,
32
nine individuals were able to participate, and eight of them committed to the interview. There
were no focus groups due to the participants’ time constraints. Merriam and Tisdell (2016)
described interviewing as necessary when one cannot observe behavior, feelings, or how people
interpret the world around them. Insights into the participants’ perceptions allowed for a
description of how they internalized their experiences.
I used a semi-structured interview protocol, which allowed for flexibility (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Questions ranged from describing experiences of learning through ʻāina-based
learning and Native Hawaiian values, language, and culture to compare to CRT. Participants also
described their experience with sense of belonging in the classroom, through extracurricular
activities, with teachers, the community, and Hawaiʻi.
Focus Groups
There was an intention for focus groups to be used in data collection to encourage more
responses that may not otherwise be expressed during individual interviews. However, most
participants did not want to participate in a focus group due to the presence of others or time
constraints, including differences in time zones. The focus groups would have included
participants who graduated in 2017 and 2018, as they would have been away from the school
longer. This group setting allows for more perspectives to emerge as the participants may prompt
interactions and memories to best answer the questions. Since focus groups are not as intimate as
an interview, the researcher was going to eliminate questions that were more sensitive to the
participant. The focus groups would have consisted of graduates of Makakita High School,
allowing them to share their experiences and for me to gain access to data from an alternative
point of view.
33
The focus group would have allowed for the emergence of ideas that may not have been
suggested during interviews as participants shared responses and may have encouraged more
descriptive data through robust discussion. Discussion questions would have ranged from general
experiences in the classroom, as an entire academy, and at the school compared to CRT and
belongingness. Additional discussion questions would have been formed from interview
responses.
Data Collection
In qualitative research, the researcher is the primary instrument (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). I collected data through interviews. I emailed teachers, counselors, and other staff of the
Academy of ʻāina-based Learning to forward to their alumni. I used a poster on social media to
reach a larger group of potential participants. The email and pre-survey determined whom I
would contact for interviews. The participants had graduated from Makakita High School within
the 3 years prior to this study and participated in the Academy of ʻāina-based Learning. The prescreening survey asked for demographic information, including years in Hawaiʻi, year of high
school graduation, years in the academy and at the school, and permission to contact the
respondents to request their participation in an interview.
Pre-Survey
I sent the participant interest email to academy teachers, counselors, and other staff
members who had been part of the academy in the 3 years prior to this study. They forwarded the
email to their recent graduates. The email asked recipients to directly email me with contact
information. I then sent a pre-screening survey to all potential candidates who responded to the
email and the social media posting. The pre-screening survey asked direct questions about age,
year of immigration to the United States, year of arriving in Hawaiʻi, years at Makakita High
34
School, academy, and graduation year. The survey asked respondents if they were interested in
participating in interviews, with a gift card as an incentive. I worked with the staff members to
send a final follow-up email a week prior to the close of the survey to individuals who responded
with interest in committing to a survey but had not yet completed it.
I completed data collection 2 weeks after I sent the survey to the Academy of ʻāina-based
Learning teachers. I categorized the pre-screened candidates into two groups: criteria met and
unmet.
Interviews and Focus Groups
Those who met participation requirements received information about interviews and
focus groups. The email with interview and focus group information included the purpose of the
study, the role of the researcher, the participant’s role and confidentiality, and the time
dedication expected. Once an interview time was agreed upon, I sent a confirmation email with
information about the interview with the time, date, Zoom link, and a copy of the information
sheet. Because the public libraries were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all interviews
took place online using a password-protected Zoom.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) described that “the relationship and the research purpose
determine how much the researcher reveals about the actual purpose of the study—how informed
the consent can actually be—and how much privacy and protection from harm is afforded the
participants” (p. 261). Prior to the interview, I informed participants that I would not identify
them in the research and that their responses were confidential. I stated that I would use
pseudonyms to protect their identities and that they could refuse to answer questions or terminate
participation at any time.
35
I asked the participants’ permission to video and audio record the conversation and for
note-taking. All consented verbally. Recording allows for everything said to be preserved for
analysis (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Notes included further questions that developed during the
interview. I also noted the interviewees’ gestures, emotions, and behaviors because the audio
recording does not recognize these observations. I saved the recordings on a password-protected
individual Zoom cloud and a private electronic voice recorder via a password-protected iPhone. I
placed all physical copies of notes with information about participants in a locked filing cabinet.
Data Analysis
I transcribed and coded the audio recordings to identify themes associated with the
conceptual framework (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Corbin and Strauss (2008) identified coding
as interacting with data using techniques such as asking questions about the data and making
comparisons between the data to derive concepts to stand for the data, where analytic tools can
provide strategic and purposeful use for the data. The analytic tools I used across data were
questioning, making comparisons, thinking about the various meanings of a word, looking at
language, and looking at emotions expressed. I placed these as notes in the margins of the
electronic transcript. Richards (2015, as cited in Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) described analytical
coding as beyond descriptive coding; it is coding that comes from interpretation and reflection on
meaning. Finally, after open coding and the use of analytic tools, I used analytical coding to look
deeper at the data interpretation. Sub-categories based on coding and margin notes were
developed and transferred to individual codebooks to see frequency as related to the research
questions. I then used the constant comparative method. By using the constant comparative
approach, themes from the interviews will be compiled and interpreted (Corbin & Strauss, 2008;
36
Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Organization and saturation were necessary to get a complete analysis
for this study.
I used priori codes to acknowledge the conceptual framework of CRT and a study on
student belongingness. In regard to CRT, I compared the findings to five themes identified by
Gay (2018): (a) validating and affirming, (b) comprehensive and inclusive, (c) multidimensional,
(d) transformative, and (e) emancipatory. I assigned these five themes different colors to
represent them in the data and highlighted notes to match the corresponding theme on the
electronic transcripts. Additionally, I investigated priori codes in connection to the research
where belonging was a mediator of achievement: belonging through time spent in extracurricular
activities, belonging with teacher, and belonging based on perceived discrimination based on
ethnic group membership.
Validity
I triangulated the data based on the interviews. Using multiple sources to lead to a
conclusion allows for credibility in those conclusions. To encourage the validity of this study, I
used the strategies of member checks, self-reflection through the researcher’s reflexivity, peer
review, rich data, and maximum variation of the participants. Member checks rule out
misinterpretation of meaning and perspective, as well as identify biases and misunderstandings
(Maxwell, 2013). Member checking allowed for clarifying the outcome of the interviews and
encouraged thorough interpretation of the data. The interviewees had the chance to make sure
my interpretation was correct. With more interviews, there were more perspectives to analyze
and discover themes across the participants while allowing for various experiences to emerge.
To increase validity, rich data includes verbatim transcripts of the interviews (Maxwell,
2013). These transcripts included the nonverbal behaviors I observed. Compiling and organizing
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the notes immediately allows for the most accurate data. Maxwell (2013) described rich, thick
descriptions as providing enough description that readers can compare and transfer findings. This
gives meaning to the study as a useful tool in a similar situation. Discussing the data with a peer
allowed for defending interpretations with evidence to support them.
Role of the Researcher
I was a teacher at Makakita High School for 7 years but was part of a different academy.
None of the participants were students in my classroom prior to their switch to the Academy of
ʻāina-based Learning. I moved to Hawaiʻi from the continental United States and wanted to learn
more about the community in which I taught. Through observation, I noticed the importance of
Native Hawaiian culture as the host culture. It is absolutely necessary to encourage a culture that
has a rich history and holds strategies in student learning, yet I was curious regarding the effects
on Filipino students negotiating between recent immigration, some in search of a Westernized
education, and learning through Native Hawaiian values, practices, and language.
I have a constructivist worldview and note that “the goal of the research is to rely as
much as possible on the participants’ views of the situation being studied” (Creswell, 2014, p. 8).
I wanted to gain insight into the experiences of the former students at the school where I taught.
It is necessary to gain a deeper understanding to best fit the sense of belonging to the place that
former students called home. I designed this study to gather data through interviews, which
allowed the students to share thoughts, beliefs, and experiences that support their sense of
belonging and identity in high school. Furthermore, having an interest in knowing more about
one’s practice and improving one’s practice leads to the research questions and design (Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016).
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Conclusion
Chapter Three described the methodology used in this research. Merriam and Tisdell
(2016) explained that the focus of qualitative research is an ongoing process, understanding, and
meaning. The study included interviews based on the research questions. The population sample
included recent graduates of the academy of focus to understand their sense of belonging and
experiences. The study also connected interview responses to the research framework of CRT
with a focus on belongingness for immigrant students from the Philippines learning content
through Native Hawaiian values, language, and culture in a Westernized public school.
Chapter 4 presents the trends in the data analysis for a better understanding of students’
perceptions of their sense of belonging through CRT.
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Chapter Four: Findings
The purpose of this study was to better understand Filipino and Filipino American
students’ sense of belonging in a Hawaiʻi public school that integrates Native Hawaiian values,
practices, and language. Eight recent graduates of the same school and academy participated in
one-on-one interviews.
This chapter will focus on the interviewees’ student experience while attending the public
high school through the academy. The following themes were apparent in the interview data: the
value of natural resources, values related to postsecondary goals, the value of place-based
experiences, the role of relationships, and supporting Filipino identity. The research questions
guiding the study were as follows: What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino
students who attended a Westernized public high school in Hawaiʻi? What is their experience
with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language instruction?
Participant Demographics
Participants’ survey responses include demographic information regarding age, sex, and
ethnicity. Additionally, survey questions concerned identification as Filipino, Filipino American,
mixed (part Filipino), year of graduation, number of years enrolled at the school of focus,
academy, and number of years enrolled at that academy.
I distributed the pre-survey to prospective participants through email, text messaging, and
social media platforms. I also sent it to the principal, several counselors, and teachers at the
school of focus. Nine qualifying respondents filled out the pre-survey, and eight elected to
participate in one-on-one interviews. All responded that they identified as Filipino, Filipino
American, mixed (part Filipino), and Hawaiian Filipino. Two of the nine were born in the
Philippines, while the remaining seven were born in Hawaiʻi. All nine attended the school of
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focus for 4 years and graduated between 2018 and 2020. One of the students switched academies
for 2 years, but the remaining eight remained at the academy of focus for the duration of their
high school term. Only eight students continued with the study. I conducted all interviews using
a video conferencing platform.
Interview Participants
Table 1 shows the characteristics of each participant as related to the number of years
they have lived in Hawaiʻi, the number of years they were enrolled in the academy, and the year
they graduated.
Table 1
Characteristics of Participants
Participant Years as resident in
Hawaiʻi
Years enrolled in
academy
Graduation year
Lisa 12 4 2020
Kalei 18 2 2020
Lani 18 4 2018
Nahinu 18 4 2020
Kainalu 10 4 2020
Kaʻaukai 20 4 2018
Chevy 20 4 2018
Evie 19 4 2020
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Emergent Themes
The five emergent themes from the data are the value of natural resources, the relation to
postsecondary goals, the value of place-based experiences, relationships, and supporting Filipino
identity.
Theme 1: Value of Natural Resources Experiences
As the academy focused on developing environmentally conscious citizens by
incorporating Native Hawaiian indigenous practices, Hawaiʻi’s natural resources and ʻāina, or
land, were often part of the curriculum. The interviewees’ involvement with the ʻāina through
service learning allowed them to connect with each other and the location they served. Though
learning was in a way to show, they also learned by doing. Additionally, they reported that as
students, they learned ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi through the opportunities they received. Lani remembered
learning about loʻi, which acted as a catalyst for her newfound interest in natural resources and
Native Hawaiian practices that went into natural resources. She stated, “We would feed the
fishes. We did a lot of hard work outside, so you would hear a lot of kids working together on
either feeding the fish, changing the water, measuring [data], all sorts of stuff like that.”
The participants’ appreciation for natural resources grew as they learned more about
them. Lani said,
I’m more open to … natural resources because before, I didn’t really care about Earth and
all the natural sustainability and stuff until I got to high school and took my first class in
freshman year and learning more about it. … We do have to care about the Earth.”
Nahinu shared a similar sentiment that the experience in the academy “helps you understand
more of the land and what you’re working with.” Also discussing the experience of the academy,
Nahinu explained,
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It would be very hands-on, and you'd see a lot of work that goes into the ‘āina. … You do
a lot of planting, and you do a lot of research on what you’re doing and how what you’re
doing will help the land and how the land will take care of you once you help it.
Chevy explained the importance of being in this specific academy: “I don’t think any other
academy had that unity, that family that the other ones did, and it’s all because of our teachers
and how they worked together.” Chevy continued, “I think they definitely were focused on what
they want to do in their future, but I don’t know if they had that real tight community like we
did.” The interviewees identified the strong relationship and connection to Hawaiʻi that they
perceived others lacked since they were not in this academy and did not have the same
experiences. Chevy specifically said that this was because teachers enhanced lessons with
material on Native Hawaiian heritage, which was not as relevant in other academies.
In-class Experiences
The interviewees’ experiences included hands-on, performance, and specific values
represented throughout their different classes. Lisa reported that it was a fun experience to learn
about different ethnic groups because “the more you learn, the more educated you are,
specifically learning about values and morals.” Kalei stated that there were many hands-on
activities, such as the environmental resources management class. When asked how they
perceived others who may not have had the same experiences that focused on Native Hawaiian
values, language, and traditions, Lani said, “I think they have a different value. I hope they learn
more about the Hawaiian study [and] the Hawaiian perspective, but I guess they have just your
different values of it.” For specific lessons, Kainalu said, “One thing I took away is there’s
always a meaning behind everything you do. We used to go on field trips and chant an oli as a
way to ask permission to enter the site.” Kaʻaukai explained that being part of the academy
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“allowed me to be hands-on and learn a lot about the native plants and what they’re used for and
the value of it to the Hawaiians and what it meant to them.” Kaʻaukai related to the opportunity
in writing assignments:
Mostly, when we were writing papers, … it was kind of an English class ’cuz our teacher
… was also an ANR. She would allow us to freely write about what things meant to us
and, like, what we value as students and as people and just being part of certain cultures
and what we value. Being able to write and connect to it.
She explained that several of her classes allowed her to
learn how to write in Hawaiian and speak in Hawaiian and … share my values in the
cultures that I represent in English class or even social studies. … That was something
that was good. Like, being able to share it through papers in speaking and writing.
Chevy recalled how instruction varied, but lecturing looked different than other
classrooms: “It was all those things, but we rarely ever stayed inside the classroom. If we had a
lecture, it was in the field and getting out there with hands-on learning.” Chevy discussed the
perspective of students who learned through hands-on activities:
A lot of people respond. Most students respond well to things you can actually touch and
do because not a lot of people like the lectures and reading stuff. Yeah, … it really
highlighted on all the different intelligences. It didn’t just focus on one thing.
When learning, “Our field trips were all Hawaiian related-Papahana, loʻi, fishponds. We
were tested a lot, not on history but cultural practices related to natural resources.” When asked
about designing a class, one interviewee noted that teaching culturalism is easier in Hawaiʻi
because of the different backgrounds: “Embracing the culture, embracing where they come from,
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embracing the background, whether that’s having presentations of their culture, integrating
culture in some activities.”
Range of Learning
Although some participants reported that they had experienced Native Hawaiian practices
before, several stated that it was the first time they learned about the value of the land. Lisa
reported that it was new to her as she learned about chanting, native plants, and hearing ʻŌlelo
Hawaiʻi. Kalei recalled attending many field trips to restore the land, specifically during
freshman year. Throughout her freshman year, she recognized that there were many
opportunities to learn about the land leading up to the actual field trip of clearing taro patches,
including the anatomy of kalo, the chants to call and respond to, and respecting the land “because
it has done so much for us over the course of the years.”
Lani saw the impact of learning through Native Hawaiian values and culture when she
was an ambassador: “During my junior year, we gave tours to the eighth graders, and I had to
explain what the values of [the academy] was and how the Hawaiian values tied into it.”
Referring to home life connections, Nahinu explained,
In class, we learned how to … do aquaponics or learn how to grow our own food, so with
that, we could have took that home to grow our own food. Guess we can live sustainably
off of that and we also learned about gray water and how we can use gray water to water
our plants instead of … regular freshwater. We can just use my laundry water from
washing clothes. You can just put it out into the lawn and help it grow.
In terms of a sense of belonging at the academy, Kainalu explained the impact of the
academy:
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It influenced me a lot because being a part of [the academy]. It was a new experience for
me. Before [the academy], I didn’t go to volunteer work, like helping or doing something
for the community, so now, after graduating, I’m always trying to find ways to do what
[the academy] did and go out and help my community. It was a new learning experience
to just go out and help my community in a way to help some way.
Evie explained the emphasis on learning specific to her academy; she did not understand
how others did not love the academy attended. She said, “[The teachers] take consideration of
what you say and apply it to the discussion we’re having.” Evie recalled that the teacher
facilitated serious discussion without invalidating anyone’s response but, instead, applied and
built on the students’ responses. Evie explained how her classes shaped her outlook: “The
interconnectedness with Hawaiian culture made me feel grounded.” She added that others in
different academies did not have the same sense of belonging or gain similar life skills in their
high school experience.
As a Non-Native Hawaiian
Although the values emphasized Native Hawaiian culture and a majority of students did
not identify as Native Hawaiian, there was room to have a positive experience. Lisa reported that
she recognized much had been lost when referencing Native Hawaiian culture, but being
educated allowed her to better understand the imparting of knowledge she received since she was
not previously part of the Native Hawaiian community or culture. Lisa stated that it was all new
to her. Kalei recalled that they did many chants at the start of the class: “It was a really good
practice that we could do, … especially since there’s not a lot of Native Hawaiians now. It’s
good to keep that knowledge alive with learning, especially in schools.” Kalei also recognized
that although her cultural heritage was not acknowledged in school, she understood the point of
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incorporating Hawaiian culture into activities. She explained that, given the option to include
culture into her experience, she liked the way her academy included Hawaiian culture,
emphasizing that students do not have to be Native Hawaiian to be a part of the academy.
Kainalu’s experience in feeling belongingness tied to Hawaiian culture:
At first, I didn’t, but [the academy] changed my mind because learning through [the
academy was] a whole new experience to me because there are things I’ve never done
before, and going on field trips to loʻi I would have never done before. A new experience
I never thought I would enjoy being a part of, but I did because I was learning a new
culture to be part of. They all accept us in a way.
Though Chevy identified as part Hawaiian, he explained that having Native Hawaiian
practices in public schools was important:
Well, I’m also Hawaiian, so I thought it was great to have the opportunity to learn more
about my culture, especially in a public school, because we’re not able to have that
experience. I think it was very beneficial, especially in Hawaiʻi and in [the academy],
because we want to live sustainably, and a lot of the practices that Native Hawaiians have
or had can benefit and go towards that not only for myself but other students as well. To
have that and be able to take that into their lives and practice it. That’s good.
Evie explained the takeaway from learning to pule:
Always give gratitude and appreciation for wherever you go, especially when you’re in
sacred places. … Hawaiian culture can be instilled in anybody. For a person like me that
wasn’t born into that culture, it can be integrated into me, too. It was really, really
meaningful.
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Evie also recognized experiences that made her feel connected to Native Hawaiian practices and
emphasized that both large events like Makahiki and the smallest practices had a significant
impact on her: “I’d like to emphasize on chanting because it is just giving permission and stating
who you are as a person, you are from Hawai’i, you are living on this land, and you are getting
permission to enter a space.”
Working Through Laulima
The value of teams was evident throughout the interviewees’ responses regarding how
students work together. This finding can be explained through the Native Hawaiian value of
laulima, especially when working with natural resources, showing the need for cooperation in
various activities. Lisa explained that most of the work they did was in groups, and in those
groups, they worked as a team to complete tasks. When thinking about other academies, Kalei
discussed that their experience may be different. She learned with respect as a foundation and
knowing that students are in that specific academy to work together rather than independently.
Lani said that her classes involved hard work, where they depended on each other. Kaʻaukai
noted the value of working collaboratively:
You probably feel like there’s … a family because we did take a lot of classes together,
even with the upperclassmen and the underclassmen. We were able to teach the
underclassmen and learn from the underclassmen, so it’s just like big brother, big sister
kind of thing.
She referred to the teachers as part of the community as well:
It’s [a] really close community. They helped out a lot. You’re on a personal level with
them, so they know when you’re doing good [and] when you’re not. … They help you
out a lot, and I think you just feel a sense of belongingness there, and you probably hear
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like them since we’re on a personal level it’s easier to take criticism from them and easier
to read their tones and stuff, and you can take certain tones from them like you can read
their tones easier. You just feel that comfortable with them.
Community and shared responsibility was evident through Kaʻaukai’s experience:
So, in our classes that we had upperclassmen and underclassmen, the underclassmen
would … switch off so the upper class would go do certain things, and we would switch
off, and just being able to work with the different levels of people it helped in the
classroom because you’re not just learning just one thing at … one point for the whole …
year. You’re learning all these different things from all these different peoples and on
these different levels, so that was something that yeah that was something I enjoyed
about being in the class.
Kaʻaukai explained holding peers accountable for success by
just making sure they did their work even if they didn’t want to. “I’m here. I’m here to
help. What do you mean I can help you? That’s what I’m here for.” If someone is falling
behind, “Oh, do you want to see my work? Like, I can teach you. I can teach you what to
do, or I can just help you out, but I’m not going to give you the answers. I can help you.”
When Chevy explained that his teachers helped with teaming, “In certain classes, we
were put in groups or tables. I think that was good for people to communicate better.” He
discussed how the team held each other accountable: “All the time ’cuz all our classes was group
based we all had a role to do. If somebody didn’t do their part, then we all struggle. So, we all
encouraged each other to do that.” Evie suggested that she learned much from personal
experience that included volunteer work at community events or fundraising where there was a
strong sense of responsibility. Although at times she identified that she did not want to always
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present to top officials, “I did it because I felt the belonging in the community and just having
that responsibility … was really important to me as a student.”
Theme 2: Values Related to Postsecondary Goals
As students learn through high school, they need guidance on the next steps. The
following analysis focuses on how the participants were prepared for postsecondary education
through their experience. Sense of belonging relates to postsecondary goals through relationships
with teachers and experiences that influence interests and goals.
Career Goals
The interviewees found a career direction through their experience in the academy. Kalei
identified an interest in environmental resource management and specifically explained how it
was based on values from the Native Hawaiian culture. Kalei said he tried to incorporate what he
learned about Native Hawaiian values into a career as best he could. Kalei agreed that these
values were held close through high school and into college. Chevy described his future goals as
related to Hawaiian culture and agriculture, possibly following his kumu as an ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
teacher. The experience allowed for a nurturing space to allow these career goals to grow.
Influential Experiences
The participants identified moments where guidance supported them in different
components of their education. Lisa recognized how her experiences with teachers helped her to
enroll in a program that helped her to pass her classes. Kalei recognized that his experience
incorporated Native Hawaiian culture into everything that would be useful in the future.
Although Lani considered switching to a different academy at the school, she stayed in this one.
Her interest in a career as a veterinarian fit in well as she gained experience and exposure with a
veterinarian, something she would have missed out on if she had switched. Nahinu felt she
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belonged with the academy after she realized it was more than just ʻāina work that carried over
into her studies in college, specifically focused on the molecular level. Nahinu identified that her
calling to study at the molecular level was a result of her experience with microscopic organisms
in high school. Kainalu felt that his school helped him grow as a person in general.
Evie emphasized support as she developed values toward success. She saw that every
opportunity she received allowed her to grow as a person, and she developed an intrinsic need to
address underlying challenges and persevere through them. Support from teachers and the
learning community allowed her to be where she is today: studying in a foreign country.
Relationships with kumu also encouraged students to attend programs to support the
transition to college. Specifically, Lisa explained that she passed a transition program that her
kumu had explained would give her an advantage. She found success by passing the college
courses.
Emphasis on Hawaiʻi
The interviewees were encouraged by their courses and embraced a continued
educational journey with Hawaiʻi as the influential crux. In college courses, they discussed
learning about Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiians by choice. Lisa specifically recalled learning about
the loss of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi as a spoken language. Lisa said she is learning to appreciate Native
Hawaiians due to a history class she is taking. Kalei saw the development of incorporating
Native Hawaiian culture into plans for the future, including a desire to go into environmental
resource management. He felt that the values learned from his high school experience played a
significant role in future career goals. He agreed that these values helped in his upper high school
years as well.
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Personal Motivation
Evie identified that she related to the class content about several academic skills and
discussed their application to her daily life. Evie specifically identified that her teachers knew
that all students wanted to go into related careers but found that teachers emphasized committing
100% to whatever students do.
The academy experience allowed the participants to make connections to their future
through career goals, college goals, an emphasis on Hawaiʻi as place and culture through college,
and potentially influencing their individual values that they were most interested in.
Theme 3: Value of Place-based Experiences
Place-based experiences allowed students to gain opportunities to see relevance and
authenticity in education through where they live and learn. When students relate in this way to
the area around them, there is more investment in real-life application of concepts and skills
that they are learning.
Field Trips and Hands-on Activities
The interviewees described field trips around the island of Oʻahu. Lisa said she learned
about loʻi and the kapu system. Lisa, Lani, Nahinu, and Kainalu all focused on the way they
learned about Hawaiian culture by going to loʻi sites outside of the classroom to learn the why
and how through experience. Kalei explained that the field experiences helped him, though
living in Hawaiʻi, he assumed he would be forced to learn about Hawaiian culture and practices.
Nonetheless, “[these experiences] drove me to immerse myself and really get involved in
everything that I’m learning. I do feel motivated to try to carry out the lessons and the teachers
that I learned from my teachers and from classes.” Lani felt that her experiences grounded her
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with her classmates, with whom she would plant taro and make laulau. Lani said going on the
field trips helped her better understand the content she learned in class.
In class, Nahinu explained more about class structure, where there was predictability in
the sequence of the class period. The main instructor taught at the beginning of class, then
students broke into groups and individually worked on their jobs for the class, where a bulk of
the work was hands-on and project-based. Nahinu identified that when she was a student, she
could come up with a project and pitch a proposal to the teacher for them to implement. This
allowed for the Native Hawaiian values to come alive through the content she was taught and
cooperation with others while viewing a trusting relationship with her teacher.
Kainalu found community connectedness because of the field trip experience where he
helped work in the loʻi. Kainalu explained that he had never wanted to do community service
before, but after his place-based experience and service work, he felt that he was helping the
community. He described finding a purpose as “finding a way to help my community since I’m
living on a foreign land to me. I was never the person to do volunteer work. I was always
introvert, stay home person.”
Some of the classes included storytelling, a central component of cultural practices in
passing down information. Kaʻaukai had teachers who taught about folklore and the meaning
behind certain plants like ʻōhia and kalo, the legend of where they come from, and the
significance of their meaning to Hawaiian culture. She talked about the systemic influence she
saw in class, where they synthesized compost from the entire high school and that the classroom
was not necessarily only four walls but often ended in the greenhouse or outside. She said,
It’s easier to be energized in there, out there, and people are able to talk to and
communicate with your peers about stuff even if it’s not pertaining to the class, but it just
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keeps you energized. It’s easier to learn because you can talk to them and ask them
questions.
Although there is a deep appreciation for Native Hawaiian culture, Chevy said, “drawing
knowledge from other cultures can be very beneficial. Just having different aspects from other
cultures using medicinal techniques that would be good for health, too.”
Family Engagement Events
Part of place-based experiences was also gathering ʻohana together, where the academy
hosted family engagement events rooted in cultural practices. Lisa said the entire academy would
get together for imu night, where students of all grade levels could share how the academy
shaped them. Lisa explained that, “as a freshman, I didn’t really know what was going on and
then being able to talk to seniors and juniors and learning that they have fun and able to learn.”
Kalei noticed that the multi-level system includes hands-on activities during sophomore year and
field trips in freshman year, where students know they place at each grade level. Kainalu felt that
the events and being part of the community were deeper and associated a sense of belonging with
how it was important to take time to learn the history of Hawaiʻi, where “being Filipino, you see
things that you never see before and just learn why they do it.”
Changed Perspective
Through learning experientially, students changed their perspectives to have a deeper
understanding and connection. A common through-line among several participants was how
much other students missed out on by not being a part of this academy. Lisa stated that she felt
students did not get to understand what it means to be Native Hawaiian and what their cultural
practices are. She described, “We were able to look at the connections that we can personally
make to the lessons. … You can connect to the stories that were told in the Hawaiian culture in
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natural resources.” Though Lisa had previous experience with dancing hula, she felt she had
more of a background to fully immerse herself and fully involve herself in the dance since
learning through the academy. Lani shared a similar sentiment: “It was a new perspective in
learning things because I never really learned the Hawaiian values until I went to high school.”
With this education came a better understanding of the host culture, which influenced
taking more classes. Kainalu recalled,
It means a lot because you know you’re in their homeland and you like learning
through their own experience. Hawaiians are the nicest people you would ever meet. In
Hawaiʻi 107 this past semester, like the documentary we watched, the people will take
you in and help you and take you in as their own family. Learning through them is the
best way possible when you’re in their homeland, so it was an experience being in the
academy.”
Kainalu continues that it was at times a struggle to understand, yet “it means a lot because you
know you’re in their homeland and you like learning through their own experience.”
Theme 4: Nurturing and Developing Relationships to Increase Belongingness
Relationships contribute significantly to students’ sense of belonging, specifically around
peers, teachers, support staff, and place. Belonging to communities, whether small or large,
grows because of those relationships and acceptance in a group.
Peers
In schools, classroom and learning communities allow students to cooperate with each
other. High school peers allowed for success in academics, behavior, and social aspects. Lisa
described goals she shared with other students and felt her group of friends drove her to success.
Teachers helped to support these cooperative learning environments by grouping peers in pairs.
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Lisa explained that the group’s closeness, even across grade levels, showed that everyone got
along and understood each other. Nahinu shared the same sentiment of helping each other and
making sure no one felt left out: “I like to think of our academy as a family. … Everybody would
just work together no matter what.”
The interviewees described accountability for each other through helping those who
needed extra support. Kalei stated, “It was always something we picked up on our own,
especially because we knew we would have a close bond over time.” Although Kalei said that
people can make one feel unwelcome at schools because of specific groups or cliques, he always
felt a sense of belonging to the academy community. This community belongingness started in
his 1st year because of the ambassadors, students who were older and part of the academy. The
ambassadors made the underclassmen feel welcomed and at home with friends. Evie shared a
similar experience in how peers helped uphold accountability: “I’d say all the time, especially
’cuz I was a procrastinator so all of my friends would always hold me accountable for the things
that I do or the things that I needed to get done.”
In class, the work facilitated by teachers allowed students to depend on each other.
Kainalu described the responsibilities they shared as “feeding fish, mulch. Everyone had
responsibilities because there was a lot of hard work. Some had easier work, some had hard
[work]. It was a lot of work. A lot was hands-on, too.” Kainalu said that he felt accepted by his
peers: “I have different cultural background friends. We all hanged out. We were just friends that
I could talk about anything with and not worry about their cultural backgrounds. Everything was
always mutual between my friends and all my classmates.”
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Teachers
Relationships with teachers also have a significant impact on students' sense of
belonging. The trust in these relationships allows for the most vulnerable students to have an
adult they can turn to. Lisa recalled that teachers were very welcoming, helped out on college
entrance exams, encouraged community service, and pushed excellence with high expectations.
Kalei said that teachers also helped develop a sense of community by facilitating team-building
activities and encouraging teamwork skills.
Kalei also had a different perspective since he was in two different academies. “I feel like
I could compare since I was in two academies a little bit more. The [academy] was more familybased, so we were able to feel more comfortable going to them for problems and getting the help
that we needed. In the other academy that I was in, professional services, it was more
educational-based. I don’t know if it was more educational-based. I don’t know if that’s a thing.
It’s more where if I needed more help, the materials are there. It’s not just connecting with the
teacher.”
Other participants mentioned several different teachers who provided significant support.
Lani described, “[Teachers] are always there for me and then help me. They help me really push
to be a better student.” Lani said that teachers helped with research and when she was struggling.
She described two teachers as “very nice and like mothers to me, so they helped me, too,
emotionally.” Nahinu described a teacher who signed her up for activities without her even
knowing: “I end up excelling at it, so it was fun no matter what.” The commonalities in interview
responses included how much more students succeeded in school. Outside of pushing and
challenging students, teachers were encouraging. Chevy recalled, “I was a 1.8 GPA student in
intermediate, and I ended up being a 3.2, and I ended up going to college and being an
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ambassador. They just pushed me to do and become the best of myself.” Chevy also remembers
the teachers’ transparency, where he knew that they would talk about him in different classes.
The teachers checked on him to see if they could help. Similarly, Evie discussed that teachers
noticed her procrastination and tried to help or offer mental health support with a quick check-in
to measure student capacity for learning.
In CRT, the interviewees identified that teachers supported culture by questioning and
facilitating connection. Nahinu explained it as teachers “asking a lot of questions and being
curious on what we do next with our culture and what we can do to connect even more with
culture.” Kaʻaukai described teaching strategies that allowed a lot of connection:
They would really embed in you that the land is valuable and it means so much to the
culture and something we need to keep thriving and we need to keep alive to keep our
culture alive, too. Even teachers that weren’t Hawaiian just understand how valuable it is
not just to the Hawaiian culture but to the people in general.
Teachers showed the importance of their roles in relationship building for students through
strategies that supported the whole child.
Support Staff
Support staff are members of the school community who are not classroom teachers.
These individuals include counselors, coaches, vice principals, and the principal. The
interviewees said counselors encouraged programs that allowed for support in college. Given her
relationship with her counselor and describing challenges, Lani’s counselor identified a program
that would support her. Although Kalei felt that he did not have a strong relationship with his
counselors, he said they helped him academically by “always pushing me to do better than I was
doing. So, I was actually in the 3.0 area, so my counselors always push me to go 3.8 or 4.0, so
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they always push me to do better.” Though in a large school, Kainalu remembered the principal
praising students during assemblies and reminding everyone about the will to succeed. These
reminders of work ethic and success from the school community allowed students to feel
encouraged.
There were moments when the interviewees felt supported and heard. Although success
may be defined by doing well in school, it could also be characterized by overcoming challenges.
Kaʻaukai identified a time when she relied on her counselor for support:
Anytime I needed to be away, I went to her office and ran to her, and she’d just listen and
tell me it’s okay and talk me through it. Just what a counselor’s supposed to be, but not
everyone is going to the counselor because it always feels like you’re in trouble.
For a generalized statement, it shows how important the relationship between different staff
members is a priority so that students can have these outlets and conversations.
Sports coaches also had a role in supporting the whole child, which included motivation
to do well academically. Kaʻaukai said,
My sports coaches … helped me a lot. … I mean, obviously, because if you’re not doing
good in your academics, you can’t play, right? So, they always reminded me that if I
wasn’t doing good in school, I couldn’t wrestle, or I couldn’t play. Just normal support
systems from school.
The different roles at schools allow for more perception of how to support students in
different ways. From leadership to the classroom to the wrestling mat, students felt they had
people to turn to and support them with their successes and challenges.
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Hawaiʻi as Home
Since the student point of view was the critical component of this study, it was important
to understand how students who identified as Filipino saw place in Hawaiʻi. When asked about
feeling a belongingness to Hawaiʻi, the consensus from all interviews confirmed that they do feel
that they belong in Hawaiʻi. However, Kalei discussed that people not born in Hawaiʻi may find
that it takes time to adapt: “It can feel like you’re an alien, but with the type of people that we
have in Hawaiʻi it’s not going to be very hard to feel welcomed here.”
The participants also identified the diversity of Hawaiʻi as a welcoming atmosphere
compared to the continental United States, or mainland. Lani explained, “I like the people, and I
like the cultural perspective of things here and how close everyone is to each other even though
you don’t know them. They’re your friend right away. In the mainland, it’s way different.” Aside
from feeling that everyone in Hawaiʻi is welcoming, Nahinu also recognized that judgment was
not apparent, which she associated with support: “You can say what you learned. … Inform
people without being … negative in any way, and they take it as constructive criticism instead of
just criticism.” There was a strong sense of pride from interviewees, including Kaʻaukai:
Being from Oʻahu, just Hawaiʻi in general, it’s not just about the state. You’re so
connected to your roots. My roots are dug deep, so anything that has to do with the high
school and going to support, you just can never get away from it, and it’s nothing bad.
You just want to support and show people you’re proud to be an alumni [sic] and from
here. Pride.
Place is also defined as the school itself because of opportunities presented and sought.
Lani said that her attachment to school was a result of involving herself as a student ambassador
and as a leader to seniors. She said, “[My involvement] helped me feel more involved with
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school and made me want to go to school.” Other interviewees explained the different social
groups and teams they were a part of as a result of going to this school and academy. Nahinu
said, “It made me feel attached even more than I was because it made me feel I belonged even
more, and I made more friendships and connections with people in those groups.” Kaʻaukai felt
that attachment after graduation and found ways to give back:
Even after you graduated, … you always want to go back and support your school.” She
discussed supporting, giving back, and realizing the impacts were long-lasting after
graduation: “If it wasn’t for [the principal], I wouldn’t be able to travel.
Place in Hawaiʻi, in the school, and in the academy were all different components that
were considered during the interviews, as belongingness is an indicator of success. When
thinking about the current place in college, Evie reflected,
My Hawaiian teacher, Kumu, … taught us that it doesn’t matter where you come from if
you’re on this land, if you have the right intentions, and that stuck with me. Just because
I’m not ethnically Hawaiian, I don’t have to feel excluded in a way, and being in
Hawaiian club really emphasizes that and highlighted that, even though I wasn’t
ethnicity-wise Hawaiian, I could practice and instill those values into me. I really wish
my peers had the open-mindedness to that and people in my class had open-mindedness
to that because they did a really good job of enhancing their culture.
Theme 5: Supporting Filipino Identity
Since all classes in this academy utilized the HĀ strategies, which are rooted in culturally
relevant teaching, there was a need to identify whether these strategies applied to the majority of
students, who are of Filipino descent.
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Student Perception of Filipino Identity
The interviewees discussed several generalizations and stereotypes when it comes to
school; however, students only identified support and expectations from parents when asked
about the connection to school. Lisa explained how “Filipino culture has a stereotype of like
being top one. … If you don’t get a good grade, you’re known to, like, fail.” If there is this
strong motivation to do well, the support systems could be successful. Lani said,
I guess most of my friends are Filipino, and some of my friends who aren’t Filipino, we
would talk about … growing up and stuff, and I guess it was easy for me to relate to my
Filipino friends because we similar parent styles like our parents are super strict, I wasn’t
allowed to go out as much so I told that to my non-Filipino friends they are kind of like
weirded out at first, like how come you couldn’t go out this weekend did this weekend I
can’t my parents said no.
Along with a sense of belonging as a Filipino student, Lisa recalled, “Filipino culture
belongs to me, and I should appreciate that. Being educated belongs to me.” Kalei similarly said,
“There’s a standard of Asian parents and families that they expect you to actually have good
grades the whole time, so that was already set in stone.”
Kalei recalled that classes “[were] not so much based of our own identity or own
identification, so it was mostly just trying to get us to understand and learn about the Hawaiian
culture.” In contrast, Nahinu explained her experience with classes acknowledging her Filipino
cultural heritage during classes:
We did talk about plantation work and how it was mixed within the different ethnicities,
so by having a lot of Filipinos in class, we had a lot of plantation work that was
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integrated within it. It was talked about, but mostly, it wasn’t really heavily talked about.
We would just touch base on it.
Nahinu added that growing plants and discussing plants was her interpretation of a connection to
her Filipino background. Evie stated that classes did acknowledge Filipino cultural heritage:
There’s a really large Filipino American or Asian American population, and there was no
discrimination towards that in any way. I think in class, we’d always talk about our
backgrounds and just learning to understand how to adapt to each other, and I think that
was such a good tactic because it’s not pinpointing who you are and what ethnicity you
are and where you come from.
She explained that she felt she had a cultural identity crisis in high school because she
identified with her classes, though they were taught in relation to Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian
language; however, she said the values of Hawaiian culture influenced her to feel a place in
Filipino culture.
Connection to Filipino Culture and Community
The connections between home culture and school are an influence categorized under
culturally relevant teaching practices. The interviewees did not necessarily see Filipino heritage
praised by peers or in school. Lisa made a connection to one of her classes: “I took a Spanish
class, and then it was the same thing as Filipino culture.” Lisa also made attempts to learn more
about her Filipino culture, and she learned Hawaiian and Filipino at the same time to try to have
a connection to what she was learning in school. Though Nahinu did not see connections to her
Filipino culture, she saw a connection to her Hawaiian roots.
Personal connections were part of Kalei’s processing of connections from home and
school. Kalei said, “It was a lot of my own personal connections that I would have to make.”
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Kainalu similarly stated that he purposely did not make connections between home and school
because they were so different. Kainalu continued, “The things I learned at school is completely
different than what I do at home because my parents are Filipino, so they don’t understand what
I’m learning in school.”
Kalei felt that there was a strong connection to the Filipino community because of the
student body: “I feel like the majority in school is mostly Asians, so I felt a little bit more at
home. … I felt more encouraged to try to push myself to learn about the culture.” Kalei
continued,
It’s not that it was dismissed. It was just that it was not emphasized enough. So, I feel like
thinking back at what I learned from the first 2 years of high school. It was mostly just
trying to connect to the Hawaiian culture instead of just our culture and the Hawaiian
culture together.
Similarly, Chevy did not see the connection to Filipino culture but saw a heavy emphasis on
Hawaiian culture, where the connection was strong because of identifying as Hawaiian as well.
Student-initiated Versus Teacher-initiated
As interviews continued, there was a sense that students had to initiate connections to
Filipino culture rather than teachers explicitly communicating and prompting them to make
connections, as Hawaiian was emphasized over other cultures. Kalei described that he would
have to make the connections based on the work that teachers gave. Kalei also realized, based on
this work, that he needed to learn on his own: “I noticed right away I lacked a lot of knowledge
about my own culture, and so I took initiative and tried to learn about it and tried to get my
siblings to learn about it as well.” Kalei felt this was much more self-initiated than teachers.
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According to Kalei, the discussion was a safe place to talk about Filipino cultural heritage
in class. Lani noted a connection with peers but not so much in a structured class setting: “My
Filipino friends talk about culture and stuff and how similar Hawaiian values are to the Filipino
values.” Nahinu felt that her friends praised Filipino heritage: “A lot of them like that they’re
Filipino and enjoy that they are. It wasn’t really talked about because we didn’t really think
about it; we’re just one with each other.” Kainalu did not think teachers talked much about
different ethnic groups: “Only in social studies, where we learned about the state of Hawaiʻi and
didn’t talk about the different ethnic groups, just the history of Hawaiʻi.”
Celebrating Multiculturalism in Classes
Based on the interviews, celebrating multiculturalism in classes was not widespread but
depended on specific classes. There were some opportunities that allowed for more appreciation.
Lisa said that most students in her classes were Filipino, and some identified as Hawaiian as
well, yet everyone participated in learning and speaking Hawaiian. She also said that in her
business development class, she learned about many cultures in Japan, Hawaii, and the
Philippines in terms of how each culture determined prices.
Kalei continued that there should have been inclusion of other cultures besides Native
Hawaiian: “I think that’s something that could improve … to just knowing that there are other
cultures, not just Hawaiian culture.” When prompted with the question of designing a class for
the academy, Lani said,
I would have, like, 1 hour at least to have the students talk to one another about culture
and their experience and learn about other cultures, too. Not only Hawaiian, but they can
learn about Korean or Japanese. Just different perspectives of different cultures.
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Nahinu looked for culture in everyday life and the student population to guide how to include
culture:
I would include it in everyday life and see … what kind of ethnic backgrounds are in the
class and use that as lessons … each and every day. … How to incorporate everybody so
that they’re not left out and see that what they did matters and how they can do
something to make a difference in the world.
Kaʻaukai similarly longed to learn about different cultures. She explained her dream
class:
Just having that one class that kids can come to and learn and share about their culture.
Learn about this culture for 2 weeks or 1 month and move on to the next one and touch
on as many as I can and just let kids be able to share about their culture, and this is the
place to share it.
Missing in class was the foundation of CRT that allows for explicitly recognizing student
backgrounds. The participants reiterated that there was a positive experience where there was no
explicit discrimination, and students only made personal connections to content on their own.
Kainalu explained that his teachers treated everyone with respect; however, there were no classes
that incorporated Filipino culture or his student background into class activities.
There was a difference between events and specific classes, where social studies classes,
like history, were identified again as a space where there were more activities around
opportunities to be open-minded; however, there was one annual event on campus where
multiple cultures were recognized. Kalei discussed, “I was grateful to have that opportunity to
learn about other cultures, not just confined to one culture, so I was able to learn about other
cultures.” Several interviewees remember the annual event as a place to share about other
66
cultures. Kaʻaukai explained, “We were able to have days where we all come together and would
share part of our culture with the rest of the student body. We would share a piece of our culture,
mostly food, because everyone loves food.”
To identify with Filipino identity, there was a heavy reliance on friends over school
support. Kaʻaukai said, “It wasn’t really specified in school, so having those friends helped me to
identify with my Filipino identity.” Though this was identified, there was such a sense of
wanting to learn more.
Respect and Discrimination
The participants identified ways in which Filipinos face discrimination in Hawaiʻi despite
the strong presence of people who identify as Filipino. They discussed a range of discrimination,
from stereotypes about only pursuing the health field to facing discrimination due to their accent.
However, they did not note explicit discrimination at the high school.
Lani said that students joked around about Filipino culture and stereotypes yet saw it as
acceptable: “I guess just from, like, my friends just teasing Filipino and just going up to a lot of
people just making comments about them. … They do it to make a laugh, not to be mean.”
Similarly, Chevy remembered, “Because it’s so common in the media with jokes. … Those
ethnic jokes. It’s so easy for people to say them and on the radio, so it’s not surprising to see it
inside and outside of school.” Other interviewees discussed how harmful discrimination could
be. One said,
A lot of people judge where you’re from. … They tell you to go back where you’re from.
I don’t think that’s right. Not only Filipinos but a lot of other ethnic backgrounds tell you
to go back to where you’re from.
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A teacher discussed socioeconomic status in class when referring to students at the
school. Kainalu recalled,
It was a phrase [a teacher] would say. “You know why I like [this school]? It’s because
you guys are different or spoiled like at all other schools.” Most of us had jobs, and other
schools had rich parents and everything. We were just different from other schools.
There is such a need to support students, their understanding of the world around them, and their
place in their communities.
Conclusion
This study explored sense of belonging and experiences of Filipino graduates of a
Hawaiʻi public school. The individual interviews presented five themes: the value of natural
resources, the relation to postsecondary goals, the value of place-based experiences,
relationships, and supporting Filipino identity. There was strong evidence of the influence of
hands-on activities and experiential field trips. All participants had fond memories of high school
due to relationships with staff and faculty, as well as participation in social and sports groups.
However, they identified a need to experience more CRT and learn about different cultures.
Lastly, teachers have a significant influence on ensuring that students make connections to their
own backgrounds.
Chapter Five will complete this study, including findings and recommendations for
practical use and future research, as well as the study’s limitations and delimitations.
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Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations for Practice
The demographics of Hawaiʻi public schools include students across the pae ʻāina from
different backgrounds. A major sector of those backgrounds consists of students who identify as
Filipino and Filipino American, some of whom attend Westernized public schools and learn
Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language. This study examined sense of belonging at one of
these high schools and CRT strategies (Faircloth & Hamm, 2005; Gay, 2018) as perceived by the
interviewees. This study offered a closer look at the effectiveness and outcomes of the full
student experience, both in and out of the classroom. Schools and school officials influence the
programming of instruction, and the impact of this study can provoke a better understanding of
student needs.
This chapter discusses findings from this study, recommendations for practical use, and
recommendations for future research.
Discussion of Findings
The following section answers the research questions that guided this study. The themes
discussed are the value of natural resources and experiences, values related to postsecondary
goals, the value of place-based experiences, nurturing and developing relationships to increase
belongingness, and supporting Filipino identity.
Value of Natural Resources
The interviewees explained that belongingness came from different facets of their high
school experience. With respect to the value of natural resources, students indicated it was
necessary to practice the Native Hawaiian value of laulima, or cooperation, in learning. They
were unable to complete tasks individually when caring for the land.
69
Missing from standardized and scripted curriculum is the focus on learning through the
environment. Native Hawaiian values include a focus on ‘āina, or land, where being a steward
and taking care of the land allows the land to take care of you. The interviewees said that their
instruction included place-based field trips, learning about the land on which they reside, and the
resources that need to be nurtured. Participants who did not identify as Native Hawaiian felt they
were part of a culture, learned the historical practices of their new culture, and felt welcomed.
Value Related to Postsecondary Goals
High schools prepare students for the next steps. Participants indicated their next steps
and the impact on their postsecondary goals. Multiple participants mentioned that their
experience allowed them to narrow their focus on natural resources and incorporate Native
Hawaiian values through seeking careers in environmental resource management or becoming an
‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i teacher. Through conversations with mentors, the participants saw the
possibilities of continuing to learn about Hawaiʻi and the environmental resources they cherish.
These experiences were identified as finding success, both in courses they would not have taken
if they had not enrolled in this academy and in opportunities that shaped their future.
Value of Place-based Experiences
Study participants reported they had hands-on learning outside the classroom and events
that included their families engaging in Native Hawaiian practices. By being part of their
academy, the participants felt that they had a better understanding of Native Hawaiian culture,
values, and practices than students in other academies. The participants did not necessarily
understand Native Hawaiian culture before high school and had not consistently experienced
supportive connections to their Filipino identity.
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Nurturing and Developing Relationships to Increase Belongingness
Sense of belonging in schools includes relationships with peers and adult staff members.
Multiple participants referred to their classes and academies as ʻohana, where each member was
important and respected and where all worked together. There were multiple times when
participants would describe community through their group, their class, and multiple grade
levels. There were experiences where students were representing the academy and had to work
with upper or lower-classmen.
Participants reported that they belonged in Hawaiʻi, at the school, in the academy, and in
their class. One participant said it was important to learn from her teacher, as identity did not
matter when learning Native Hawaiian values.
Supporting Filipino Identity
Although participants mentioned stereotypes about being Filipino, they discussed a need
to incorporate more of students’ home cultures in the classroom. Participants made some
connections to the content themselves, but it was not teacher-initiated as CRT strategies should
be. Outside of the classroom, students were not necessarily dismissed, but their culture was not
praised or emphasized. Similarly, celebrating multiculturalism depended on the teacher and was
not indicated in all classes.
Recommendations for Practice
Although there are some significant aspects of encouraging sense of belonging and
understanding Native Hawaiian values and culture, there are some recommendations that would
allow for a deeper significance and greater impact.
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Recommendation 1: Increase Opportunities for Students to Make Connections to Their
Cultural Background and Hawaiʻi
The participants recognized that there was significant value in learning about Hawaiʻi as
the host culture. They attributed this recognition to events outside of school, including afterschool groups, family engagement events, and all staff members who acknowledge both Hawaiʻi
and student backgrounds. Engaging all school community stakeholders to increase belongingness
allows students to value them more highly as they meet their affective needs (Faircloth & Hamm,
2005).
In learning about Native Hawaiian cultural practices, participants felt more connected to
Hawaiʻi as a place they can call home and give back to. However, they were unable to see their
Filipino identity discussed in their classes and at school. Participants specifically discussed
hands-on experiences and field experiences as important, so a step further would be to make
connections between the host culture of Hawaiʻi and persons who identify as Filipino in Hawaiʻi.
One facet of Faircloth and Hamm’s (2005) dimensions of belonging linked to academic
success included perceived discrimination based on ethnic group membership. The push for
membership as part of Hawaiʻi’s rich cultural make-up also can include finding both historical
avenues for students to experience and current empowered individuals who identify as Filipino.
Participants identified that they felt support for their Filipino identity at home but did not find
that connection at school. Continuing work to decrease discrimination would benefit student
outcomes.
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Recommendation 2: Increase Culturally Responsive Teaching Training and Curriculum
Resources for Teachers About Students of Filipino Descent in Hawaiʻi Communities
Teachers can engage in CRT that involves their student demographics through
meaningful training that includes teacher agency, monitoring, and retraining as necessary. HĀ
allows this to take place, but there is a need to increase development based on school
demographics for school personnel with much institutional knowledge to model inclusive
teaching in every lesson.
Although HĀ is grounded in Gay’s CRT (Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, 2018),
there is a lack of responsiveness to students of Filipino descent specifically. It would be
advantageous to include training on CRT, which would allow teachers to have agency over how
content can be made relevant to the students’ backgrounds. The participants explained that
Filipino identity was not discussed and were unable to recall when there were connections to
Filipino culture. Examples of how connections could be made are through shared experiential
stories under King Kamehameha’s reign, the stories of Filipino composers who wrote songs for
the Hawaiian Kingdom like “Kaulana Nā Pua,” the connection of folklore between Hawaiʻi and
the Phillippines, the historical background of militarism and colonialism, among others.
Because one in four residents of Hawaiʻi identify as Filipino, there should be a focus on a
better understanding of Filipino culture in Hawaiʻi communities. As some participants were
immigrants and others were descendants of plantation workers, there are some schools where
enrollment primarily consists of students who identify as Filipino. By providing resources and
time for training for all personnel, students will have more experiences that relate to their
backgrounds. Although there have been great strides recently to include an elective course in
Filipino history, this does not apply to how to encourage cultural relevancy in all courses.
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Recommendation 3: Increase Recognition of Student Identity in Hawaiʻi
The participants noted that other academies at the school did not have the same
experience regarding the host culture in their classes, which is problematic because it makes for
an inequitable educational experience. Though this academy’s teachers extended their instruction
and academic programming to Hawaiʻi, all schools should recognize the host culture while also
recognizing students’ backgrounds. All Hawaiʻi school leaders should recognize both host
culture and student identity. Supporting student identity while encouraging connections to host
culture and beyond allows for relevancy and effectiveness (Gay, 2018).
Though this study related to students of Filipino background, the findings can apply to
connection to all of Hawaiʻi’s Oceania and Asian populations and their descendants’ trajectory to
Hawaiʻi. The participants stated that lessons only briefly discussed plantation work, so more
emphasis on this component of Hawaiʻi history would allow for recognizing how the state’s
populations came to be. Teaching through inclusive practices allows content to become more
personally meaningful and easier to master (Gay, 2018).
Limitations and Delimitations
This study’s limitations include participants’ availability for in-person interviews and
focus groups. This may have affected data collection, as interpersonal and nonverbal behaviors
could not be observed. Face-to-face interactions would have allowed for those observations to
occur. I conducted interviews in 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 interrupted normal processes.
Thus, I conducted all interviews on the virtual conferencing platform Zoom.
Another limitation is that the career academy of focus implements Native Hawaiian
language, culture, and values most consistently compared to other academies. Other academies at
this school have varying levels of implementation. Similarly, the implementation of statewide
74
Native Hawaiian values also varies within schools and classrooms. I used convenience and
snowball sampling. The results cannot be generalized because not all schools and academies
focus on Native Hawaiian culture and practices.
Although participants provided data about their experiences, time away from school may
have hindered their memories of personal experiences. Although these participants are from the
same academy, they may have different experiences based on different teachers. Teachers may
have varied classroom strategies and implemented different projects and experiences when these
participants were their students.
Recommendations for Future Research
Future research should be conducted on the induction of new teachers in Hawaiʻi.
Although there are attempts to encourage teaching and connections to the host culture, all
students, both Native Hawaiian and Hawaiian, should see themselves through teaching and
learning. This would allow for the components of Gay’s (2018) CRT to be more apparent in the
consistent implementation of HĀ. Although participants who experienced teaching found it
helpful to measure effectiveness, there could be additional work in interviewing teachers to best
understand their practices and the intention behind them.
Additionally, a longitudinal study should include interviews with these participants every
few years to examine how place and sense of belonging continued to influence their life choices
post-graduation. The participants enjoyed their experiences in high school and learning more
about Hawaiʻi, but there could be continued studies on how they apply these components in their
professions, career choices, relationships, interests, and hobbies.
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Conclusion
This study identified a school where the majority-minority is of Filipino descent,
representing a larger population of Hawaiʻi’s demographic landscape. This was intentionally a
practical study for recommendations to be taken immediately and effectively, with participants at
the forefront of the participants who were interviewed. Although HĀ is meant to be implemented
throughout the HI DOE system, some components are heavily emphasized over others, including
CRT strategies that cater to all backgrounds. With students immigrating from outside Hawaiʻi,
there is a need to better understand their sense of belonging in the state and their learning about
Native Hawaiian culture and values in Westernized public schools.
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81
Appendix A: Email to Teachers
ALUMNI OPPORTUNITY
Aloha e nā kumu,
I am a candidate pursing an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership at
the University of Southern California. I am currently in the process of writing my dissertation on
the perceived belongingness of Filipino and Filipino American alumni at a Hawaiʻi public school
that integrates Native Hawaiian culture, practices, and values. I am seeking survey, interview, and
focus group participants who graduated WHS from the Academy of Natural Resources.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could send this interest email to your alumni contacts. I will
then send a preliminary survey to them to see if they fit the participant criteria. I sincerely
appreciate you for your time. Please contact me if you would like to know more.
Mahalo,
Melissa Montoya
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greetings alumni,
I am a candidate pursing an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership at
the University of Southern California. I am currently in the process of writing my dissertation on
the perceived belongingness that Filipino and Filipino American alumni had at a Hawaiʻi public
school that integrates Native Hawaiian culture, practices, and values. I am seeking survey,
interview, and focus group participants who graduated WHS from the Academy of Natural
Resources.
You are eligible to participate in this study if you self-identify as Filipino or Filipino American
who graduated from WHS Academy of Natural Resources Class of 2017-2020. You must be aged
18 and up to participate.
The study will take place over the Summer 2020 months. Participants will have an in-person or
virtual one-on-one interview or in-person or virtual focus group. Interviews and focus groups are
expected to take approximately 60 minutes.
Eligible participants will be offered a $15 Amazon gift card.
Sign up by taking this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/###### by June 1, 2020.
Respondents will be contacted to set up an interview or focus group.
For more information, contact me at (808)859-3218 (call/text) or mont729@usc.edu.
Mahalo,
Melissa Montoya
82
Appendix B: Preliminary Survey Questions to Alumni
Aloha and thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. The purpose of this survey is to
understand your experiences as a Filipino or Filipino American alumnus from a Hawaiʻi public
school that integrates Native Hawaiian culture, values, and practices and how they relate to your
perception of belongingness. The information you share with me will be a contribution to my work
as a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California EdD program. Any personally
identifiable information will be kept confidential and only be used for the purpose of contacting
you for further questions if you opt to do so.
1. Name: ___________________________
2. Age: ______
3. Sex: ______
4. Ethnicity: ___________________
5. Do you identify as: ____ Filipino ____ Mixed (part Filipino)
____ Filipino American ____ Other: ____________________
6. How long have you lived in Hawaiʻi? ______________________
7. Year graduated from WHS: _____ 2017 _____ 2018 _____ 2019 _____2020
8. Which academy were you enrolled in: ______________________
9. How many years were you enrolled at WHS? ____________________
10. If you were enrolled at another high school, please indicate the name of the school and
number of years enrolled: ______________________________
11. If you were enrolled in another academy, please indicate the name of the academy and
number of years enrolled: ______________________________
12. Are you willing to participate in a follow-up interview or focus group session? All
interview and focus group participants will be compensated with a $15 Amazon gift card.
If so, please indicate below any and all you are interested in attending: _____ Interview
_____ Focus Group
13. Please indicate the preferred way to contact you: _____ Email _____Call _____Text
14. Email address:____________________ Phone: _____________________
Mahalo nui loa for your time and contributions to this study!
83
Appendix C: Alumni Interview Protocol
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1) What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino students who attended a Westernized
public high school in Hawaiʻi?
(2) What is their experience with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language instruction?
INTRODUCTION
“Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. For this study, I am seeking to understand
your experiences as an alumnus of a Hawaiʻi public school. I hope to get a deeper understanding
of Filipino and Filipino American students’ sense of belonging at a school that integrates Native
Hawaiian values, culture, and language. The results of this study may be used as a contribution to
the knowledge and best practices of those who work towards improving student belongingness in
Hawaiʻi public schools. I will be recording this interview/focus group and taking notes. I want to
assure you that everything you say will remain confidential. If you need to discontinue the
interview or state something that should remain off the record, please feel free to ask me to stop
recording or refuse to answer any questions that I ask. Again, your participation is completely
voluntary and you may stop the interview at any time. Do you have any questions? Before we
begin, please fill out this consent form.”
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
I will begin by confirming the following information.
Do you identify as Filipino or Filipino American?
How many years have you lived in Hawaiʻi?
What year did you graduate from Waipahu High School?
How many years were you enrolled in the Academy of Natural Resources?
I will now ask you some questions about your experience in learning about Native Hawaiian
values, culture, and language.
What does learning through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language mean to you?
Describe a lesson when a teacher taught you about Native Hawaiian practices.
If I took your class, what would I see/hear/feel?
What was your experience with HĀ?
I will now ask you some questions about your experience with culturally responsive teaching.
In looking at how CRT is validating and affirming at school…
a) Did your classes acknowledge your Filipino cultural heritage? If yes, please explain.
b) How did your classes make connections to your home life?
c) How did you learn? Lecture, field trips, hands-on, performance?
d) Was your Filipino heritage praised, by peers or yourself?
e) How did your classes incorporate the diverse cultures of all students?
In looking at how CRT is comprehensive and inclusive at school…
a) How were you able to maintain your Filipino identity and connect with the Filipino
community?
b) How did your classes help you to develop a sense of community and shared responsibilities?
c) Did you have support to develop values toward success?
In looking at how CRT is multidimensional at school…
a) How did you experience culture through student-teacher relationships?
84
b) How did you experience culture through instruction, curriculum, and assessments?
c) How did you experience culture through classroom management?
In looking at how CRT is transformative at school…
a) How, if at all, did you see/feel/hear respect towards Filipino culture?
b) How, if at all, did you experience academic success tied to Filipino culture?
In looking at how CRT is emancipatory at school…
a) How did you experience learning about different ethnic groups?
b) How often were you able to relate to the content you were taught?
c) How often did you feel you had the freedom to talk about your cultural heritage?
d) How often did you work with other students and hold each other accountable for success?
I will now ask you about your sense of belonging while learning through Native Hawaiian
values, culture, and language.
How did learning about Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language influence your learning?
What does sense of belonging or belongingness mean to you?
Did you feel that you belong in Hawaiʻi? Explain.
Did you feel that you belonged in WHS ANR? Explain.
Tell me about a time you identified with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language.
For example, students in other academies did not engage in the same experiences you had in
ANR with Native Hawaiian practices; what do you think about their sense of belonging at the
school and in Hawaiʻi?
For those born elsewhere, do you feel you have adapted to living in Hawaiʻi?
If you could design your own class/academy, how would you include culture?
I will now ask you about belongingness as a member of your former school.
Who were some of your biggest supporters in school? Why?
Tell me about a teacher that supported you. Did this teacher make you feel like you belonged in
the classroom? At the school? In Hawaiʻi?
Did you feel accepted by peers?
Were you involved in any social groups?
Were you involved in extracurricular teams/clubs?
How do you feel they impacted your school attachment?
Have you experienced ethnic-based discrimination at school?
Do you think Filipinos face discrimination in Hawaiʻi? At school?
Are Filipinos treated equally to other ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi? At school?
Is there anything else you would like to share with me that I did not address?
“Thank you for taking the time to participate in my study. What is the best way to contact you if I
need additional information?”
85
Appendix D: Alumni Focus Group Questions
RESEARCH QUESTION
(1) What is the perceived sense of belonging among Filipino students who attended a Westernized
public high school in Hawaiʻi?
(2) What is their experience with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language instruction?
INTRODUCTION
“Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. For this study, I am seeking to understand
your experiences as an alumnus of a Hawaiʻi public school. I hope to get a deeper understanding
of Filipino and Filipino American students’ sense of belonging at a school that integrates Native
Hawaiian values, culture, and language. The results of this study may be used as a contribution to
the knowledge and best practices of those who work towards improving student belongingness in
Hawaiʻi public schools. I will be recording this interview/focus group and taking notes. I want to
assure you that everything you say will remain confidential. If you need to discontinue the
interview or state something that should remain off the record, please feel free to ask me to stop
recording or refuse to answer any questions that I ask. Again, your participation is completely
voluntary and you may stop the interview at any time. Do you have any questions? Before we
begin, please fill out this consent form.”
FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS
Please introduce yourself to the group.
I will now ask you some questions about your experience in learning about Native Hawaiian
values, culture, and language.
What does learning through Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language mean to you?
Describe a lesson when a teacher taught you about Native Hawaiian practices.
What was your experience with HĀ?
I will now ask you some questions about your experience with culturally responsive teaching.
In looking at how CRT is validating and affirming at school…
a) How did your class experience acknowledge your Filipino cultural heritage?
b) How did your class experience make connections to your home life?
c) How did your class experience incorporate the diverse cultures of all students?
In looking at how CRT is comprehensive and inclusive at school…
a) How were you able to maintain your Filipino identity and connect with the Filipino
community?
b) Did you have support to develop values toward success?
In looking at how CRT is multidimensional at school…
a) How did you experience culture through student-teacher relationships?
b) How did you experience culture through instruction, curriculum, and assessments?
c) How did you experience culture through classroom management?
In looking at how CRT is transformative at school…
a) How, if at all, did you see/feel/hear respect towards Filipino culture?
b) How, if at all, did you experience academic success tied to Filipino culture?
In looking at how CRT is emancipatory at school…
a) How did you experience learning about your different ethnic groups? Was Filipino cultural
heritage included?
86
b) How often were you able to relate to the content you were taught?
c) How often did you work with other students and hold each other accountable for success?
I will now ask you about your sense of belonging while learning through Native Hawaiian
values, culture, and language.
How did learning about Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language influence your learning?
What does sense of belonging or belongingness mean to you?
Did you feel that you belong in Hawaiʻi? At WHS? In ANR? Explain.
Tell me about a time you identified with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language.
For example, students in other academies did not engage in the same experiences you had in
ANR with Native Hawaiian practices; what do you think about their sense of belonging at the
school and in Hawaiʻi?
I will now ask you about belongingness as a member of your former school?
Who were some of your biggest supporters in school? Why?
Tell me about a teacher that supported you. Did this teacher make you feel like you belonged in
the classroom? At the school? In Hawaiʻi?
Were there any extracurricular teams/clubs that influenced your school attachment?
Do you think Filipinos face discrimination in Hawaiʻi? At school?
Are Filipinos treated equally to other ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi? At school?
Is there anything else you would like to share with me that I did not address?
“Thank you for taking the time to participate in my study. What is the best way to contact you if
I need additional information?”
87
Appendix E: Information Sheet for Research
Understanding Filipino Student Sense of Belonging in a Hawaiʻi Public School
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Melissa Montoya at the University
of Southern California. Please read through this form and ask any questions you might have before
deciding whether or not you want to participate.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research study aims to understand belongingness of non-Native Hawaiian alumni from a
school that integrates Native Hawaiian language, culture, and values. The results of this study may
be used as a contribution to the knowledge and best practices of those who work towards improving
student belongingness in Hawaiʻi public schools.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to be interviewed or participate in a focus
group discussion about your experiences as an alumnus from a Hawaiʻi public school. The
interviews and focus groups will occur in a location that is secured and in close proximity to the
participant(s). The interview will be recorded unless you request to deny being recorded. The
interview will take approximately 1 hour of your time. You do not have to answer any questions
you do not want to.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a $15 Amazon gift card for your participation.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. At
the completion of the study, direct identifiers will be destroyed and the de-identified data may be
used for future research studies. If you do not want your data used in future studies, you should
not participate.
The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies
to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please contact the primary researcher,
Melissa Montoya at mont729@usc.edu or (808)859-3218 or Tracy Poon Tambascia, advisor, at
tpoon@rossier.usc.edu.
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant or the
research in general and are unable to contact the research team, or if you want to talk to someone
independent of the research team, please contact the University Park Institutional Review Board
(UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213)821-5272 or
upirb@usc.edu.
88
Appendix F: Posted Announcement on Social Media
TITLE OF POSTED ANNOUNCEMENT
Calling all WHS Academy of Natural Resources Alumni! Participate in a study regarding your
high school experience!
TEXT OF POSTED ANNOUNCEMENT
You are eligible to participate in this study if you graduated from WHS Academy of Natural
Resources Class of 2016–2020. You must be aged 18 and up to participate.
The study will take place over the Summer 2020 months. Participants will have a virtual one-onone interview and/or a virtual focus group. Interviews and focus groups are expected to take
approximately 60 minutes.
Eligible participants will be offered a $15 Amazon gift card.
Sign up by taking this brief survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/###### by June 1, 2020.
Respondents will be contacted to set up an interview or focus group.
For more information, contact the primary researcher at (808)859-3218 (call/text) or
mont729@usc.edu.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
In Hawaiʻi, there are over 170,000 students enrolled in public schools, with Filipinos comprising almost 25% of the student population. Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language have slowly gained an important role in school curriculum, but little is known about how students from other backgrounds respond to it. The purpose of this research is to understand the sense of belonging of Filipino graduates of a high school that integrates Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language into the curriculum. This research allows for a critical look at how educators can further Native Hawaiian values, culture, and language practices for the inclusion of non-Native Hawaiian students. Student perception of sense of belonging through culturally responsive teaching allows for feedback for further program implementation. The study included interviews with participants who self-identified as Filipino and graduated from a Hawaiʻi public high school from 2017 to 2020. Findings show that it is important to relate student learning to the value of natural resources and Native Hawaiian culture in relationship to postsecondary goals as well as place-based experiences. Also, nurturing and developing relationships increases belongingness and Filipino identity. Recommendations for practice include increasing opportunities for students
to make connections to both their cultural background and Hawaiʻi, increasing culturally responsive teaching training and curriculum resources for teachers related to students of Filipino descent in Hawaiʻi communities, and increasing recognition of student identity in Hawaiʻi.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Montoya, Melissa
(author)
Core Title
Understanding Filipino student sense of belonging in a Hawaiʻi public school
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Educational Leadership
Degree Conferral Date
2024-08
Publication Date
07/17/2024
Defense Date
07/01/2024
Publisher
Los Angeles, California
(original),
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
culturally responsive teaching,identity,OAI-PMH Harvest,sense of belonging
Format
theses
(aat)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Tambascia, Tracy (
committee chair
), Green, Alan (
committee member
), Picus, Lawrence (
committee member
)
Creator Email
miss.melissa.montoya@gmail.com,mont729@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113997X8Y
Unique identifier
UC113997X8Y
Identifier
etd-MontoyaMel-13261.pdf (filename)
Legacy Identifier
etd-MontoyaMel-13261
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
theses (aat)
Rights
Montoya, Melissa
Internet Media Type
application/pdf
Type
texts
Source
20240718-usctheses-batch-1185
(batch),
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Repository Email
cisadmin@lib.usc.edu
Tags
culturally responsive teaching
sense of belonging