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Culturally relevant pedagogy in an elementary school for indigent native peoples

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Culturally relevant pedagogy in an elementary school for indigent native peoples

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CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY
IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR INDIGENT NATIVE PEOPLES

by

Elisabeth ‘Ōhi‘alehua Fude Enomoto Kadooka

_____________________________________________________________

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 2010

Copyright 2010 Elisabeth ‘Ōhi‘alehua Fude Enomoto Kadooka
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I feel such a sense of accomplishment completing this unbelievable doctorate
program from the best university in the entire world, and with the most amazing
faculty one could ever ask for. I have been under the tutelage of fantastic professors
who are intelligent, inspirational, and caring individuals. This USC doctorate
program has stimulated me to think way beyond my wildest imagination as a female,
Hawaiian educator. Along with challenging coursework, I was fortunate to travel to
China with Dr. Gothold and Dr. Castruita. Both of these leaders were incredibly
inspirational to me, and I appreciate them mentoring me on such an amazing trip. I
especially want to acknowledge my dissertation chair, Dr. Melora Sundt, also known
as Superwoman, who has been an extremely wonderful leader and our dissertation
group’s saving grace. Thank you, Dr. Sundt, for all your assistance and guidance.
You were my toughest teacher, but the most amazing University of Southern
California (USC) role model.
To my USC classmates: if it was not for the endless snacks, stimulating
conversation, and goofy laughs, I do not think I would have made it through this
program. It was so challenging going from our full-time job straight into classes with
endless reading and pages of typing. I loved attending classes with such a diverse
group—half from the university system and half from the K-12 system. We had a
perfect mix of humorous characters who were extremely intelligent, supportive, and
hard working. Thank you for supporting me through out the program and for always
cheering me on. I feel honored to have worked side by side with you all.
iii
Taking this program was possible because of the financial backing and loving
support from my husband, Eric Kadooka, my parents, Kekoa and Ed Enomoto, and
my mother-in-law, Lorraine Kadooka. This was another leap of faith, but you four
stood behind my efforts and unconditionally contributed to my efforts in various
ways so I could continue quenching my thirst for knowledge! Mahalo, Eric, for being
patient with me when I stayed up late to finish homework. Mom Kekoa, thanks for
helping me on this tremendous task, especially transcribing my long interviews and
editing my writing. You were always so supportive of my academic efforts. I
dedicate this study to you all, my fabulous ‘ohana!
Finally, mahalo to the Hawaiian scholarship organization, Liko A‘e! It is
because of Hawaiian servant leaders like you who make Hawaiian students’ dreams
come true. Mahalo nui loa a me imua lanakila! Thank you very much and let’s move
forward in victory!
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ii
List of Tables v
Abstract vi
Chapter One: Introduction 1
Chapter Two: Literature Review 24
Chapter Three: Methodology 48
Chapter Four: Results 68
Chapter Five: Conclusion 136
References 148
Appendices 156
Appendix A: Information Sheet for Non-Medical Research 156
Appendix B: Consent Form 158
Appendix C: Invitation to Participate 159
Appendix D: Observation Protocol 160
Appendix E: Observation Guide Checklist 162
Appendix F: Artifact Analysis Guide 163
Appendix G: CRP Observation Rubric 164
Appendix H: Interview Guide Questions 167
Appendix I: CTP Math Scores for Sixth Grade – Stanine Four 168
and Below
Appendix J: CTP Reading Scores for Sixth Grade – Stanine Four 170
and Below
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Number of Hawaiians Served in Fiscal Years 2005-2006 and 15
2007-2008
Table 2: Creating Culturally Responsive Environments: Some 44
Considerations
Table 3: Data Collection Time Line 58
Table 4: CRP Rubric 61
Table 5: CRP Rubric – Category 1 62
Table 6: CRP Rubric – Category 2 63
Table 7: CRP Rubric – Category 3 65
Table 8: CRP Results: Category 1 Academic Excellence + Embrace 72
Family, Community, People
Table 9: CRP Rubric: Category 2 Results 87
Table 10: Hawaiian Language Used During Teacher Observations 102
Table 11: CRP Rubric: Category 3 Results 108
Table 12: Service and Service Learning Activities from Mid-August 117
to December
vi
ABSTRACT
This dissertation explored the implementation and teacher perceptions of a
culturally relevant pedagogy in a Native Hawaiian elementary school, Kamehameha
Schools in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, that admits students of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
Since the teachers are employed by this private school that has made several
equitable decisions, like a broader admissions policy more reflective of its
community, it is assumed that teachers are utilizing culturally relevant pedagogy
(CRP) with this diverse group of students. Since it is not known whether teachers are
employing CRP, a study of the sixth grade level was executed. The culturally
relevant pedagogy (CRP) framework of Ladson-Billings (1995) was used as the
structure for this qualitative study. Classroom observations, an artifact analysis, and
teacher interviews were conducted with six teachers at this private school,
exclusively for Native Hawaiian students. The results identified varying levels of
commitment by teachers who implemented a culturally relevant pedagogy. This
study recognized that teachers should engage in more Hawaiian culture and language
professional development in order to increase their comfort level and command of
the chosen cultural direction Kamehameha Schools has chosen to move in. Teachers
also should use critical self-reflection in order to deconstruct hindering social beliefs
and to make personal sense of their own culturally relevant pedagogy. Finally,
teachers should continually seek to understand what is relevant to students and find
ways to connect with them in a variety of cultural ways.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
Imagine two worlds in education. In one world, there is a public school
system striated with high- and low-achieving, poverty-stricken, special-needs, and
culturally diverse students. In the other world there are wealthy private schools that
provide an environment where students can reach their highest potential and become
the brightest, most talented students to matriculate to college. The latter world is a
teacher’s dream, where the minds of highly gifted students can be fostered. Now
visualize a scenario where these two worlds merge into an educational private school
setting of heterogeneous students with culturally diverse needs. The teacher,
equipped with standards-based instructional tools and techniques, would need to
bring in a truckload of diverse learning strategies, cultural perspectives and
sensitivity, and self-determination to the reorganized classroom filled with culturally
diverse learners. This educational scenario truly describes the typical profile of the
millennium classroom.
How would the private school’s administration handle such a change in the
student population? How would a private school teacher react in an ethnically
heterogeneous classroom, which includes indigent native students? How do teachers
integrate curriculum relevant to this diverse population? Would teachers struggle in
the new scenario? Literature suggests that teachers and schools do not properly serve
culturally diverse students (Bennett, 2001; Hodges, 1995; Ogbu, 1995). Teachers
2
working since the 1960s and 1970s might not know how to differentiate instruction
to meet student needs (Wormelli, 2006). Teachers with prejudices might resegregate
students according to abilities (Valencia, Menchaca, & Donato, 2002). Teachers not
equipped with teaching strategies might struggle to deal with children’s social-
emotional problems (Rothstein, 1994). Teachers might water down curriculum
instead of challenging all students (Wormelli, 2006). Historically, society has
struggled with integrating students from low SES backgrounds into mainstream
schools (Valencia et al., 2002). Hodges (1995) of the Association of Supervision and
Curriculum Development (ASCD) stated the achievement gap between the diverse
learners exists because of the differences in the quality of instruction received at
school by teachers.
In such a merged world, would a culturally relevant educational system be
successful? According to Carbo (1995) this merged world is a reality for our school
systems since the minority students are now the majority in the United States of
America. In the state of Hawai‘i, Native Hawaiians rank the lowest amongst all
ethnic groups (Kana‘iaupuni & Ishibashi, 2003). Bennett (2001) asserted that
students of color and low socioeconomic status, such as Native Hawaiians, are
deserving of equal educational opportunities. Learning should be diverse and
challenge a wide range of cognitive development (Bennett, 2001). Ladson-Billings
(1995a) also stated that diverse students are deserving of the very best teachers who
will connect the home culture with the school culture. She further contended that
3
these diverse students would excel in a curriculum that promoted academic success,
cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness (Ladson-Billings, 1995a).
Castagno and Brayboy (2008) argued that institutions continue to create
Eurocentric curricula that involve a montage of busy work and connected activities,
not pertinent to new policy changes for a more diverse population (Wiggins &
McTighe, 2007). With the United States’ movement towards standardized testing
and assessment accountability, institutions are unable to implement these kind
educational reform and policy changes that are actually “slick packaging and glitzy
marketing that can conceal fanciful or trendy notions that sound good but simply do
not work” (Clark & Estes, 2002, p. 1). Castagno and Brayboy (2008) are critical
about the Eurocentric focus in American schools, and claimed there is a definite
disparity between what is relevant to the current students and what is actually being
taught in schools (Bennett, 2001). They suggested institutions choose to respond to
the disparities between indigenous and white students, and culturally respond to a
type of education that speaks to students who are not a part of the dominant social
groups (Bennett, 2001; Brown, 2007; Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Ogbu, 1995). For
example, Au and Kawakami (1981) both worked at the Native Hawaiian private
school called Kamehameha, where the institution allowed them to perform
educational research on how Native Hawaiian children learned best. Au and
Kawakami confirmed the potential of working with culturally relevant methods in
the school that mimicked that of the home. Their findings revealed that when
4
teachers used a cultural method called talk story in their language arts program,
Native Hawaiian student achievement increased.
Cummins (1986) claimed, “Students who are empowered by their school
experiences develop the ability, confidence and motivation to succeed academically”
(p. 23). What if a private educational institution did take a stand, envision a plan and
implement strategies to educate an indigenous population with a plan that utilized
cultural methodologies within a Western model? Kamehameha Schools (KS), a six-
billion-dollar educational institution, services 30,000 Native Hawaiian students
throughout the state of Hawai‘i. KS has taken a stand against social inequities by
implementing Policy 211, designed to overcome ethnic and social inequalities
(Kamehameha, 2005). With the adoption of Policy 211, KS can educate a broader
range of Hawaiian students by increasing the percentage of orphan and indigent
students in its tri-campus enrollment. KS admits not only top Hawaiian students in
specific geographical districts, but also all orphans from the entire pool of applicants
plus indigent students to comprise 25% of those accepted at each entry point:
kindergarten, fourth grade, seventh grade and ninth grade.
Garcia’s (2002) statement, “Preferential education for the rich and denial of
education for the poor continues today,” seems like the motivation behind
Kamehameha Schools’ Policy 211 (p. 31). Poverty-stricken children are more likely
to have poorer health, lower cognitive abilities, less schooling, and more emotional
baggage and behavioral problems than non poverty-stricken children (Brooks-Gunn
& Duncan, 1997). In addition, a disproportionate number of Hawaiian children
5
attend inferior schools, have the lowest standardized test scores, are in the special-
education system, miss school, come from low-income families, and are arrested
(Kanaiaupuni & Ishibashi, 2003). Thus, in a setting of heterogeneous students of a
wide range of cognitive, social, special-needs, and culturally diverse abilities, a
different approach, instead of wholly using the Eurocentric approach, to teaching
these students should be considered.

Does Instructional Excellence Include Culture?
Some educational theorists believe that achieving student excellence is all
about instructional excellence (Foster & Peele, 1999; Marzano, 2003, 2006; Wright,
Horn & Saunders, 1997). There is significant research about the effect of instructor
excellence on student achievement. Marzano (2003, 2006) concluded that the teacher
is the most effective variable to student success. Here are two perspectives on what
instructor excellence is believed to be: Routman’s (2000) teacher roles and Wiggins
and McTighe’s (2007) teacher definition.
Routman (2000) identified the teacher as a professional with eight roles:
“learner, scholar, mentor, communicator, leader, political activist, researcher, and a
role model for kindness” (p. 2). First, Routman described the learning teacher as one
who is knowledgeable, a life long learner, collaborative learner, and a self-motivated
learner. Second the teacher as a scholar means to demonstrate professionalism at the
highest level through a profound passion for seeking intellectual knowledge and deep
understandings. Third, the teacher as a mentor means to operate in a community of
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teachers by coaching colleagues and modeling professional behaviors. Fourth,
according to Routman, the teacher as communicator means to effectively
communicate to all parties: students, families, colleagues, and school community
(2000). This role is one of the most important. Fifth, the teacher as a leader means to
be a “masterful facilitator” who exhibits brave behaviors in sharing ideas,
recognizing strengths of colleagues, and taking action when needed (p. 5). Sixth, the
teacher as a political activist is a necessary and powerful role that provides advocacy,
involvement, leadership, and intervention. Seventh, the teacher as researcher means
one is willing to gather information and take action when necessary, especially when
it involves students and student learning. Finally, the teacher as a role model for
kindness is essential in establishing a positive and effective relationship with
students, families, and colleagues (Routman, 2000).
Wiggins and McTighe’s (2007) teacher definition details the job of the
teaching professional when he or she is teaching and when he or she is not teaching.
The teacher is active and deliberate in the teaching and learning process based on
“established missions and goals, the curriculum, and agreed-upon learning
principals” (p. 129). First, when teaching, the primary goals are to convey explicit
instruction, facilitate an understanding and construction of comprehension and
meaning, and to coach and support student learning through a variety of teaching
approaches (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). Second, the teacher is a facilitator by
setting up situations for student inquiry, encouraging discovery learning, and guiding
students to create a plan of action. Third, the teacher is a coach by ensuring that
7
students stay on track through effective behavior management, consistent
monitoring, and on-going assessment.
Finally, when the teacher is not teaching, Wiggins and McTighe (2007)
identified other important aspects of being an effective teacher. First, the teacher is a
contributor to the curriculum by working as a curriculum designer, curriculum tester,
and curriculum troubleshooter. Second, the teacher is an analyzer of results and a
developer of curriculum assessments. Third, the teacher is a life long learner by
continuously reading current educational research, engaging in professional
activities, and performing action research in the school setting (Wiggins & McTighe,
2007). Routman (2000), Wiggins and McTighe (2007) have identified what an
effective teacher’s role should be and how an effective teacher should behave when
teaching and when not teaching, but culture or cultural relevancy was not mentioned.
Does instructor excellence include culture?
Effective teachers, especially when working with a supportive school
environment, are important to achieving higher levels of student achievement said
Marzano (2003). Accordingly, in his 2003 study, Marzano concluded that if a student
spent two years with a “least effective” teacher in a “least effective” school, his or
her achievement levels decreased. Conversely, students in schools that had effective
teachers would have increased achievement levels. In addition, Miller (2003) of the
Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning concluded that, in a meta-
analysis on school and teacher impact, “school-level and teacher-level factors
account for approximately 20 percent of the variance in student achievement (p. 1).
8
As a result, Marzano and Pickering (2003) created a list of instructional and
management strategies for teachers that included topics such as prior to lesson, goals,
class design, during and after lesson, lesson review, lesson practice, content
application, evaluation measures, develop projects, and homework. However,
Marzano and Pickering’s list does not include culture, and does not account for the
increasing demand to serve the ethnically and culturally diverse student body. In
contrast, Au and Kawakami (1994) suggested transforming this type of mainstream
educational system to be more congruent with how students, and their various
customs, beliefs, and backgrounds, learn. Gay (2002) insisted that effective teachers
are only as good as what they know, and she contends that teachers, as well as
preservice teachers, are inadequately prepared and do not know how to teach our
nation’s diverse students.
Recognizing and committing to curriculum reorganization to include culture
and cultural relevance needs to become a factor in this quest for student
achievement. Bennett (2001) defined culture as “...a society’s shared beliefs, social
values, worldviews, and preferred standards of behaving” (p. 173), and she believed
that in a diverse society, teachers must incorporate culture into their classroom
instruction. One method of incorporation is through the critical literacy framework of
Lewison, Leland, and Harste (2008). Critical literacy, a method to encourage
students to ask questions, think about power relations, analyze society, and
understand social standards through literacy, is based on four elements: personal and
cultural resources, critical social practices, critical stance, and moving between the
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personal and the social (Lewison, Leland, & Harste, 2008). First, teachers use
personal and cultural resources to create a coherent curriculum. This exploration
occurs when teachers and students build curricular connections based on student
interest, knowledge, experiences, and language. Second, teachers and students create
critical social practices and activities within the curriculum based on events,
wonderings, inquiry, and complex topics. Third, critical stance is at the core of
critical literacy, and it involves student perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors vital in
the critical literacy process. Lewison, Leland, and Harste identified four key parts to
critical stance: “consciously engaged, entertaining alternate ways of being, taking
responsibility to inquire, and being reflexive” (2008, p. xxvii). Finally, moving
between the personal and social is when teachers use student experiences, cultural
resources, and personal issues to build curricular connections. This step is important
to move perspectives from the personal to the social, and from the individual to the
big picture (Lewison, Leland, & Harste, 2008).
This type of teacher excellence means teachers have internalized a culturally
relevant pedagogy pertinent to the diverse student population of current classrooms
around the nation (Lipman, 1995). Gay (2002) also echoed this belief about teaching
students through a cultural lens and an experience-based system of learning (Au &
Kawakami, 1995; Foster, 1999; Ladson-Billings, 1994, 1995, 1995a). Gay refers to
this as culturally responsive teaching.
Culturally responsive teaching is defined as using the cultural characteristics,
experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for
teaching them more effectively. It is based on the assumption that when
10
academic knowledge and skills are situated within the lived experiences and
frames of reference of students, they are more personally meaningful, have
higher interest appeal, and are learned more easily and thoroughly (Gay,
2002, p.1).

Ladson-Billings (1995; 1995a) believed that instructor excellence included a
culturally relevant pedagogy. She revealed a list of criteria for teachers who
participated in her studies and who self-actualized in their thinking and pedagogy.
Ladson-Billings discovered three conceptions of teacher pedagogy:
1. Conception of Self and Others
• Believed all students are capable of academic success;
• Viewed their pedagogy as art—unpredictable, always in the process
of becoming;
• Viewed themselves as members of the community;
• Viewed teaching as a way to “give back” to the community.
2. Conception of Social Relations
• Social relations are fluid, are humanely equitable, and extend to
interactions beyond the classroom and into the community;
• Demonstrated a “connectedness” with all students;
• Encouraged a community of learners as a priority;
• Encouraged students to learn collaboratively and to teach each other
and be responsible for each other.
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3. Conception of Knowledge
• A belief that knowledge is continuously recreated, recycled, and
shared by teachers and students, rather than static and unchanging;
• A commitment to view the content of the curriculum critically;
• A passionate involvement with the curriculum; they care about what
they teach;
• An understanding that they must help students develop prerequisite
knowledge and skills or construct “scaffolding” to support student
learning; and
• An understanding that intellectual excellence is complex and affected
student diversity (Ladson-Billings, 1995, pp. 164-165).
Indeed, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) effective teacher list seemingly combines
her characteristics of a self-actualized culturally relevant teacher with elements of
Routman (2000), Wiggins and McTighe (2007), with the complexities of Lewison,
Leland, and Harste’s (2008) critical literacy characteristics. Within the Kamehameha
Schools setting, teachers of indigent native students, who are historically
underachievers, will need to consider educating these students through a variety of
ethnic, home, and community cultural frames of references (Au & Kawakami, 1994;
Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995a). Effective teachers
will all have acquired a self-actualization of their teaching and pedagogy, as
described in Ladson-Billings’ three conceptions of pedagogy. How committed are
the Kamehameha teachers to teach Native Hawaiian students who come from a
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variety of communities and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as other ethnic
cultures and traditions? Are they effective teachers who have explicit knowledge
about not only core curricular concepts and standards-based learning, but also
cultural relevance and cultural diversity (Gay, 2002)?

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Framework
In an attempt to decipher this question about culturally relevant teaching and
learning in a Native Hawaiian classroom, the research of Ladson-Billings’ culturally
relevant pedagogy will be used as the main theoretical framework. Ladson-Billings’
culturally relevant pedagogy studies focused on the quality of teaching and learning
in the African-American classroom. In her 1995 qualitative study of teachers,
Ladson-Billings referenced the importance of using a pedagogy that was culturally
relevant to those who have not been historically successful in the public school
system. She defined culturally relevant pedagogy as one that empowered students to
be academically successful, culturally competent, and critically conscious (1995;
1995a).
First, students must be achieving academically. Second, students must be able
to maintain or develop a sense of cultural competence in their home culture.
Third, students must develop a critical consciousness that allows them to
analyze and critique their sociocultural and political content (Ladson-
Billings, 1995, p. 164).

Ladson-Billings described good teaching as one that bridged the cultures of
the home environment and the school environment (1995a; Au, 1980; Au &
Kawakami, 1994). She said that a highly qualified teacher is able to relate and
13
understand students, the community, the context, and him or herself as an effective
educator. Au (2005) also contended that the goal of effective teaching was so “that
students come out able to solve problems, able to make decisions, able to critically
analyze their environments” (Au, On-line, 2005). Consequently, culturally diverse
students, such as Native Hawaiian, should experience higher levels of achievement if
teachers implement CRP.

Background of the Kamehameha Schools
Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop was the great-granddaughter and last royal
descendant of Kamehameha the Great, a famous Hawaiian chief who conquered and
unified all the Hawaiian Islands (Kamehameha, 2008). Upon her death, Princess
Pauahi willed her estate to be used as a resource to fund the education of Hawaiian
children. In the 13th article of her 17-article will, Princess Pauahi wanted, “…to
erect and maintain in the Hawaiian Islands two schools, each for boarding and day
scholars, one for boys and one for girls, to be known as, and called the Kamehameha
Schools” (Kamehameha, 2009a, p. 1). In 1887, the first Kamehameha School for
Boys on the island of O‘ahu opened with 37 students and four teachers, thus starting
an educational tradition unique to America since children of Hawaiian ancestry are
given preference for enrollment at the Schools’ three campuses (Kamehameha,
2009a).
For more than 100 years, the Kamehameha Schools have carried out Princess
Pauahi’s vision of educating people of Hawaiian ancestry. The educational
institution strives to assist Hawaiian students to: 1) uphold moral and
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Christian values; 2) to be self-reliant, lifelong learners, and develop a passion
of their choosing; 3) to be responsible, contributing community members;
and 4) to perpetuate Hawaiian values and traditions (Kamehameha, 2009b,
online).

Based on this continued mission of educating the Hawaiian people, the
Kamehameha Schools has developed an aggressive 15-year strategic plan with seven
distinct goals, called The Kamehameha Schools Strategic Plan 2000-2015.
Kamehameha elicited feedback and input from its staff, alumni, community
members, and community leaders on the formation of the strategic plan. Response to
the strategic draft plan was positive. For example, 90 percent of 1,000 respondents
agreed or strongly agreed that the draft’s vision, goals, and guiding principles
addressed the needs of the Hawaiian community (Kamehameha, 2009).
Seven goals are outlined in the final strategic plan, with most of the goals
written to enhance and embrace the Hawaiian culture and language, Hawaiian
people, and Hawaiian communities. The first goal states that the Schools will
provide educational programs to serve more Hawaiian people. The second goal
states the Schools will work with families and communities while serving those
Hawaiian people. Cultivating and nurturing the Hawaiian culture comprise the
Kamehameha Schools’ third goal. The fourth goal of the Schools is to develop
service-oriented leaders. Goal five states that the Schools will optimize current
resources and actively seek new resources. Practicing appropriate stewardship of
lands and resources is the sixth goal. Finally, the seventh strategic goal of the
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Kamehameha Schools is to develop a dynamic learning community (Kamehameha,
2009).
By 2015, Kamehameha Schools’ plan is to have 55,000 Hawaiians benefit
from Princess Pauahi’s vision. In 2007-2008, the Kamehameha Schools serviced a
total number of 38,179 Hawaiians in various capacities, a ten thousand increase from
two years ago. For example, in table one, 15,993 fourth through twelfth grade
students were supported in public schools and charter schools; 5,372 students
attended classes or programs on its three school campuses, one each on O‘ahu, Maui,
and Hawai‘i Island; and 1,485 children attended one of 31 preschool programs on
five different islands in the state of Hawai‘i.

Table 1
Number of Hawaiians Served in Fiscal Years 2005-2006 and 2007-2008
Strategic Priority of
the KS Education
Strategic Plan
Kamehameha Schools Program
and Collaboration
Fiscal
Year
2005-2006
Fiscal
Year
2007-2008
SP-1 Children Prenatal to 36 months 104 464
SP-1 Center-Based Preschools 1,439 1,485
SP-1 Preschool Age Children 1,094 1,924
SP-1 K-3 Grade in Public Schools 3.375 1,952
SP-2
Supporting 4-12 Grades, Post-
High and Charter Schools
12,043 15,993
SP-3 Campuses 5,298 5,372
SP-1 to 3 Caregiver Training and Support 4,686 10,989
Total Number of Hawaiians Served 28,039 38,179
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What Does the Ideal Hawaiian Learning Environment
Look Like at Kamehameha?
Kamehameha Schools’ Hawaiian Culture Center director, Randie Fong, co-
authored a Cultural Vibrancy policy and spearheaded the Nohona Hawai‘i (living
Hawaiian) document for the institution. According to Fong, the Hawaiian way of
learning he believes in is the kind of learning and doing that came from one’s
grandparents and parents—from the families who are grounded in the Hawaiian
culture from generation to generation, and not the kind of Hawaiian learning that was
typical of a neo-Hawaiian who is concerned with acquiring and apprehending
Hawaiian language.
There is a real Hawaiian sense of identity that comes from the people who
raise you, and this is the part that is not sexy. That’s the part that gets
forgotten about. Today’s reinvented taro culture, or neo Hawaiianism, is what
happens when a culture gets snuffed out. I liken it to culture hyperventilation,
which is symptomatic of a culture that is characteristically underwater and
comes above water and takes a huge breath of life giving air and takes
everything in to survive (Fong, 2010, interview).

Fong contended that there are two essential questions teachers and staff
members needed to ask themselves as Kamehameha employees:
1. How am I helping to advance the native Hawaiian people?
2. Am I following the mission of our Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop?
When Kamehameha hires teachers, even teachers from Iowa, he stated that they
should first be grounded in their own cultural traditions and values. However, it was
important that new hires be able to answer these two essential questions.
17
In the classroom, Fong believed in a strong academic program in English as
well as one in Hawaiian. The true focus of a cultural pedagogy stems around the
cultural vibrancy of a culture, and not the apprehending of skills and memorization
of facts and figures. Fong called it nohona Hawai‘i or living Hawaiian.
I fear a curriculum that contains a culturally literacy that amounts to a list of
the things that I need to know, Hawaiian trivia. The focus should be on
Hawaiian and English, and not just this need to be a Hawaiian, need to be a
Hawaiian, need to be Hawaiian kind of hurry (Fong, 2010, interview).

Statement of the Problem
While Kamehameha leadership took on the task of admitting and educating
more indigenous Hawaiian orphans and indigenous Hawaiian children of poverty,
how committed are teachers in meeting the arduous task of educating these children
especially with such lofty Kamehameha strategic plan goals? In the previous years of
competitive admissions, prior to Policy 211, Kamehameha teachers worked with a
population of high-achieving indigenous students in a Western-style arena of
education with college-prep coursework (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008). With the
onset of a Native Hawaiian renaissance (Kanaiaupuni & Liebler, 2004) and an
emphasis on indigenous culture-based education, there is a significant need for
teachers to implement cultural based methodologies (Kanaiaupuni, 2007).
Ladson-Billings’ (1992; 1992a; 1995; 1995a) culturally relevant pedagogy
studies on how African-American students performed in the classroom suggest that
when teachers provide a curriculum that is academically challenging, culturally
connected, and socially conscious, the diverse learner will experience positive
18
indicators of student achievement, positive attitudes and behaviors, and cultural
affirmation. (Bennett, 2001; Castagno & Brayboy, 2008). Is this type of teaching
happening in the Kamehameha elementary classrooms as visualized by Ladson-
Billings and Kamehameha Schools’ strategic plan? With indigent and orphan
students being admitted with lower academic abilities and less home support, the
Kamehameha students’ academic achievement may continue to score below stanine
five levels in the independent norm categories for math and reading.
For example, the Kamehameha sixth graders after taking the CTP-4
standardized test in November 2009, had 38 percent or 55 of 144 students score
below stanine five in math in the independent norms category, and 36 percent or 52
of 144 students score below stanine five in reading in the independent norms
category. Of those 55 students who scored below stanine five in math, 55 percent or
30 students have been at Kamehameha since kindergarten. Of those 52 students who
scored below stanine five in reading, 60 percent or 31 students have been
Kamehameha students since kindergarten. What is this saying about the teaching at
Kamehameha Elementary?

Purpose of the Study
This study investigated the faculty’s experience with culturally relevant
pedagogies in the sixth grade, or the exiting grade, at Kamehameha Elementary
using Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogical framework and
Kamehameha’s strategic plan goals. The sixth grade had a unique teaming situation
19
where teams of three teachers taught a single core subject class, thus allowing for
explicit and implicit teaching styles because of the focused nature of teaching one
subject area rather than many (Northern, 1996; George, et al, 1992). Within the
Kamehameha Elementary setting, the purpose of this study was to explore teacher
behaviors and attitudes regarding culturally relevant pedagogy by observing them in
the classroom, analyzing their level of commitment to CRP, and interviewing them
(Ladson-Billings, 1995a).
The sixth grade, the exiting grade level at Kamehameha Elementary, was an
ideal environment to study since a form of middle school teaming existed called
“elemiddle” (Hough, 1995). According to Hough (1995), elemiddle schools include
both elementary and middle level grades and utilize more interdisciplinary team
teaching, flexible scheduling, and explorations type of programs. This type of
teaching and learning environment may be conducive to a culturally relevant
curricular program since “...elemiddle schools hold great promise as facilitators of
reform effort” (Hough, 1995, p. 4). Thus, Kamehameha's sixth grade elemiddle
teaming situation was a fertile ground for researching whether or not CRP exists.

Research Questions
1. What evidence of a culturally relevant pedagogy did the teachers
demonstrate in the classroom?
2. What was the teachers’ level of commitment to a culturally relevant
pedagogy?
20
3. What were the beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers
regarding culturally relevant pedagogy?

Methodology
A triangulated method was used to decipher this question about culturally
relevant teaching and learning in a Native Hawaiian classroom. First, three culturally
relevant pedagogical elements, based on Ladson-Billings’ (1995a) research, was
used to categorize data collected from observing the classroom teacher’s curriculum
and instruction: academic achievement, cultural competence, and sociopolitical
consciousness. The data collected was then analyzed using a researcher-created
observation rubric, which measured the level of CRP commitment by the teachers.
Second in depth interviews took place with the sixth grade level staff to compile a
portrait of their culturally relevant pedagogies, which would include snapshots of
their cultural beliefs, cultural understandings, and cultural experiences (Lawrence-
Lightfoot, 2005). Third, an artifact analysis of self-selected teacher works was
completed using Ladson-Billings’ three CRP categories. The significance of this
triangulated approach allowed for an in-depth profile of the sixth grade and whether
or not the teachers implemented, committed to, and believed in CRP.

Assumptions
This study was based on three main assumptions of the Kamehameha
Elementary teachers: 1) teachers believed in Kamehameha’s mission to educate
21
Native Hawaiian students, and realized the importance of Kamehameha’s strategic
plan to implement more Hawaiian culture, knowledge, and language into educational
practices, 2) teachers used some form of culturally relevant pedagogy or used
different cultural perspectives in their teaching, and 3) teachers were currently
integrating Native Hawaiian content and/or language into their curriculum.

Limitations
There were a few limitations in this qualitative research study. First, the
sample of sixth grade teachers being studied was just a small representation of the
entire Kamehameha Elementary School. The sixth grade teachers represented just 12
percent of the entire teaching force in the elementary campus. This particular
grouping of teachers may not be representative of the other teachers in this particular
private school, as well as other teachers in Native Hawaiian educational settings.
Second, due to time constraints, data collection may have only fielded so much
evidence, and a false representation of CRP may have been diagnosed. Finally, the
grade level only included six grade level teachers, which was a small sample to
study.

Delimitations
The data delimited to this study is only particular to this one private school
that educates only students of Native Hawaiian ancestry. This study may not reflect
22
other Native Hawaiian charter schools, Hawaiian immersion schools, public schools,
and other private schools.

Organization of Study
This research study investigated the culturally relevant teaching of the
Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade teachers. This chapter already presented the
introduction, teacher excellence section, culturally relevant pedagogy framework,
statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, methodology
description, assumptions, limitations, and delimitations.
Chapter two presents a literature review pertinent to this study. Chapter two
will first provide an overview of the equity pedagogy theoretical framework then
give an overview of a culturally relevant pedagogical framework. In the final section
of chapter two, the chapter will showcase how teachers are integrating culturally
relevant teaching and learning in the classroom.
Chapter three presents the methodology to be used in this qualitative study.
This chapter will include an overview of the research design, study participants, data
collection, data analysis, limitations, and ethical considerations.
Chapter four presents the results of the qualitative study completed at the
Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade. This chapter will include the observation,
artifact analysis, and interview information gathered from the study.
23
Chapter five, the final chapter, will provide closure to this research study.
Chapter five will include a summary, discussion, areas for future research,
implications for practice, and conclusion.
24
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
At the Kamehameha Schools, the direction toward a more culturally relevant
pedagogy must be a systematic process that starts with institution and administration
commitment and obligation and ends with teacher operation and execution. The
triangulated purpose of this literature review is to investigate 1) if Kamehameha
School’s decision to be agents of social change is warranted through the equity
pedagogy framework, 2) if a culturally relevant pedagogy is important in teaching
indigent native students through a three-point cultural frame of reference, and 3) how
teachers are integrating culturally relevant curriculum and instruction in the
classroom.

Equity Pedagogy
Rooted in Bennett’s (2001) theory on multicultural education are the ideals of
cultural pluralism, social justice, multicultural teaching and learning, and equal
education for all students. Equity pedagogy, one of Bennett’s multicultural
dimensions, focused on providing equal opportunities for students of color and low
socioeconomic status. The latter recipients of this idealistic vision of education are
in direct contrast to those whom society actually educates: the white and the rich
(Cookson, 2001).
25
Should educational institutions be agents of socialization? Should
institutions reflect society or “try to consciously shape the society” (Hurtado, Milem,
Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen, 1998, p. 280)? Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, and Gurin (2002)
believed the ideal goal for educational leaders was to create institutions that were
“microcosm(s) of the equitable and democratic society we aspire to become” (p.
362).
When educational institutions make equity decisions that bring forth change,
the pedagogical reasoning behind such a paradigm shift needs to be communicated
within the organization. The collective effort of the entire institution is needed to
bring forth the change determined by institutional leaders (Wiggins & McTighe,
2007). In order for this to happen, change has to come from the inside out; meaning
the entire school environment must be restructured for the better, starting with the
vision of the institution. What many organizations fail to do is create steps to ensure
change is communicated and implemented among employees. Wiggins and McTighe
(2007) contended that organizations fail to employ a vision that is put into action
across campus. Clark and Estes (2002) claimed, “Too many organizations fail to
make the connection between high-level organizational goals and specific
team/individual work goals” (p. 23).
Equity pedagogy can be a two-way street, empowering both students and
faculty. For any group of employees set in its normal everyday practices, their input
and ownership as well as proper training and resources management are important
elements to ensure the employees are ready for institutional change. If decision-
26
making is modeled as a top down process that involves a few in charge, students will
be conditioned to believing in powerlessness and apathy (Cookson, 2001, p. 44).
Wiggins and McTighe (2007) asked, “What are the best principles for
determining short-term reform decision-making in order to engineer the long-term
result of mission accomplished?” (p. 201). Bennett’s (2001) theory of equity
pedagogy presents three genres of research for educational leaders to consider in
school transformation: school and classroom climate, student achievement, and
cultural styles in teaching and learning.
First, school and classroom climate refers to the conditions, influences,
structures, practices, and beliefs that positively or negatively influence and facilitate
learning (Bennett, 2001). Stanton-Salazar (1997) contended that schools should
“function as lifelines to resources that permit low-status individuals to overcome
social structural barriers and to experience healthy human development, school
achievement, and social mobility” (p. 5). If educational institutions commit to
providing equity within the building, a thread of democratic values, accessibility, and
tolerance should be woven throughout the school’s educational design (Cookson,
2001).
Katz (1999) studied teacher-student relationships at a middle school that
promoted racial discrimination and educational inequities within the school and
classroom. Administrators academically segregated the intellectual students from
the minority, English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students. Teachers discriminated
against minority students daily. Minority students who felt separated from the rest of
27
the school eventually dropped out of school. Katz explained how the teacher-student
relationship has the potential for constructive learning and achievement. “A
productive teacher-student relationship, based upon mutual respect in which the
teacher invests in teaching and the student invests in learning, will inevitably yield
positive outcomes for any student” (p. 814).
Second, student achievement is maintained and developed through
pedagogies that foster learning outcomes and democratic outcomes for the
represented students of upper social mobility and the underrepresented minority
students of lower socioeconomic status (Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002).
Learning outcomes of active thinking, cognitive engagement, and thoughtful action
occur when pedagogy dictates a curriculum that challenges diverse learning styles
and a wide range of intellectual potential (Bennett, 2001; Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, &
Gurin, 2002). Democratic outcomes of broad perspective, heterogeneous citizenship,
and active service occur when pedagogy dictates curriculum that challenges cultural
understandings, social connections, and common stereotypes (Bennett, 2001; Gurin,
Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002).
Wiggins and McTighe (2007) believed in a “backward design” strategy, in
which desired student achievement predicates the formula for school reform. The
backward design process includes three phases when planning school reform: 1)
identify ideal outcomes, 2) determine reasonable evidence, and 3) create an action
plan to achieve goals. Likewise, the backward design process contains practically
the same three phases when planning curriculum redesign: 1) identify ideal
28
outcomes, 2) determine reasonable evidence, and 3) create learning opportunities and
instruction.
Last, equity pedagogy is achieved when cultural pedagogies in teaching and
learning reflect the integrity of the school’s mission to educate minority students of
lower socioeconomic status. Bennett (2001) contended that historically education
has catered to the rich, white majority:
Researchers argue that pedagogy in U.S. public schools is founded on
European-American cultural values, language, time and space orientations,
and epistemology. This Eurocentric orientation creates inequitable learning
conditions for many low-income and language minority children, and
children of color who are less familiar with mainstream culture than their
middle-income European-American classmates (p. 188).

Stanton-Salazar’s (1997) social capital theory directly applies to Bennett’s
equity pedagogy. Minority students need to be taught how to decode mainstream
systems, and learn how to speak the language of the majority. Social agents can help
minority students to maneuver within society and develop coping and manipulation
strategies. Stanton-Salazar (2001) also contends that “caring relations” between
agent and adolescent are fundamental for minority students. School leaders can use
the social capital theory to demonstrate the importance of positive teacher-student
relationships when dealing with the new population of poor students.
At the opposite spectrum of the language bridge, for students of minority and
lower socioeconomic status, appreciation of ethnic vernacular gives permission for
cultural communication exchanges, cultural connections, and authentic expression.
“This means that in the grand effort of teaching standard American English,
29
educators must first recognize, and second, not strip from them a language that is
useful among its many users” (Edgerson, 2006, p. 41). To deny someone of his/her
native, community language is discriminatory. Yet, some people measure
intelligence based upon how someone speaks (Edgerson, 2006).
To reiterate, Bennett’s (2001) theoretical framework of equity pedagogy
presents three principles to consider in school transformation. If an educational
institution pledges to work with minority students of lower socioeconomic status,
then three cornerstone areas—school and classroom climate, student achievement,
and cultural styles in teaching and learning—must be addressed.

Culturally Relevant Theoretical Framework
Will a culturally relevant curriculum within a Western educational system,
school, or classroom increase indigenous student achievement? To answer this
important question given our current state of education of increasing student
achievement through culturally relevant pedagogies, it is important to consider a
theoretical three-point framework that includes Ogbu’s (1995) cultural frame of
reference, Ladson-Billings’ (1995a) culturally relevant pedagogy, and Au’s and
Kawakami’s (1980) cultural congruence theory.

Cultural Frame of Reference
Ogbu (1995) contended that a cultural frame of reference referred to the
proper way to behave and act within the given mainstream culture. In most
30
educational institutions, its frame of reference is Western-American (Boykin, 1984;
Ogbu, 1995). Native minority students attending American schools come from a
variety of cultural references: their own indigenous culture, an indigent or low-
income frame of reference, or maybe an orphan frame of reference.
When two separate cultures come together, continuous interaction results in
frames of reference that are similar, different, or oppositional. In the case of a
Western system, an oppositional frame of reference results; meaning, “nonimmigrant
minorities with oppositional cultural frames of reference are expected to attain
upward social mobility by behaving according to the cultural frame of reference of
the dominant white Americans in school and the workplace” (Ogbu, 1995, p. 197).
Mainstream schools represent the dominant cultural frame of reference that dictates
Western-American values and standards to the native indigenous students (Hinkley
& McInerney, 1998).
Ogbu (1995) further explained the subordinate culture is in constant conflict
because actions, language, and attitudes are judged and dictated by the dominant
culture (Benham, 2006). Similarly, Yamauchi and Greene (1997) contended, “when
societal inequities are mirrored and reinforced by school policy and other subtle (and
not so subtle) discriminatory attitudes, some minority members may internalize these
negative attitudes about their own group” (p. 6).
Minority students realize that to get social status within the dominant culture,
they must do things outside of themselves—such as, speaking standard “white”
English instead of local vernacular-broken English and performing well on
31
standardized American school tests on reading instead of demonstrating science
knowledge by growing a medicinal plant garden (Ogbu, 1995). It becomes a constant
dilemma, both conscious and subconscious, when Western educators expect
indigenous students to give up their native language and learn another language
(Ogbu, 1995; Stairs, 1994). Moreover within one’s own minority community, talking
proper or talking white is looked down upon in minority communities—speaking and
valuing standard English may elicit a negative, oppositional reaction from the home
community (Ogbu, 1995).
In order to encourage minority students to succeed educationally, Western
schools must teach native indigenous students to navigate through dominant cultural
standards and expectations with a strong ethnic and academic identity and a sense of
affirmation (Au & Kawakami, 1994; Ladson-Billings, 1992a, 1995a; Ogbu, 1995;
Stairs, 1994). Ogbu (1995) contended that minorities face affective dilemmas
meaning, “they want to behave according to the mainstream white cultural frame of
reference for self-advancement; they also consciously or unconsciously tend to
interpret their behavior as giving up one’s cultural or minority identity” (p. 202;
Henze & Davis, 1999).
If a paradigm shift from cultural hegemony to cultural affirmation started
among educators, schools that maintain a Western-style education system of college
preparatory curriculum would prepare minority and indigenous students for success
(Ogbu, 1995). Both teachers and administrators would “provide support for the
students to ‘be themselves’ and choose academic excellence rather than allow
32
academic achievement to seem alienating and foreign” (Ladson-Billings, 1992a, p.
317).

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Ladson-Billings (1995a) defined culturally relevant pedagogy as a
“theoretical model that not only addresses student achievement but also helps
students to accept and affirm their cultural identity while developing critical
perspectives that challenge inequities that schools perpetuate” (p. 469). Ladson-
Billings was interested in understanding how school culture and home culture fit
together (1995a; Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami, 1994) in a study of African-American
students in a Northern California low-income elementary school. Ladson-Billings
thus theorized that culturally relevant pedagogy would produce students who
experienced academic success (1995a; Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami, 1994), proved
cultural competence, and developed an ability to understand and critique social
inequities.
In Ladson-Billings’ (1995a) first element of culturally relevant pedagogy,
student achievement, there was a strong relationship between high-standardized test
scores and the teachers’ desire to assist students to become academically successful.
The students Ladson-Billings observed, fared well on standardized tests—scoring at
or above grade level, although still lower than their middle-class counterparts.
Teachers did not focus solely on standardized testing, but varied curriculum and
33
assessment. Students demonstrated a variety of higher-order skills, as observed by
Ladson-Billings.
In the second element of culturally relevant pedagogy, cultural competence,
Ladson-Billings (1995a) emphasized the need to provide avenues for students to
preserve cultural integrity while achieving academic standards (Foster, 1992; Foster,
1999; Lee, 1995; Lee, 2001). In one unit, rap song lyrics were used to teach poetry
(Foster, 1992). In another example, African-American students were encouraged to
be themselves in dress, behavior, and language; thus creating a safe environment for
cultural expression and freedom instead of cultural exclusion and isolation.
Academic success of a minority student should not come at the “expense of their
cultural and psychosocial well-being” (p. 475). In each of Ladson-Billings’
examples, bridging the home culture to school culture led to increased learning
outcomes (1995a; Au & Kawakami, 1994).
In the third element of culturally relevant pedagogy, cultural critique,
Ladson-Billings theorized that students should “recognize, understand, and critique
current social inequities” (p. 476). Ladson-Billings observed teachers who were
aggressive at identifying inequities and creating curriculum that was real world and
applicable to the student’s environment (Boutte & Strickland, 2008; Lynn, 2006).
For example, one teacher led students to discover their neighborhood was
surrounded by many liquor stores, called a wet zone. The teacher integrated many
disciplines into this community project that eventually resulted in students writing
reports, drawing maps, and making graphs about solutions to their community
34
problem. Through this experiential curriculum unit, the students modeled being
responsible, educated citizens within their very own community (Ladson-Billings,
1995a; Ledward, Takayama, & Kahumoku, 2008; Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum, 2005).
The need for educators and administrators to internalize a culturally relevant
pedagogy must go hand in hand with specific teaching behaviors (Ladson-Billings,
1995a; Tharp, 1982). Regarding such behaviors, Ladson-Billings (1995) observed
teachers who were community-oriented, nonjudgmental, culturally and community
prideful, collaborative, and passionate about teaching. This study represented a first
look at how teachers might begin to “include student culture in the classroom as
authorized or official knowledge” (p. 483; Boutte & Strickland, 2008).
In an earlier study of her data, Ladson-Billings (1992; 1992a) concentrated
on the teachers who were implementing culturally relevant pedagogy. In one
example, Ladson-Billings observed a safe community that fostered open verbal
expression, inquiry-based discussion, and positive empowerment from the teacher to
the students. The teacher spent very little time on behavior management since the
students were too busy learning to go off-task. Ladson-Billings remarked how the
teacher created a “community of learners” (1992, p. 386) where it was trendy to be
smart, students leaned on each other for support, integrated authentic literature
mirrored real experiences, and students engaged in a collective activism against
social injustice (Ladson-Billings, 1992; Ladson-Billings, 1992a). In this case, the key
to achieving culturally relevant curriculum is in the teacher (Ladson-Billings,
1992a).
35
Cultural Congruence
In studying how Western education can be more beneficial to minority
students and students of various backgrounds, Au and Kawakami (1994) concluded
that the correlation between school culture and home culture could positively or
negatively impact student performance (Boykin, 1984; Ladson-Billings, 1995a).
“Students have less opportunity to learn when school lessons and other activities are
conducted, or socially organized, in a manner inconsistent with the values and norms
of their home culture” (p. 6). Au and Kawakami (1994) contended that culturally
congruent education features aspects of student culture but does not attempt to
change school goals, duplicate environments from the community, or regurgitate
activities from the home; rather, it complements, interweaves, and overlaps. Stairs
(1994) describes culturally based curriculum that is taught side by side with
mainstream education an “indigenous negotiation with mainstream schooling” (p.
161). The goal is to help students feel connected to practices that parallel experiences
in the home, school, and community (Ledward, Takayama, & Kahumoku, 2008;
Rueda, 2004).
Au (1980) discussed the notion that in a conventional Western educational
setting, where the teacher played a highly controlling role, one would expect
Hawaiian children to do poorly. However, in the Kamehameha Early Education
Program (KEEP) of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, researchers developed a literacy program
that resulted in a unique combination of direct teacher instruction, criterion
referenced testing, and a cultural congruence of Native Hawaiian methods of
36
communication and socialization (Au, 1980; Jordan, 1984; Tharp, 1982). Seventy-
five percent of the children observed were of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry
and seventy-five percent were from lower socioeconomic families (Tharp, 1982).
Keep was founded as a research-for-action organization, with a specific, two-
part task: 1) To discover ways of improving the educational achievement of
Hawaiian children; and 2) to influence the public schools of Hawai‘i in their
behalf. In operational terms, the first goal was interpreted as a charge to
develop a program to bring the academic achievement of low SES,
elementary grades Hawaiian children up to national norms, as measured by
standardized achievement tests, with an emphasis on reading/language arts.
The second goal was interpreted as a charge to disseminate an effective
program into public schools (Jordan, 1984, p. 60).

KEEP teachers allowed students to engage in a cultural “talk story” method
of communicating ideas, questions, and stories during reading instruction instead of
using Western methods of turn taking (Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami, 1994). Talk story
is described as a “Hawaiian community speech event” (Au & Raphael, 2000, p. 176).
These culturally congruent methods led to a higher rate of understanding and more
enthusiastic approach to learning reading. The KEEP program’s success has been
“attributable to the cultural congruence of the reading lessons taught” (Au, 1980, p.
94). The balance between conventional Western methods and Hawaiian cultural
methods to teach literacy contributed to higher achievement scores on standardized
tests (Au, 1980; Castagno & Brayboy, 2008).
To foster peer-to-peer relations and to set up educational scenarios where
student collaboration is emphasized, Au and Kawakami (1994) contended that
activities and lessons should allow for maximum student interaction (Jordan, 1984).
“Typical practices that appear ineffective for students of diverse backgrounds are
37
those that devalue the home language or dialect, rely too heavily on classroom
recitation, fail to recognize community variations in styles of narration and
questioning, and ignore peer group dynamics” (Au & Kawakami, 1994, p. 23;
Ladson-Billings, 1992; Lipka, 1991).

Characteristics of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
What do researchers believe characterize an effective culturally relevant
pedagogy? The science of teaching presents a myriad of topics educators would
prioritize in various manners. Since the integration of culture into the educational
environment takes on dynamics forms, for the purpose of this specific literature
review, cultural relevancy is looked upon as 1) how culture is infused in the
curriculum content, 2) how culture is appropriately used in curriculum and
instruction, and 3) how culture is used as a means to make real world and meaningful
connections. Therefore, culturally relevant pedagogy can be characterized by three
main elements: culturally based (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Lee, 1995, 2001;
Lipka, 1991; Lynn, 2006), culturally appropriate (Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami, 1994;
Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Jordan, 1984; Lynn, 2006; Thirugnanam, 1999), and
culturally responsive (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Ford, 2005; Ladson-Billings,
1995a; Lee, 2001; Lipka, 1991; Thirugnanam, 1999; Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum,
2005).

38
Culture Based Content
How do teachers infuse culture into the curriculum? When teachers
implement a culture-based curriculum, it can be categorized by its language, content,
and/or methods. First, language-based curriculum can be implemented though the
infusion of ethnic or home language usage into the classroom through various means
and varying degrees. Kamehameha Schools is an example of ethnic language
infusion and Lee’s 1995 study is an example of home language infusion.
At Kamehameha Schools, infusing the Hawaiian ethnic language of the
ancient indigenous peoples of the islands is in an official capacity as a foreign
language elective, as well as an actual graduate component for each student.
Established in 2007, Kulia I Ka Nuu, the name for Kamehameha’s Hawaiian
language competencies, is a checklist that guides students to ensure that they are
learning their indigenous language through out the four years of high school
(Kamehameha, on-line). “Graduates will have a basic foundational ability in
Hawaiian language and a better understanding of Hawaiian perspective, culture and
history as well as an increased sense of responsibility toward their communities”
(Kamehameha, online). Kulia I Ka Nuu requires a variety of language opportunities
through song, prayer, chants, and Bible verses, for example. On Kamehameha’s
website, one is able to read about the overview, purpose, and details of these
Hawaiian language competencies.
Lee (1995, 2001) contends that African American students learn at a more
advanced rate when signifying, a form of discourse using African American English
39
vernacular, is infused into the curriculum. In her study, Lee (1995) observed teachers
who used the African American form of signifying to teach students how to
extrapolate complex meanings from passages of literary texts like Their Eyes Were
Watching God by Hurston and The Color Purple by Walker. Signifying “is full of
irony, double entendre, satire, and metaphorical language” (Lee, 1995, p. 612). For
example, “Yo mama so dumb she thought a quarterback was a refund” (Lee, 1995, p.
614). Although the African American community usually used signifying as method
to insult one another, it also was used as a method to communicate. In combination
with an open environment that allowed students to think aloud and speak in a natural
manner where turn taking was not necessary, and teachers modeled the analytical
strategies, students successfully unraveled the hidden meanings in literary passages.
Lee’s experimental group showed statistically significant gains over the control
group.
Second, culture, when integrated within curricular content, heightens the
educational experiences for indigenous students. Pewewardy in 1992, principal of a
newly established magnet school in Minnesota for Native Americans, described the
ideal learning experience as one that places “education into culture rather than
continuing the practice of placing culture into education” (p. 3). In his paper
presentation, Pewewardy’s hope was to revive the native peoples’ traditional
pedagogy and educational philosophies. In fact, the pedagogy for learning is one
based on experiential and discovery learning where one is able to be an active
40
participant (1992). When curriculum is culture based, indigenous student
achievement increases (Demmert, 2001).
Castagno and Brayboy (2008) contend that indigenous culture and
mainstream culture can be taught in a “both/and approach” instead of an “either/or
approach” (p. 960). While educators of today must navigate their curriculum to
include national standards, indigenous children must be given an opportunity for
cultural affirmation (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008).
Lynn (2006), in a qualitative study involving three culturally relevant
teachers at schools with more than 75% of the students being African American,
explored how each teacher infused African American culture into his classroom. A
second grade teacher from West Africa incorporated African culture and language
into his daily curriculum, which helped to build a culturally diverse foundation
beyond slavery. He reminded them frequently that “the history of Black people starts
in Africa” or “this is where Black people come from” (p. 2507).
Last, culture based curriculum can be centered on cultural methods. Lipka
(1991) did a case study on a Yup’ik teacher who modeled and enforced cultural ways
of teaching, learning, and knowing to his students. Although ethnically Yup’ik and
fluent in the language, the teacher spoke in English throughout the lesson; however,
the manner as to how he taught his lesson was culturally methodical. Lipka observed
a distinct cultural method of instructional discourse, classroom discussion, and
student activity. The teacher used minimal instructions and silence in his lesson
delivery. Students were comfortable during the lesson, sitting on the floor, and
41
openly discussing; no routine turn taking was observed (Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami,
1994). For the activity, students were free to chose to attend to the demonstration and
when to start and finish the task. Lipka repeatedly noted that the decisions made by
the teacher were cultural, ones that would not be recognized by Anglo-Australian
educators (1991). Lipka highlighted the need for cultural stability and cultural
survival for ethnic minorities through deliberate curricular pedagogy that should
translate into cultural ways of teaching, learning, and knowing (1991; Lipka &
McCarty, 1994).

Culturally Appropriate Methods
How do teachers appropriately use culture in curriculum and instruction?
When teachers appropriately implement a culturally relevant curriculum, it can be
categorized by the use of instructional methods, strategies, or best practices that
enables the teacher to culturally enhance or to provide cultural continuity (Castagno
& Brayboy, 2008; Lipka, 1991).
Foster (2002) demonstrated this with the call-and-response method, one
based out of African American religious tradition, of instruction of a quick fire style
of verbal interaction between teacher and student.
Call-and-response is a type of interaction between speaker and listener(s) in
which the statements (“calls”) are emphasized by expressions (“responses”)
from the listener(s), in which responses can be solicited or spontaneous, and
in which either the calls or responses can be expressed linguistically,
musically, verbally, non-verbally, or through dance (Foster, 2002, p. 2).

42
Foster likened this cultural discourse method to classroom discussion to the
sociocultural approach, where students acquire new information by building on prior
knowledge through a scaffolding method of question and answer (2002). Although
Foster did not provide a clear correlation between the call-and-response method and
student achievement, elements of call-and-response such as “rhythm, recitation, and
repetition” have proven to be affective in increased student motivation and
engagement (p. 7).
Pewewardy (1992) offered a checklist of 10 items to teaching culturally and
linguistically diverse students. Here is a sample of five approaches:
1. Teachers use learner’s prior cultural knowledge as a foundation in the
teaching and learning process (Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum, 2005),
2. Classroom practices are compatible with learner’s linguistical language
patterns, cognitive functioning, motivation, and the social norm and
structures to which children are naturally accustomed (Au, 1980; Au &
Kawakami, 1994),
3. Classroom instruction validates and affirms the culture and language that
children bring into the classroom (Lee, 1995; Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum,
2005),
4. Assessment practice and procedures reflect the diversity of learner
strengths and an appreciation for multiple intelligences (Ladson-Billings,
1995a), and
43
5. The attitudes, beliefs, and actions of the school model respect for cultural
diversity, celebrate the contributions of diverse groups, and foster
understanding and acceptance of racial and ethnic plurality (Pewewardy,
1992, p. 16).

Culturally Responsive Connections
How is culture used as a means to make real world and meaningful
connections? Culturally responsive can mean many things, however, creating a
responsive learning environment, engaging high student interest, and providing
avenues towards social consciousness seem to be three prevalent themes.
First, Ford (2005) provided a big picture analogy by comparing a teacher’s
classroom to someone’s home. Ford’s essential question was, “How much time,
energy, and thought do we—educators—devote to making the classroom (or school)
environment welcoming for our students—our guests” (p. 28)? Because of the
diverse urban communities, the importance of creating an accepting learning
environment is key (see Table 2).
44

Table 2
Creating Culturally Responsive Environments: Some Considerations
Welcome to My Home!
Atmosphere/Ambience
Welcome to my Class/School
Learning Environment
Image:
Clean, Safe, Organized, Prepared
Image:
Clean, Safe, Organized, Prepared
Meal:
What do you like to eat/drink?
Allergic to?
What do you dislike?
Curriculum:
What do you like to read? Favorite
subjects?
What subjects do you dislike?
Preparation:
How do you like food prepared?
Do you like appetizers?
Are you a dessert eater?
Do I have all the ingredients for the
meal?
Seating Arrangements
Instruction:
How do you learn best?
Do you like working alone or with others?
Do you need examples? Reinforcements?
Do I have all the materials?
Seating Arrangements
Reflection:
Was the dinner a success?
Did my guests enjoy the meal? Good
time?
Did I have enough food and drink?
Did my guests feel welcome?
What will I do differently next time?
Would my guests come back?
Assessment:
Was the lesson a success?
Did my students learn what was taught?
Did they enjoy the lesson and materials?
Did my students feel welcome/appreciated?
What will I do differently next time?
Would my students want to come back? (p.
30)
45
Ford insists that teachers must go through a two-step reflective process: 1)
teachers must do a self-appraisal and ask themselves about overall feelings, fears,
beliefs, and stereotypes about working with students who may be ethnically or
culturally diverse, and 2) teachers must be adequately trained to understand and work
with culturally different groups of students who, for example, may have different
communication styles, adult-child relationship issues, and power control issues
(2005).
Second, engaging student curiosity by connecting curriculum and instruction
to real world examples and current interests helps increase student motivation and
possibly achievement (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum,
2005). Yamauchi, Wyatt, and Taum (2005) explored the method of contextualizing
instruction, which means to “incorporate what students already know with the new
information presented” (p. 172). For indigenous students, it may mean teachers
integrating cultural strands through familiar traditions, hands on activities, or simply
building rapport with students (Au & Kawakami, 1994, Lipka, 1991; Yamauchi,
Wyatt, & Taum, 2005). In their study, four non-Hawaiian teachers participated in a
3-year investigation about implementing contextualized instruction. Yamauchi,
Wyatt, and Taum discovered that teachers made more deliberate choices about
integrating local and Hawaiian culture into their curriculum; thus, contextualized
instruction increased in over two years. For example, teachers used more literature
authored by local writers and integrated more community issues into lessons. Their
46
students were more motivated by the readings and even chose classroom readings
during sustained silent reading opportunities (Yamauchi, Wyatt, & Taum, 2005).
Last, culturally relevant curriculum means providing academic opportunities
for students to build social consciousness about cultural, community, and global
issues (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008; Thirugnanam, 1999; Ladson-Billings, 1995a;
Lynn, 2006). Lynn’s (2006) study, stated earlier in this literature review, revealed a
Black, male teacher who purposefully engaged students to think at a higher level of
social and political consciousness.
For him, teaching was about “empowering” students to know those things
that have been kept hidden from their view. He used the term equip to mean
that he was seeking to prepare them for the outside world. He often talked
about racism as a battle waged against Blacks. For him, students who had an
intimate knowledge of their own history were better prepared, or “equipped,”
to be successful in what he often referred to as an “aggressively hostile
context.” (p. 2514).

Thirugnanam (1999) also emphasized the importance of a critical pedagogy
that confronted the unchallenged and spoke for those that have been silent. She too
reiterated the need for an indigenous curriculum that raised political consciousness at
all levels (Ladson-Billings, 1995a). Thirugnanam, who mainly gave a Native
Hawaiian perspective, admitted to the need for a “critically conscious multicultural
pedagogy” (p. 223) that uncovered past social injustices and political atrocities
(1999).

47
Conclusion
At Kamehameha Elementary School, indigent and indigenous students will
respond positively to mainstream education if teachers place a high priority on
inserting cultural strands, cultural activities, and strategies to ensure cultural
affirmation (Ledward, Takayama, & Kahumoku, 2008). It is not only enough to
prove that a culturally relevant curriculum within a Western educational system
increases achievement among indigent native students (Au, 1980; Au & Kawakami,
1994; Tharp, 1982), but to convince educational personnel to commit to this manner
of teaching and learning (Bennett, 2001; Brown, 2007; Castagno & Brayboy, 2008:
Ogbu, 1995). Through two theoretical frameworks, of Equity Pedagogy and
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and an examination of how teachers executed
culturally relevant pedagogy, this literature review demonstrated the need to strive
for educational equity and cultural pluralism for all of America’s children—no
matter the skin color, race, ethnic make-up, religion, family background, income
level, achievement level, or special need.
Despite the literature review that suggests culturally relevant pedagogy is
effective in the education of Native Hawaiian children, there is none to little
evidence that it is being implemented at Kamehameha Elementary School. Is
Kamehameha Schools a Hawaiian school or a school for Hawaiians? A research
study is needed to investigate the culturally relevant pedagogical understandings,
methods, and outcomes of the Kamehameha Elementary teachers to ensure that
Kamehameha Elementary School is indeed a Hawaiian school.
48
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The overall goal of this formative study was to investigate the cultural
relevant perspectives and practices of the sixth grade teachers at Kamehameha
Elementary using the elements of the culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) of Ladson-
Billings (1995a). In order to qualitatively measure how much the Kamehameha
Elementary School (KES) faculty understood, believed, and utilized the elements of
CRP, the three objectives of this study were to observe and document culturally
relevant pedagogy in action, analyze the teachers’ level of commitment to CRP, and
examine the perceptions of KES teachers who use CRP.
The information used in finding out the depth of understanding and the level
of implementation of the culturally relevant elements, with or without knowledge of
CRP’s philosophy, was important in establishing a baseline of the kinds of CRP was
being utilized at Kamehameha Elementary. This was an essential link in
transitioning the teachers to understand, believe, and utilize CRP in the classroom,
especially since the direction of Kamehameha Schools is to become a Hawaiian
school and not just a school for Hawaiians (Wai Wai Hawai‘i, 2009). Qualitative
data collected and analyzed was used as an informational tool, rather than a method
to pointing out which teacher was culturally relevant and who was not.

49
Description of the Work Setting
The Kamehameha Elementary School Campus’ mission and school wide
learning expectations emphasized the education of the child’s body, mind, spirit, and
world sense. Curriculum and instruction were organized so children got a holistic
education that included language arts, mathematics, social studies, band, music,
physical education, science, Hawaiian language, art, library studies, computer, and
Christian education. To improve student services and increase parental involvement,
parent-child programs—such as Family Night of Stars, Family Science Night,
Family Math Night and a Family Language Arts Workshop—were developed by
faculty and staff (Kamehameha, 2008).
In the spring of 2002, administration, faculty, and staff completed an
extensive school-wide improvement process that helped in extending the Schools’
accreditation for six more years by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(Kamehameha, 2002). Although impressed by the extent of educational services and
resources available to students, WASC committee members believed curriculum,
grade level alignment, and articulation to be key developmental areas to be refined in
the near future.
Kamehameha Elementary-O‘ahu faculty and staff were also involved in the
development of the Kamehameha Schools Master Plan. This plan currently sought
campus input into organizational and structural changes and improvements. The
kindergarten through sixth grade campus services 751 students organized into 12
kindergarten to third grade classes and 18 fourth to sixth grade classes. Students are
50
admitted into the Kamehameha Schools at kindergarten, fourth, and sixth grades.
Kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grades had a class size of 20
students. Fourth grade, fifth grade, and sixth grades had a class size of 24 students.
Each grade level was assigned a full-time educational assistant. Each kindergarten
teacher worked with her own part-time educational assistant, in addition to the full-
time grade-level educational assistant.
The master schedule was organized into two semesters. A teaching cycle
consisted of six teaching days. In a typical cycle, students took language arts,
mathematics, social studies, and science instruction with their homeroom teacher.
However, on certain days and in specific time slots, students received instruction in
band, music, physical education, science, Hawaiian language, and art for a total of 90
minutes per class and per cycle. For half a year, students took guidance and
Christian education classes.
Each grade was organized so grade-level teachers articulated once a day
together. Classes—such as band, music, physical education, science, Hawaiian
language, art, library studies, computer, and Christian education—were commonly
referred to as “specials.” Teachers responsible for these “special” classes, plus three
elementary counselors and three resource teachers were organized to articulate and
plan together as a group. For each group, a grade-level chair (GLC) was designated
to represent his or her teacher team at various administrative meetings. The GLC
was responsible for relaying information or important administrative decisions to his
or her group. Out of the three campuses, the O‘ahu elementary campus was the only
51
one organized from kindergarten to sixth grade. The lower grades consisted of grades
kindergarten through third grade. The upper grades consisted of grades fourth
through sixth grade.

Research Design
The goal was to find out the manner as to how CRP, which included various
instructional strategies, scheduling modifications, and team planning activities, was
being implemented at the elementary school level. This part of the research study
allowed an in depth examination into the different aspects, circumstances, and
subtleties of the sixth grade instructors’ CRP (Patton, 2002). In order to discover the
depth of this understanding and find out how much implementation took place, in the
amount of time allotted for the study, the sixth grade level faculty was selected as the
group of teachers to be studied, especially since sixth grade was the exiting grade at
KES. Wiggins and McTighe’s (2007) “backward design” process contained the three
steps of identifying ideal outcomes, determining reasonable evidence, and creating
an action plan. Therefore, the sixth grade instructor group was an ideal group to
study because it is the last grade level at KES before students go into the middle
school.
These research questions were explored in this qualitative study:
1. What evidence of a culturally relevant pedagogy did the teachers
demonstrate in the classroom?
52
2. What was the teachers’ level of commitment to a culturally relevant
pedagogy?
3. What were the beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers
regarding culturally relevant pedagogy?
The qualitative research design in this study was based on the method called
portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2005; Patton, 2002). This manner of inquiry was
based on a methodology that allowed the researcher to holistically connect the
individuality, culture, and spirit of the human perspective (Lawrence-Lightfoot,
2005). Lawrence-Lightfoot (2005) recalled an experience of being painted and
feeling very attended to by the artist. The resulting portrait did not look like her, in
her opinion, but somehow captured her spirit.
In the process of trying to portray these complex, dynamic, and amazingly
theatrical high school environments, and seeking an authentic representation
of what I was seeing, I found myself inventing a new methodology, one I
eventually called “portraiture” as a way of reflecting its cross between art and
science, its blend of aesthetic sensibilities and empirical rigor, and its
humanistic and literary metaphors (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2005, p. 6).

Accordingly, portraiture seems to bring out the “strength and complexity of
people of color in ways that value the cultural traditions of the people being
represented” (Chapman, 2005, p. 28) ways that research has somehow marginalized
and devalued (Ladson-Billings, 2000). Chapman (2005) considered using the
academic methods of research in conjunction with the cultural traditions of
storytelling and oral history. With this being said, portraiture would work well in this
research study’s Native Hawaiian setting because of the cultural storytelling
53
traditions of the Ancient Hawaiians and the community method of talk story (Au,
1980; Au & Kawakami, 1994). Recognizing the smallest gesture, documenting the
oddest nuance, or describing the most complex exchange of ideas, all are moments
the portraitist must detail in order to capture the “paradoxical experience of theory
development” (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2005, p. 12).
“Portraiture captures the voices, relationships, and meaning making of
participants, as individuals and community members, in one fluid vision that is
constructed by researchers and participants” (Chapman, 2007, p. 157). Through the
various observations, both naturalistic and participatory, interviews, and artifact
analysis, this researcher hoped to paint a humanistic narrative about the culturally
relevant pedagogy in the sixth grade. Researchers, who are able to use this form of
methodology, in conjunction with critical race theory or culturally relevant
pedagogy, bring to surface layers of meaning and dynamics especially in the school
setting (Chapman, 2005). Lynn (2006) explored the culturally relevant practices of
African-American male teachers using the portraiture research method. Lynn was
able to present his findings in a narrative form that gave holistic perspectives on
three individual teachers who each used CRP in their daily teachings.

Study Participants
Purposeful, intensity sampling was used in selecting the sixth grade as the
study participants in this qualitative study. Sixth grade employed middle school
components and consisted of six teachers who were split into two teaching teams.
54
Each teaching team had a math teacher, English teacher, and social science teacher.
Because of the nature of teacher collaboration at the sixth grade, this particular grade
level gave this researcher information-rich data pertinent to the goals of this study
(Patton, 2002). Sixth grade was also the exiting grade at Kamehameha Elementary,
for which Wiggins and McTighe (2002) referred to as a backwards design planning
strategy. According to Wiggins and McTighe, backwards design is a strategic
method to school and curricular design, as stated earlier, when the end is accounted
for first.
In sixth grade, there were 144 students divided into six classes of 24 students
each. In each homeroom, there was an equal amount of 12 boys and 12 girls. Thus,
each teaching team of three teachers had 72 students switching to three core subject
areas. An educational assistant also taught sixth grade students once a cycle. In 2003,
sixth grade teachers planned with their upper grades Hawaiian language and culture
expert to give Hawaiian names for the entire grade and for each homeroom class.
Collectively, the Hawaiian staple, taro, and its symbolic family, the land, were
chosen as the symbolic names for the grade level. Thus, “Nā Keiki O Ka ‘Āina” or
children of the land was picked to be the sixth grade name, and each homeroom was
given a name for a different taro variety. In 2005, fifth grade brainstormed Hawaiian
names for the grade level and all six classes—they picked names symbolic of water.
Every year thereafter, other grade levels picked Hawaiian names for themselves and
each class. This name picking tradition, an important Hawaiian culture ritual, was an
example of sixth grade’s cultural influence to the whole school.
55
Data Collection
This researcher captured the CRP phenomenon through teacher observations,
teacher interviews, and artifact studies. Thus, there were three units of analysis in
this qualitative study: 1) grade six teachers, 2) culturally relevant curricular
occurrences, and 3) curricular outcomes.
The CRP observation rubric was created so this researcher could not only
tally the number of observable occurrences, but gauge the level of commitment to a
teaching pedagogy that was culturally relevant and aligned with Kamehameha’s
strategic goal of implementing more Hawaiian culture and language into its
educational institution. This rubric was used mainly for observations and artifact
studies. If the interview data correlated with the rubric design, this researcher was
able to use the information to gauge the teacher’s level of commitment to this hybrid
pedagogy as well. There were three levels of commitment drafted.
Naturalistic teacher observations occurred in fixed 30-minute time periods
representative of a typical school day (Patton, 2002). These non participatory
observations took place during morning advisory or 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., the first
teaching block or 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the second teaching block or 11:30 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m., and the third teaching block or 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. There was a
non-biased attempt to capture the CRP phenomenon through videotaping, cassette
recordings, and note taking. An observation form was used to collect data through a
checklist, with an open area on the bottom for additional note taking. When video or
cassette was used, notes were taken after viewing the video or listening to the tapes.
56
Not participating and just observing uncovered new CRP perspectives in sixth grade
classrooms (Patton, 2002).
Since grade level field trips were all culturally based, this researcher attended
some of the field trips and participated and observed at the same time. The duty of
chaperone was an added responsibility, therefore participation was required in order
to attend the field trips. Full participant observation on one of the field trips allowed
for multiple data collection methods such as experiential participation, natural
observations, formal interviews, and informal interviews (Patton, 2002).
Note taking took the form of Patton’s (2002) descriptive writing, which
“requires attention to detail and discipline to avoid vague interpretative phrases” (p.
281). Field notes contained quotes of what the teachers and children said in
Hawaiian such as greeting, directives, quotations, legends, prayers, chants, and
songs. Any chances for historical information during informal and formal
observations and interviews provided good background data. This type of attention
to detail provided an “emic perspective” or an insider’s perspective (p. 303). Notes
were highlighted and categorized into three CRP sections: academic excellence,
cultural connections, and sociopolitical connections.
Qualitative interviews conducted were a combination of Patton’s (2002)
approaches: the informal conversation, an interview guide, and the standardized
open-ended interview. First the informal conversation interview allowed the
researcher to approach the teacher after the six observed 30-minute blocks for instant
information regarding the teacher’s mindset behind a culturally relevant lesson or a
57
lesson that may not have contained a culturally relevant connection. The spontaneous
questions were specific to the teaching occasion observed.
Second, the interview guide contained standard criteria that helped focus the
questions in regards to CRP specifics. This research study was interested in the
mindset and heart as to how teachers felt culturally connected to Kamehameha’s
mission, Hawaiian culture, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Using Ladson-Billings’
CRP studies and the Nā ‘Ōpio Youth Development and Assets Survey (KSRED,
2008) as guides, the interviewer build questions around specific subjects, but did not
feel confined to any specific question (Patton, 2002).
Third, the standardized open-ended interview approach allowed the
researcher to ask the same standard set of questions for each participant. In order to
provide background information that was aligned between each participant, the
interviewer asked basic demographic questions about college, work experience,
Kamehameha work experience, multicultural course work or workshops attended,
Hawaiian language experience, and Hawaiian culture experience. The same set of
questions was asked in the same order for each (Patton, 2002). If answers seemed
vague, this researcher asked a few follow-up questions so teacher participants
provided enough details.
Curricular outcomes were collected by an archival search and find for CRP
evidence. The goal was to have access to daily, monthly, and 1
st
semester lessons,
writings, artwork, and notes—anything written or done in classes that documented
CRP taught by the teachers. All CRP outcomes were then highlighted and
58
categorized into three CRP sections: academic excellence, cultural connections, and
sociopolitical connections. A simple checklist was created to help sort the data
collected. Any lessons, writings, or artworks that were CRP outliers will be digital
copied and filed just in case unique patterns of CRP was visually discovered after a
period of incubation (Patton, 2002).

Table 3
Data Collection Time Line
When Who How
6 Teachers @ 6 x
30-min blocks
Observations Research Question #1 ~CRP
Categories
1. Academic Excellence
2. Cultural Competence
3. Social Consciousness
Aug 09
Sept 09
Oct 09
Nov 09
6 Pieces of
Evidence per
Teacher
Artifact
Analysis
6 Teachers @ 6 x
30-min blocks
Observations Research Question #2
~CRP Teaching
1. Culturally Based
Content
2. Culturally Appropriate
Methods
3. Cultural Connections
Aug 09
Sept 09
Oct 09
Nov 09 6 Pieces of
Evidence per
Teacher
Artifact
Analysis
Research Question #3
~Improve CRP
Sept 09 6 Teachers Teacher
Interviews

Data Analysis
Using a triangulated methodology through observation notes, interview
response sheets, and artifact analysis notes (Patton, 2002), the challenge for this
59
researcher was to make positive sense from the data in order to create a CRP portrait
of the sixth grade teachers. Traditional hand coding was utilized in order to discover
patterns and themes (Patton, 2005). This inductive method of “discovering patterns,
themes, and categories” (p. 453) helped to piece together the CRP phenomenon at
sixth grade.
Using the portraiture methodology (Chapman, 2005; Chapman, 2007;
Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2005), this researcher portrayed the data in a chronological
manner (Patton, 2002). Reminiscent of storytelling, this researcher profiled the
teachers as individual characters and wove their CRP background in, especially since
the teachers represented the first unit of analysis (Patton, 2005).
This deductive method of analyzing data, according to an existing CRP
framework, was another important manner to connecting this study to other research-
based studies (Patton, 2002). In each category, the researcher organized and reported
the data in narrative form. The researcher retold specific curricular occurrences of
CRP that showcased a teacher’s dedication to teaching in culturally relevant
manners. In this analytical approach, the method as to how the teacher understood,
believed, and implemented CRP was unwrapped.
Finally, key cultural field trips, culturally relevant units or lessons, and key
CRP instances were documented and analyzed (Patton, 2002). The portraiture
method allowed the researcher to tell a complete culturally relevant narrative, one
where “elements of effective instruction and positive ethos can be illuminated and
replicated in ways that deficit research cannot cultivate” (Chapman, 2005, p. 161).
60
CRP Rubric
The data was organized and analyzed using a researcher-created CRP rubric.
This rubric featured a hybrid pedagogy, where the details of Ladson-Billings’ CRP
and Kamehameha’s strategic plan goals were combined. There were three categories
and three teacher commitment levels. The three categories were 1) Academic
Excellence + Embrace Our Families, People, and Communities, 2) Cultural
Competence + Hawaiian Culture and Language, and 3) Sociopolitical Consciousness
+ Service Oriented Leadership and Stewardship. Culturally relevant teachings and
behaviors were organized so one could see the category and the level of commitment
of the teachers to a culturally relevant pedagogy. Table 4 outlines the two models
and the three categories.
The first category of the rubric was named Academic Excellence and
Embrace Our Families, Communities, and People. Culturally relevant teaching was
recognized as belonging in this category if conversations, lessons, and units of study
included a variety of cultural perspectives, including the Hawaiian perspective, and
used concepts relating to family and community. Table 5 showcases the teacher
commitment levels I created for this observation rubric. For example, using
instructional strategies to emphasize culture was the first commitment level, using
activities to highlight or incorporate cultural perspectives was the second
commitment level, and using culture as the content in lessons or a field of study was
the highest level of commitment.
61
Table 4
CRP Rubric
Model Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Ladson-Billings’
CRP
Academic Excellence Cultural
Competence
Sociopolitical
Consciousness
Kamehameha
Strategic Plan
Embrace Our Families,
Communities, and People
(Goal 1, 2, 7)
Hawaiian Culture
and Language
(Goal 3)
Service Oriented
Leadership and
Stewardship
(Goal 4, 6)

The second category of the rubric was named Cultural Competence and
Hawaiian Culture and Language. Culturally relevant teaching was recognized as
belonging in this category if the observation was associated with classroom setting,
communication style, Hawaiian language, or Hawaiian protocol. The teacher
commitment levels created are seen in Table 6. For example, teachers who have a
traditional classroom with Hawaiian posters on the wall means teachers are
demonstrating commitment to CRP at the base level. Teachers who have a traditional
classroom but teach with no desks and chairs in order to use the open space are
committed to CRP at the second level. Teachers who operate their instruction in a
natural environment or at a cultural place are committed to a CRP at the highest
level.
62
Table 5
CRP Rubric – Category 1
CRP/Strategic
Plan
Teacher
Commitment
Level 1
Teacher
Commitment
Level 2
Teacher
Commitment
Level 3
Strategies,
Activities,
and Content
Uses
instructional
strategies to
emphasize
culture
(Hawaiian-
singing,
spiritual-use of
bible, values-
points out value
aloud, athletics-
uses sport
analogies, home-
invites parent to
activity,
community-
allows student to
speak pidgin
English
informally)
Uses activities to
highlight or
incorporate
cultural
perspective
(Hawaiian-may
day hula dance,
spiritual-chapel
service, values-
awards program
for good
behavior,
athletics-
incorporates
competition in
curriculum,
home-parent is
active participant,
community-guest
speaker)
Uses cultural
content in actual
classroom lesson,
unit, or field of
study (Hawaiian
history unit,
spiritual-study of
bible verses,
values-ke ala
pono system,
athletics-
incorporates
actual movement
based unit,
home-genealogy,
community-field
trip, people-trip)
Perspectives Hawaiian or
indigenous
cultural
connections
made
intentionally,
random, or in
isolation
Cultural
comparisons: side
by side
comparison of
Hawaiian or
indigenous and
western
perspectives
Hawaiian or
indigenous
perspective used
as main focus
Category 1

Academic
Excellence

+

Embrace our
Families,
Communities,
and People
(Goal 1, 2, 7)
Families,
Communities,
People
Uses the concept
or perspective of
‘ohana or family
within a lesson
or unit of study
Uses the concept
or perspective of
lāhui Hawai‘i or
Hawaiian
community
within a lesson or
unit of study
Uses the concept
or perspective of
lāhui kanaka or
nation of people
within a lesson
or unit of study
63
Table 6
CRP Rubric – Category 2
CRP /
Strategic Plan
Teacher
Commitment
Level 1
Teacher Commitment
Level 2
Teacher Commitment
Level 3
Setting and
Environment
Traditional
classroom setting
with some element
of physical
importance
(manipulatives or
cultural objects) or
visual stimuli
(cultural
decorations)
Classroom non-
traditional style or
using non-traditional
major elements
-no desks or chairs
-cultural / Hawaiian
implements used
Classroom operates in
natural environment,
cultural place, or
cultural site
Communication Uses talk story or
informal
communication
style during
instruction
Allows students to
speak pidgin English
(while answering a
question during
instruction) and write
formally in pidgin
English (as an
assignment)
Code switches from
pidgin English to
standard English during
instruction
Hawaiian
Language
Uses Hawaiian
greetings, single
Hawaiian
vocabulary, and/or
Hawaiian place
names
periodically to
accent instruction
Uses Hawaiian phrases
or commands
frequently
Uses frequent Hawaiian
language in sentences
(more than phrases)
Hawaiian
Culture
Allows students to
chant, sing, or
pray in Hawaiian
in class
Participates in
chanting, singing, and
praying in Hawaiian
Incorporates olelo noeau
(Hawaiian moral) and
mo‘olelo (legends) into
instruction; refers to
places using original
Hawaiian place names
(such as the ahupua’a or
Hawaiian geographical
district name); refers to
Bible verses in
Hawaiian
Category 2

Cultural
Competence

+

Hawaiian
Culture and
Language
(Goal 3)
Hawaiian
Protocol
Has knowledge of,
tolerates, and/or
allows Hawaiian
protocol or
cultural practices
Implements Hawaiian
protocol or cultural
practices periodically
by engagement or
initiation (such as field
trips or guest speakers)
Active incorporation and
participation of
Hawaiian protocol and
cultural practices in
daily schedule
(entrance/exit chant
everyday)
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The third category of the rubric was named Sociopolitical Consciousness and
Service Oriented Leadership and Stewardship. Culturally relevant teaching was
recognized as belonging in this category if the observation was associated with
service learning, global or environmental awareness, and active participation in
cultural or political events. Table 7 shows the teacher commitment levels for this
category. For example, teachers who have incorporated service learning into their
curriculum are teachers demonstrating commitment to CRP at the base level.
Teachers who require their students to create and implement a one-time service
project are committed to CRP at the second level. Teachers who require their
students to perform a semester-long service project are committed to a CRP at the
highest level.
65

Table 7
CRP Rubric – Category 3
CRP / Strategic
Plan
Teacher
Commitment
Level 1
Teacher
Commitment
Level 2
Teacher
Commitment
Level 3
Service Service learning
awareness and
study
Individual
advocacy:
requires student
to create and
implement a
one-time service
project
Advocacy as a
lifestyle: student
creates and
implements a
semester-long
service project
Political
Conciousness
Emphasis or
integrates
global or
environmental
themes in
curriculum
Emphasis or
integrates
Hawaiian rights,
historically
based Hawaiian
injustice or
sociopolitical
themes in
curriculum
Active
engagement and
study on
legislature, law
making, or
Hawaiian rights
with the purpose
of bettering the
Hawaiian people
or indigenous
rights
Category 3

Sociopolitical
Consciousness
+
Service
Oriented
Leadership &
Stewardship
(Goal 4, 6)
Stewardship Class field trip
to perform
beach clean up
or visit
recycling center
Class field trip to
perform cultural
practices for
sustainability or
culture based
practices
Active
incorporation and
participation of
Hawaiian rights
event, Hawaiian
cultural practices,
cultural way of
life on a daily
basis
66
Limitations
There are several limitations to this qualitative study. First, this researcher
within the allotted time for research had to make a hard decision as to the amount of
teachers and grade levels to study (Patton, 2002). Although it is ideal to look at each
grade level, kindergarten through sixth grade, it was only feasible to look at one
grade level; thus, the sixth grade was the exit and the ideal grade level in planning
for curriculum reform using Wiggins and McTighe’s (2007) backwards design. At
the end of the study, sixth grade’s results were representative of the school,
especially since this researcher believed the sixth grade teachers resulted in
information rich to the purpose of this CRP study (Patton, 2002). Second, there were
observation limitations to this study. In the 30-minute blocks of observation, the
situation may be highly influenced by an extra adult being in the room, by a video
tape recorder being in the room, or just by the limited amount of minutes that may
not be indicative of the actual CRP occurrences that actually happened in the
classroom (Patton, 2002). Finally, the artifact analysis was limited to the study since
the bulk of this research occurred at the middle of the school year. Culturally
relevant projects, essays, or writing assessments were partially completed, thus a few
teachers gave me samples from previous year.

Ethical Considerations
There were several ethical considerations to this qualitative study. First, since
one of Ladson-Billings’ CRP categories was social consciousness and Kamehameha
67
Schools has historically been subject to lawsuits based on its Native Hawaiian
admissions preference policy, sixth grade teachers were careful about not including
politically sensitive curriculum (Patton, 2002). It was important to maintain an etic
approach where this researcher was able to maintain a non-biased and neutral stance
in order to see any unique CRP patterns and events (Patton, 2002).
68
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
Introduction
This study represents a mission to find culturally relevant teaching at
Kamehameha; however, if teachers were found using cultural relevancy, this study
also looked at the level of commitment, or the depth of CRP implementation the
teachers were willing to use with their students. Kamehameha Schools, according to
their strategic plan, had goals such as implement more Hawaiian language and
culture, and work with the Hawaiian community. Are the teachers a reflection of
Kamehameha’s strategic plan?
All six of the Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade teachers participated in
this qualitative study to explore CRP, or culturally relevant pedagogy. Each
participant allowed six 30-minute observations at times that were convenient to my
schedule, an artifact analysis of six pieces of student work that represented their
work as teachers, and an interview consisting of questions aimed at understanding
teachers’ culturally relevant pedagogy. Using Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant
pedagogy theoretical framework, data were collected using her three categories of
academic excellence, cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness.
Through this three-point lens, patterns emerged of how the sixth grade teachers
integrated cultural relevancy into their curriculum, instruction, and pedagogy,
patterns that helped answer the following three research questions:
69
1. What evidence of a culturally relevant pedagogy did the teachers
demonstrate in the classroom?
2. What was the teachers’ level of commitment to a culturally relevant
pedagogy?
3. What were the beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers
regarding culturally relevant pedagogy?

Participants
The six participants were Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade teachers.
Years taught at Kamehameha ranged from one year to 33 years, and the age of
participants ranged from 27 years to 59 years old.
Pali, a social studies teacher, had been teaching 11 years total, with seven of
those years in Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade. Pali had received a master’s
degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in special education. Prior to
working at Kamehameha, Pali had taught in a public school, Kaimuki Middle, and a
private school, Maryknoll School, at the sixth grade level. Pali has Hawaiian
ancestry, and Pali also graduated from the Kamehameha Schools. In terms of
multiculturalism or Native Hawaiian course work, Pali talked about not having been
exposed to many multicultural classes, although she had taken Japanese language
classes in high school and college. Pali also recalled having been exposed to the
Portuguese language from her grandmother.
70
‘Ewa, an English teacher from Washington State, had been teaching for 39
years total, with 30 of those years in Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade. ‘Ewa had
received an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles
(UCLA) and a master’s degree from the University of Hawai‘i. UCLA had ‘Ewa
working with Hispanic students early on, so ‘Ewa got an appreciation for
underrepresented students. Although non-Hawaiian, ‘Ewa said he had been utilizing
Hawaiian greetings, words, and phrases for many years.
Lōkahi, a math teacher, had been teaching for 20 years total, with nine of
those years being in Kamehameha Elementary sixth grade. In fact, Lōkahi observed
that every year she’d had a majority of Hawaiian students in her class. Lōkahi
attended Hawaiian language classes at Kamehameha for three years, and then
continued studying Hawaiian language, Hawaiian history, and contemporary
Hawaiian issues courses at the University of Hawai‘i. Eventually Lōkahi had
transferred and graduated with an education degree from Whitworth University.
Manu, an English teacher, had been teaching for six years, with two of those
years being at Kamehameha Elementary—one in fourth grade and one in sixth grade.
Manu had gone to undergraduate and graduate school in Los Angeles where the
inner city community had been the focus for many of the courses Manu had taken in
college. Although Manu had taken four years of Hawaiian language, Manu had
studied Spanish in college in order to further connect with her students and parents.
Manu had taught at a small private school in California before returning to
Kamehameha. Manu was Hawaiian-Portuguese and was a graduate of Kamehameha.
71
‘Ahu‘ula, a math teacher, had been teaching for 33 years, with 31 of those
years being at Kamehameha Elementary. ‘Ahu‘ula had taught kindergarten, first
grade, second grade, fourth grade, and now sixth grade. This was ‘Ahu‘ula’s fourth
year in sixth grade. ‘Ahu‘ula was of pure Japanese ethnicity, and had taken Japanese
language classes growing up. ‘Ahu‘ula also had taken Spanish language in high
school.
Mālama, a social studies teacher, had been teaching for 25 years, with 14 of
those years being at Kamehameha Elementary. Mālama was of pure Japanese
ethnicity, and had attended Japanese language classes in grade school and high
school. Mālama had received her undergraduate and graduate degree in counseling
from the University of Hawai‘i. Mālama said that she had not taken any multicultural
or Hawaiian classes, but relied mainly on the professional development offered at
Kamehameha Elementary.

CRP Rubric Results
Category 1: Academic Excellence and Embrace Family, Community, People
Category one, “Academic Excellence and Embrace Family, Community,
People,” fielded 12 results. Nine results were in the strategies, activities, and content
section, two results were in the perspectives section, and a single result was in the
families, communities, and people section. Table 7 shows the defining standard for
each strand and commitment level followed by the bulleted result(s). Teachers
implemented the most CRP in the first strand, strategies, activities, and content, and
72
the least in the family, community, and people section. There were three themes that
surfaced from these categorized observations as well: 1) Communication, 2)
collaborative teaching or teaching in isolation, and 3) cultural identity and
affirmation through reflection. Here is a detailed account of the observations in this
first category.

Table 8
CRP Results: Category 1 Academic Excellence + Embrace Family, Community,
People
Cultural
Strand
Teacher Commitment
Level 1 Teacher Commitment Level 2 Teacher Commitment Level 3
Strategies
Activities,
and
Content
Uses instructional
strategies to emphasize
culture (Hawaiian-singing,
spiritual-use of bible,
values-points out value
aloud, athletics-uses sport
analogies, home-invites
parent to activity,
community-allows student
to speak pidgin English
informally)
• Call and Respond
• Advisory Curriculum
Board
• Math Costs Project
Uses activities to highlight or
incorporate cultural perspective
(Hawaiian-may day hula dance,
spiritual-chapel service, values-
awards program for good
behavior, athletics-incorporates
competition in curriculum,
home-parent is active
participant, community-guest
speaker)
• Competition Format
• Coat of Arms
• Writing Assessment
Uses cultural content in actual
classroom lesson, unit, or field
of study (Hawaiian history
unit, spiritual-study of bible
verses, values-ke ala pono
system, athletics-incorporates
actual movement based unit,
home-genealogy, community-
field trip, people-trip to
another location)
• Home Court Advantage
• Hawai‘i Island Rotations
• Ke Ala Pono System
Perspec-
tives
Hawaiian / indigenous
cultural connections made
intentionally, random, or in
isolation
• Call and Respond
Cultural comparisons: side by
side comparison of
Hawaiian/indigenous and
western perspectives
• Koa Reforestation
Hawaiian or indigenous
perspective used as main focus
Families,
Commu-
nities,
People
Uses the concept or
perspective of ‘ohana or
family within a lesson or
unit of study
Uses the concept or perspective
of lāhui Hawai‘i or Hawaiian
community within a lesson or
unit of study
• Writing Assessment
Uses the concept or
perspective of lāhui kanaka or
nation of people within a
lesson or unit of study
73
Strand: Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 1
Call and Respond
The call and respond style of communication was evident in all six of the
classrooms, but was more frequent in the math classes. Lōkahi and ‘Ahu‘ula tended
to use the call and respond technique when teaching new content and when
correcting work. Foster (2002) used this method when teaching in the African-
American classroom. Foster contended that using rhythm, recitation, and repetition
was an effective way to elicit proper responses from her students. Lōkahi used a
combination of call and respond with talk story when instructing math curriculum.
The students responded by calling out the answers, but certain students switched into
Pidgin English to answer higher-level questions after the teacher followed up with
more in-depth questions. The call and respond method was the basis for Lōkahi’s
simple inquiry method of teaching math. Lōkahi would start with a recall style of
questions, and then follow up with additional higher-level questions. If only a few
students responded, Lōkahi would repeat the question until the entire class said the
answer aloud. This teacher even monitored students with statements such as, “Class,
stay with me!” and “Does everyone understand?” Once in a while, students raised
their hands and then Lōkahi would honor them by calling on them. But most students
answered the questions aloud, and even sometimes yelled out the answers. The
teacher’s expectation of volume and control came out when periodically Lōkahi
reminded those who yelled to keep their voices under control.
74
‘Ahu‘ula, the other math teacher, taught the students to remember math rules
by remembering rhythmic phrases, a process that sometimes ended in the kids
standing, dancing and singing the rhythmic phrases. ‘Ahu‘ula used phrases such as
“Zero is our hero” and “One is the identifier” to help students remember math rules
in multiplication and fractions. This teacher would get control over the students by
calling them “people.” For example, ‘Ahu‘ula would often say, “Okay, people, take
out your notebook,” or “Okay people, one more time, what is the rule?” When the
class was called people, ‘Ahu‘ula would expect them to recite answers or the
rhythmic math phrases together as a whole group. Similar to Lōkahi, if only a few
people responded, ‘Ahu‘ula would encourage more participation and response by
repeating the question and saying, “Come on, people, one more time!”

Strand: Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 1
Advisory Curriculum Board
The advisory curriculum board presented culturally relevant topics and
provided a means for teacher Lōkahi to connect with the students. Sections of the
board featured six newspaper articles on the 2008 Summer Olympics and Michael
Phelps; a “Fruits of the Spirit” sign with two small posters showing religious themed
pictures; a Hawaiian values area with a “Wai Wai Hawai‘i” (Hawaiian values) sign;
and a “Health” sign with a collage of words like hygiene, friends, teamwork, and
attitude. Lōkahi’s advisory board manifested the teaching pedagogy and an effort to
75
connect with every student through this advisory program’s various topics: ethnic
culture, religious culture, national culture, and home-school culture.

Strand: Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 1
Math Costs Project
The math teachers were active in creating a project every quarter that allowed
the students to apply their math skills in a real life scenario. I observed the tail end of
a math project that required the students to calculate the total costs of the annual
sixth grade five-day trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i. This trip included many costs;
thus, students had many calculations. For example, the students figured out total
cost; category costs such as transportation, meals and plane fare; and costs per
student. Because of the many layers of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division, certain students had a difficult time. These students stayed after school and
received tutoring from their teacher. After completing the calculations, the students
edited and typed out math-related reflections, designed a cover for their project, and
placed it neatly in sheet protectors. When I questioned Lōkahi on what the main
purpose of the math calculations was, Lōkahi answered that student appreciation for
the amount of money going into the Big Island trip was an important element.
Despite the numerous calculations, Lōkahi felt this math lesson was meaningful
since the project was based on a real scenario. Through these calculations, the
76
students became more aware of the arrangements and coordination needed to move
so many people.

Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 2
Competition Format
A competition format style of communication existed in the classroom. In
every classroom, each student belonged to a group and competed against other
groups for “Ke Ala Pono” (KAP), meaning the correct way, points in order to win
quarterly prizes. Teachers used a variety of competition format styles to encourage
student participation and behavior modification. ‘Ewa used an actual push button
clicker to elicit answers to language arts questions. In a particular 30-minute
observation, ‘Ewa asked the class 20 questions regarding grammar and punctuation
lessons. ‘Ewa would ask a question to the class, reset the machine, and then say,
“Go!” The students all pressed a coordinating box on their table. The team of
students that pressed the button the fastest had a chance to answer the question
correctly. If the answer were correct, the team earned a KAP point. If the answer was
wrong, ‘Ewa then yelled out, “Challenge!” Other groups had an additional chance to
answer the question correctly.
The students seemed very excited about this competitive method of
communicating their understanding of grammar and punctuation. What were evident
were the levels of questioning the teacher used. ‘Ewa used all levels of critical
77
thinking — including recall, synthesizing, reflection, and evaluation — when
formulating questions. Another interesting technique was how ‘Ewa selected
students in this competitive format. For about half of the questions, the teams that
actually won the button pressing earned the right to answer and earn a point. When a
group did win, the more assertive members tended to answer the question. But, for
about a quarter of the round, ‘Ewa would select the student responder in the group
that won the button pressing. It was noted that the student selected was the non-
assertive, quiet student. At the end, ‘Ewa directed the questions to each team and
went in a round robin style, so every team had a chance to answer the language arts
question and earn KAP points. ‘Ewa seemed very masterful when implementing this
competition format in instructing the students. “This style of teaching and learning
allows me to monitor comprehension by eliciting prior knowledge with new
knowledge in a cooperative learning environment,” ‘Ewa commented.

Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 2
Coat of Arms
A visual display of student works were hung in a giant circle in the middle of
an English classroom. These 72 coats of arms included a shield, a writing piece, and
a nameplate. ‘Ewa assigned each student the task of writing a personal narrative,
including details of the greatest achievement and future career plans. This typed
narrative was attached to a nameplate with the author’s last name hand drawn in
78
block letters; the nameplate was then attached to a student shield. The 72 student
shields each contained student drawn graphics and a box with the student’s personal
motto, which each student explained in the personal narrative. This culturally
relevant coat of arms display connected student culture and school culture by means
of writing, drawing, and coloring. By hanging the coats of arms, ‘Ewa showcased
each student’s culture and thereby enhanced student pride.

Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 2
Writing Assessment
Sixth grade staff assessed the students’ writing abilities three times a year in
two 45-minute sessions. In the first session, the students were given a prompt about
which to brainstorm and write a first draft. In the second session, the students had 45
minutes to edit and revise their draft. Sixth grade teachers created prompts that asked
the students to reflect upon the concept of change. Teachers created a universal
prompt for the baseline writing assessment:
Every place has things that change—sometimes as the result of economics,
sometimes because different people are involved, and sometimes for no clear
reasons that you know about. Think of a specific change in your life and
narrate the events that occurred. Write so the reader knows the details of the
change and how you feel about the changes that occurred.

One student writer responded at the beginning of the school year: “I sank to the
ground clutching my left eye. I felt like crying and did for a little bit; then my dad
79
said, ‘Lale‘a, it’s not so bad; now show these boys how tough you are, and stop
crying.’”

Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 3
Home Court Advantage
In the English classes, curricular integration of CRP and language arts
occurred at explicit levels. One teacher, Manu, was explicit about integrating
culturally relevant curriculum into instructional practices. For example, one group
activity was called “Home Court Advantage.” Manu initially introduced home court
advantage by asking students why being the home team in an athletic game gives
them an advantage over the opposing team. First Manu had them brainstorm as pairs,
and then asked pairs to share aloud. Manu then compiled the list of ideas. Manu then
went on to explain the importance of creating the home court advantage in the
classroom. This group activity was designed so the students worked together in
brainstorming ideas, collaborating on a catchy theme or important steps, designing
and creating a poster, and presenting their project to the entire class. Her goal was for
the students to catch the fever of creating a home court advantage within the
classrooms—an environment that was positive and supportive, where each person
was a fan of the other—so students can thrive and work to their potential, much like
athletes having their best game in front of the home crowd.

80
Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 3
Hawai‘i Island Rotations Curriculum
In January, all of the sixth grade students rotated four times through all the
teachers and received Hawaiian culture classes in preparation for their annual five-
day trip to Hawai‘i Island. Each teacher was in charge of planning and implementing
a specialized Hawaiian subject for the students in four one-hour lessons. Subjects
ranged from Native Hawaiian birds, Hawai‘i island geography, Hawaiian plants, koa
reforestation, Kamehameha genealogy, and volcanology. I observed Lōkahi’s
genealogy class, where the students went through Kamehameha the Great’s
genealogy. It was interesting to observe the students slowly making connections
between the campus building names and who those people actually were in
Kamehameha the Great’s genealogy. Lōkahi also taught the sixth graders about the
Kamehameha Schools lands, how the estate’s funds were being generated, and how
Kamehameha lands were also being used for service learning opportunities and
stewardship. Lōkahi’s rotational class was just one example of the Hawaiian-based
content teachers have the potential of teaching.

81
Strategies, Activities, and Content
Teacher Commitment Level 3
The Ke Ala Pono System
The use of group collaboration or cooperative learning as the basis for the
grade level’s behavior management system — called Ke Ala Pono, or Do the Right
Thing — parallels the Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana, or family. Four times a semester,
the sixth grade teachers awarded the highest scoring pū‘ulu, or group of four, with a
Most Valuable Pū‘ulu award. Because of the honor associated with receiving this
MVP award, each pū‘ulu worked hard as a team to receive points in the various
classes. Teachers gave points for waiting patiently, entering the classroom
professionally, being organized, cooperating during a lesson, collaborating on an
answer to a question, raising hands, getting the correct answer to a math problem,
and packing up the most quickly and quietly. Because of this MVP competition, the
classroom culture has changed positively for teacher ‘Ahu‘ula. “This is only my
fourth year in sixth grade, and I feel the Ke Ala Pono system has dramatically helped
me in my behavior management,” remarked ‘Ahu‘ula.
“It is a very positive and motivating system because the group members
positively pressure each other to conform and make proper choices,” said Pali. “Each
pū‘ulu is like a mini family that is forced to operate as a group and not as
individuals. But the key is to reward the pū‘ulu in front of the entire grade level. So
there, at first, is a carrot. But by the end, students are doing positive things
automatically. That’s the goal.”
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Perspectives
Teacher Commitment Level 1
Call and Respond
As previously noted, the math teachers used teaching strategies of call and
respond, and talk story. However, the math teachers also integrated math and cultural
relevancy by tapping students’ prior knowledge of math experiences and by relating
math to real life scenarios. Accessing prior knowledge was a common teaching
strategy and considered a positive technique when working with minority students;
thus, the manner in which the math teachers’ implemented prior knowledge was
culturally relevant.
In the first case of stimulating prior knowledge, Lōkahi used a variety of
learning style methods to display or verbalize the math content. The role of teacher
in this case was important in facilitating inquiry discussion by her students. Lōkahi
was pragmatic in the use of white board space to write an agenda, homework, and
sample problems for the visual learners. Lōkahi had a boisterous voice that projected
well across the room, ideal for those who processed well through audio means. It
was a common practice for this teacher to use the large group-individual sequence
when communicating to the entire class. First Lōkahi used the call and respond style
to instruct the large group; then switched quickly to speaking to a specific individual
when she needed to refocus a student. Depending on the student, the teacher would
switch into speaking Pidgin English. One particular student, who spoke mostly
Pidgin English, kept on blurting out answers or speaking to another student when
83
Lōkahi was instructing. Lōkahi quickly raised her voice and yelled out, “Peter! Eh,
who you talking to?” Right after saying this Pidgin English phrase, the teacher
followed up with a Hawaiian expectation imbedded in a Standard English phrase.
“You need to be attentive listening, ho’olohe pono. It is important to follow with
everything that I am saying here,” Lōkahi stated. E ho’olohe pono (attentive
listening) was a sixth grade expectation. Lōkahi used a lot of movement in the class
by walking through the lanes of desks, and would speak from different areas of the
room. Those students who were kinesthetic learners seemed to be more attentive
since Lōkahi would walk over and periodically stand next to them. Less movement
for the students meant more focus.

Perspectives
Teacher Commitment Level 2
Koa Reforestation
‘Ewa taught a koa reforestation unit during the huaka‘i rotations. “Koa” in
Hawaiian can mean “warrior” or refer to the tree {itself is} in the acacia family. Koa
wood is prized for its coloring and wood lines; however, the koa supply has
dwindled. ‘Ewa’s class prepared the students for the koa planting activity on their
upcoming five-day trip to Hawai‘i island. In class, ‘Ewa’s main purpose was to
conceptually teach the students to be stewards of the ‘āina, or land, of the
environment, and of the global community. The reforestation debate project was the
culminating activity of ‘Ewa’s koa reforestation unit. Students were conservationists,
84
suppliers, or farmers. Their task was to create a debate based on their respective
roles. It was interesting observing the students practice their debate. Students were
passionate about their roles, and debated quite seriously. ‘Ewa’s catchphrase to
“Think Globally, Act Locally” inspired students to go through the debating process
in the spirit of fighting for a worthwhile cause. Instead of lecturing about koa, ‘Ewa
involved the students, which caused a very positive response in them. The students
seemed very enthusiastic about ‘Ewa’s koa unit.

Families, Communities, and People
Teacher Commitment Level 2
Writing Assessment
After several months of implementing service activities, the teachers
brainstormed a writing prompt appropriate for their students. The mid-year
assessment prompt asked the students to reflect about their role in the Hawaiian
community.
You have been learning that there are things you can do to make change in
the world through service learning projects. As a member of the Hawaiian
community, what would you do to improve our world? Think of actions you
could take to help make our community a better place. Write so your reader
knows what you want to change and why it’s so important.

After going through sixth grade for four months, here was what one student wrote in
the mid-year assessment:
I really hate walking on the beach or on the sidewalk and seeing people with
no place to call home. I want to decrease the amount of homeless people or at
least get them the necessary supplies to live. This issue is really important
85
because not only is their life uncomfortable, but also they aren’t getting the
proper supplies and resources needed to survive. Especially when I see little
kids who have to suffer like that really makes me want to help out. One way I
can do that is by collecting canned goods and other items such as
toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and toilet paper to donate to homeless shelters.

This student writer not only demonstrated a politically conscious mindset, but also
showcased a positive vision for the future. “I hope that you take this message
seriously and remember that one spark can start a fire, just as one person can impact
the world. If we can do this and work together, we are definitely headed for a path to
a better planet!!” To this researcher the students are becoming more and more
socially aware of the world around them, especially after analyzing beginning of the
writings with mid-year writings.

Category One Themes
There were three themes that surfaced from these categorized observations:
1) Communication, 2) collaborative teaching, and 3) cultural identity and
affirmation. Sixth grade teachers were observed using a variety of communication
methods and questioning techniques to culturally relate to their students. Teachers
allowed Pidgin English to be used in their lessons and used competition as a means
to motivate the students. Collaboratively, teachers were culturally relevant as a grade
level and independently. Teachers worked in alignment on the Math Costs project,
Huaka‘i Rotations, writing assessments, and the Ke Ala Pono behavior program.
Culturally, students are given three writing assessments during the year to reflect
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upon their experiences. During the observation period, students wrote extensively
about their experiences from a cultural perspective.

Category 2: Cultural Competence + Hawaiian Culture and Language
Category two, “Cultural Competence + Hawaiian Culture and Language,”
was the largest category of the CRP rubric. The category fielded 15 results. Four
results were in setting and environment section, three results were in the
communication section, two results were in the Hawaiian language, three results
were in Hawaiian culture, and three results were in Hawaiian protocol. Table 9
shows the defining standard for each strand and commitment level followed by the
bulleted result(s). Teachers implemented the most CRP in the first strand, setting and
environment, but all in the first commitment level. Three strands had one result in
each commitment level. There were two major themes from category two: 1)
Communication and 2) cultural identity and affirmation. Here is a detailed account of
the observations in the second category.

Setting and Environment
A culturally relevant pattern that emerged from the 36 observations was the
range of visual displays the sixth grade teachers had in their classrooms, although
having these visuals only demonstrated teacher commitment level one. Visual
displays were defined as anything that was displayed inside the classroom on walls,
strings, windows, bulletins, or tables.
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Table 9
CRP Rubric: Category 2 Results
Cultural Strand
Teacher Commitment
Level 1
Teacher Commitment Level
2 Teacher Commitment Level 3
Setting and
Environment
Traditional classroom
setting with some
element of physical
importance
(manipulatives or cultural
objects) or visual stimuli
(cultural decorations)
• KS Themed Visuals
• Grade Level Visuals
• Hawaiian Culture
• Xmas Door Contest
Classroom non-traditional
style or using non-
traditional major elements
-no desks or chairs
-cultural/Hawaiian
implements used
Classroom operates in natural
environment, cultural place, or
cultural site
Communication Uses talk story or
informal communication
style during instruction
• Talk Story
Allows students to speak
pidgin English (while
answering a question during
instruction) and write
formally in pidgin English
(as an assignment)
• Answers in Pidgin
Code switches from pidgin
English to standard English
during instruction
• Pidgin English
Hawaiian
Language
Uses Hawaiian greetings,
single Hawaiian
vocabulary, and/or
Hawaiian place names
periodically to accent
instruction
• Greetings Only, For
Now
Uses Hawaiian phrases or
commands frequently
• Pali’s Hawaiian
Language Quest
Uses frequent Hawaiian
language in sentences (more
than phrases)
Hawaiian
Culture
Allows students to chant,
sing, or pray in Hawaiian
in class
• Pray to Eat
Participates in chanting,
singing, and praying in
Hawaiian
• Memorization
Incorporates olelo noeau
(Hawaiian moral) and
mo‘olelo (legends) into
instruction; refers to places
using original Hawaiian names
(such as the ahupua’a or
Hawaiian land district); refers
to Bible verses in Hawaiian
• Incorporating Culture
Hawaiian
Protocol
Has knowledge of,
tolerates, and/or allows
Hawaiian protocol or
cultural practices
• Asking For
Permission
Implements Hawaiian
protocol or cultural
practices periodically by
engagement or initiation
(such as field trips or guest
speakers)
• Oli Mahalo
Active incorporation and
participation of Hawaiian
protocol and cultural practices
in daily schedule (entrance/exit
chant)
• Morning Routine
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Setting and Environment
Teacher Commitment Level One
Kamehameha Themed
The sixth grade classrooms contained several Kamehameha School inspired
visual displays that were school generated. These school inspired displays were
categorized as culturally relevant because they seemingly defined the school’s
culture through their colorful graphics, bold titles, learning objectives, and Hawaiian
phrases.
There were three visual displays that were school generated and were
culturally relevant in their exhibition of school culture and demonstration of
academic excellence. In all six classes, the picture of the Kamehameha Schools’
founder, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, was displayed. This picture featured the
princess’s portrait, in a black or brown 16 by 20 inch frame, and the exact same print
was in each sixth grade classroom. It was learned that each classroom at
Kamehameha Elementary has the princess’s portrait.
In five of the classes, the Kamehameha Schools Working Exit Outcome
(WEO) poster was displayed. The WEO poster featured Hawaiian phrases that
related to the type of teaching and learning that would be expected in a Hawaiian
classroom at Kamehameha. It was a large 30 by 40 inch poster that contained Native
Hawaiian plants in the background, with five Hawaiian phrases and their objectives
under each phrase.
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Four of the six classrooms contained a “Dig Deeper, Reach Higher” poster.
This 10 by 20 inch poster contained the school year’s theme introduced in the
beginning of the year by the headmaster. In the background of the poster was a large
koa, or acacia, tree. When asked the meaning of the poster, Pali explained how
Kamehameha reveals its school theme every year at a K-12 school-wide assembly.
The tree’s roots symbolize the first part of the phase, Dig Deep, and the tree’s
branches reaching upwards to the sky symbolize the second part of the phrase, Reach
Higher. The elementary school’s technology teacher made the koa tree poster for
each teacher and staff member.

Setting and Environment
Teacher Commitment Level One
Grade Level Visuals
There were three grade level initiated visual displays that were culturally
relevant to the type of sixth grade education and management system in each
classroom. These displays demonstrated grade level alignment, academic excellence,
and a distinct value system or sociopolitical consciousness. The first grade level
visual display was a combination of posters that demonstrated the aligned behavior
management system referred to as Ke Ala Pono (KAP), a system the sixth grade
teachers all used in their classrooms. All classes had student-created posters that
exhibited the sixth grade team’s expectations:
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• Attentive Listening: E ho‘olohe pono – listen carefully
• Appreciations: E mahalo aku – be thankful
• No Put Downs: Mai ‘olelo ‘ino – no talk stink
• Mutual Respect: E ho‘ihi – show respect
• The Right to Pass and Participate Later: E kapae – pass
The posters were large 30 by 40 inch sized and colored, and included hand drawn
items. Each class had four posters, one per expectation, except for the combination
of the two expectations, Appreciations and No Put Downs, into one poster. Three of
the teachers had their class expectation posters hanging on bulletin boards on the
classroom walls, and the other half of the teachers had their posters hanging on the
ceiling’s overhang, so the posters were located in the center of the room.
The next culturally relevant grade level visual displays were located on the
front white board of each classroom and were called pū‘ulu, or group, name signs.
Each homeroom had six pū‘ulu, or groups of four students, and each group picked a
name for itself. When the teacher observed a group doing a positive act, the teacher
could award the group a point. The teacher then would write the point next to the
group name sign. Periodically, a teacher tallied the points for quarterly awards. The
group name signs were colorful and featured the group name in bold block letters
and the names of the four group members. Five classes had 4 by 6 inch signs of the
group names, and one class had only colorful 2 by 4 inch computer printed
miniposters. I observed all the teachers giving points to groups and then recording
the points on the white board next to their name signs.
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The third visual display that was explicit in all three classrooms included
posters and signs that showcased protocol and procedures of the classroom as well as
the grade level. These types of visual displays were culturally relevant because of the
academic excellence they promoted, as well as classroom culture. For example, in
three of the classes that made up one of the sixth grade level teams, there were at the
front door three posters explaining classroom procedures: “Give Me Five,” “Morning
Procedures” and “Early Morning Choices.” In all six classes were “Happy Hall”
lists. These lists contained names of students, with some names checked off in black
pen. One of the teachers, ‘Ewa, explained the Happy Hall lists reminded those
students who were not finished with their work. If students were on “Happy Hall,”
then they had to attend study hall and finish late work instead of going to recess. It
was interesting that all classes had Happy Hall lists up. Finally, in all of the classes,
there were curriculum posters such as a writing process poster, Singapore math
model drawing poster, an outlining poster, and a conflict resolution poster. These
posters detailed specific sequential steps, and also contained colorful images and
background colors.

Setting and Environment
Teacher Commitment Level One
Hawaiian Culture Inspired
Another culturally relevant visual displays were Hawaiian culture and
language inspired. These visual displays were categorized into values,
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environmental, and Hawaiiana. The visual displays containing values were referred
to as the “Wai Wai Hawai‘i” posters, with the Hawaiian word “wai” literally
translating to mean “water.” Since the Ancient Hawaiians valued water, the words
“wai wai” symbolically meant treasures or values when interpreted in English. These
Hawaiian values posters were designed and created by KES staff members belonging
to the Wai Wai Hawai‘i committee. Values — such as love, or aloha; taking care, or
mālama; giving, or lokomaika‘i; and seeking knowledge, or ‘imi na‘auao — were
examples of 10 selected Hawaiian values that were artfully displayed on the posters.
Each sixth grade class had these Wai Wai Hawai‘i posters displayed in the
classroom. On one particular poster that featured the value of alu like, or working
together, a large Hawaiian voyaging canoe is sailing on a blue ocean. On another
values poster was the value of kuleana, or responsibility. This poster featured a man
whose hand was in the air, and he was standing in front of a grove of koa, or acacia,
trees. “He’s Uncle Eli, a very special Hawaiian man who’s very spiritual about the
outdoors and has an incredible connection with the Kamehameha family,” Lōkahi
said, after being asked about the man’s role at Kamehameha and why he was picked
for the poster.
Environmental visual displays were displayed in every classroom. Three
classes had actual Native Hawaiian plants in the classroom. After I inquired whether
the plants were real, Mālama said she received the Native Hawaiian plants from
another sixth grade teacher. Four classes had visual posters and pictures of Hawaiian
gardens or Native Hawaiian plants. Some of the Native Hawaiian plant posters, after
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close inspection, were created by State of Hawai‘i environmental agencies. One class
had individual photos of Native Hawaiian flowers that were displayed in plastic
frames.
Two classes contained signs with “No Kākou Ke Kuleana,” or “The
Responsibility Is Ours,” which was the sixth grade theme. One particular classroom
had an entire collage of Native Hawaiian environmental posters intertwined with
signs with sayings such as No Kākou Ke Kuleana, The Responsibility is Ours;
Marine Debris Beach Clean Up, He‘eia Fishpond; Huaka‘i Aloha ‘Āina; and
Lunalilo Home Care Visit. The collage, four by 12 feet, was located at the back of
the classroom directly facing the front classroom door. After noticing the display, I
was curious about the significance of this collage of environmental displays.
‘Ahu‘ula stated that this display was important to showcase the grade level’s theme
of service learning and the many service field trips all six classes participated in
throughout the year.
Native animal visual displays were common in four of the six of classrooms.
Native animals included ocean fish, reef fish, native and endangered birds, and
native insects. One classroom’s large sliding glass doors had five large 20 by 40 inch
posters taped on the inside of the glass. Three of the five posters were of different
types of Hawaiian fishes found in the ocean and the reef. One particular deep-sea
fish poster contained the scientific and Hawaiian names of the pictures. Another
ocean fish poster included fish information on sizes and weights.
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The final category of Hawaiiana inspired visual displays, which included
Hawaiian language and culture, was evident in every sixth grade classroom. First,
Hawaiian language inspired visuals were displayed as name signs, vocabulary, or as
learning tools for language acquisition. The name signs were obvious reminders that
Kamehameha was a Hawaiian school. For example, as I entered a sixth grade
classroom, the outside door held a Hawaiian name sign. Each sixth grade classroom
had its own particular Hawaiian name based on a variety of the Hawaiian staple food
taro, or kalo. Under the Hawaiian homeroom name was the Hawaiian name for the
sixth grade: “Na Keiki o ka ‘Āina,” or The Children of the Land. After stepping
inside the door, the pu’ulu, or group, name signs were posted right at the front on the
white board. While some of the names were creative, like “LOL” or “Funky
Monkeys,” many of the pu’ulu names were Hawaiian like “Maunalani,” or heavenly
mountain, or “Hui Aloha,” team aloha. Some classrooms had the class expectations
in Hawaiian and English, and some classrooms had their homeroom name and team
name displayed in the room. One team name was “Honuamea,” or reddish earth, and
the other team name was “Kulâiwi,” or native lands. Both team names were
connected to the sixth grade name; all associated with the ‘āina, or land.
Hawaiian culture displays were most evident in creative exhibits and books.
Each teacher had a different combination of posters, books, and motifs that
demonstrated cultural symbols of the Hawaiians. One of the more creative visual
displays, of a large tree, was five by five feet, made of fade proof, and colored
construction paper. The tree had a sign, “Dig Deep, Reach High,” and had copies of
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student work hung all around it. According to Manu, who had crafted the tree, the art
display was a larger replica of the Dig Deep, Reach High poster that was made by
the KES technology teacher. Manu wanted to take this school-wide theme and have
the students apply the message all year-round; thus the reason for keeping the koa
tree display up all year long. Another interesting Hawaiian culture display was a
large five by 15 foot poster, made of foam core, with a painting of the Hawaiian
staple food taro in green, brown, and yellow colors. This display was hanging
outside the classroom, but inside the atrium of the three classes. When I asked about
the significance of the taro poster, Lōkahi said, “Well, the taro symbolizes two
things. One, the first Hawaiian man was from the taro plant, and two, all of our class
names are taro plants. Sixth grade is Nā Keiki o ka ‘Aina, the children of the land.”

Setting and Environment
Teacher Commitment Level One
Christmas Door Contest
During the December holiday festivities, two doors featured Christmas
decorations symbolic of the Hawaiian culture, one door representing the present and
one door representing Ancient Hawai‘i. Scattered on the front of one door were
labeled pictures of sixth grade service field trips showing students pulling weeds at a
taro farm, students hauling trash at a bird sanctuary, students dancing and singing at
an elder care home, and students cleaning recycling bins on the elementary campus.
The title of the Christmas door was, “Sixth Grade Giving All Year Long.” These
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doors were entered into a door-decorating contest, but more importantly, the students
showcased the active cultural learning going on in the grade level. The other door
featured an Ancient Hawaiian person in ancient clothing standing next to a three-
dimensional ramp that zigzagged down about six feet. In the background of the
Hawaiian figure was a drawing of an ahupua’a, or a land division, with boundaries
from the mountain to the sea. The students who designed this door put easily
identified graphics, such as taro plants, Hawaiian huts, streams, and native animals.
Instructions on the door asked visitors to help bring the presents, or bountiful
resources, down the ahupua’a system by rolling marbles down the zigzag ramp. I
decided to try this ahupua’a system, so the teacher rolled a marble from the top of the
ramp. The marble went down each section of the ramp and landed in a little box at
the bottom. Not only was the decorated door cleverly designed and crafted, the
concept was cultural and featured elements of the Ancient Hawaiian’s lifestyle.

Communication
Teacher Commitment Level One
Talk Story
The talk story method of communication was culturally relevant to the local
culture of Hawai‘i residents; thus, this style reflected how teachers attempted to
implement cultural methods that connected to their students. Talk story is
comparable to informal storytelling or an informal conversation. Au (1980) explored
this type of local discourse in her study of Native Hawaiian children. Her students
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were able to understand and comprehend reading when this type of discourse was
used during instruction, since storytelling and conversational styles of talking were
more congruent with home culture. Sixth grade teachers often used this talk story
method during the school day. Teachers were observed talking story to their students
during morning advisory, classroom instruction, and when eliciting comments after a
formal reading or an oral presentation. Using the talk story method created a sense of
informality and casualness because students were more apt to laugh, interject
comments, and participate in the conversation. Teachers even switched from a turn
taking style of discussion (with hands raised) to the talk story method when students
were not responding to teacher prompts. For example, during a morning advisory
session, Pali asked her class how they felt about the homework load for that
particular cycle. Immediately, students started to suggest some different deadlines.
Students spoke freely, and there were no hands raised. Pali stood up and started to
write down the student suggestions on the white board. When the conversation got
louder and louder, Pali just stood still with her hands up in the air. The students
quieted down, and then Pali went through the list on the board while asking
questions about each suggestion. Pali and her students continued to talk story about
how students could find time in the schedule to do more work.
Although talking story did encourage a more casual style, teachers still used a
formal method or routine in a classroom setting in order to manipulate the
discussion. To structure the talk story, teachers used slight cues, such as a raised
voice to control the conversation; body language, such as raised hands to quiet the
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class; movement, like walking amongst the students; and emotion, such as an excited
voice to encourage speakers. It was common among five of the six teachers to even
use different sets of voices to mimic, echo, or role-play. ‘Ewa even used a high,
squeaky voice to mimic the students who groaned or complained aloud when the
situation went against them, or it did not seem fair, which did seem like he was
mocking. Two teachers used different voices to role-play situations in front of the
students to emphasize a point and encourage more student participation.
The Hawaiian term, kukakuka, means to talk with one another in a casual
conversation. Students were able to express themselves in an open forum style where
the conversation was intimate between teacher and students, thus allowing for deeper
understanding of instruction. All six teachers allowed the students to kukakuka with
each other in small groups or just within the pū‘ulu (four-person group). Pali was
often observed saying, “Okay, pū‘ulu, check! Check each other now!” The pū‘ulu
then got together and talked.

Communication
Teacher Commitment Level Two and Level Three
Student Answers in Pidgin
Pidgin English
When the talk story method was used, it was common for teachers and/or
students to speak Pidgin English, a more cultural method of communication amongst
residents of Hawai‘i and Native Hawaiian people. Pidgin English, or sometimes
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referred to as Hawaiian Creole, mixes broken Standard English phrasing with ethnic
words, a discourse style that was popular during Hawai‘i’s plantation days (Ovando,
1997). Plantation field workers of Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, and Portuguese
cultures used Pidgin English as a way to communicate with each other. The talk
story method seemed to elicit casualness with the students, which stimulated the
more informal method of speaking Pidgin English. Some teachers spoke Pidgin
English and some did not. Two teachers, Pali and ‘Ahu‘ula, used Pidgin English only
within the scope of a student’s Pidgin English reply, and then went back to speaking
Standard English. For example:
Pali, speaking to the entire class: “How many of you still need more time to
complete the outline assignment during advisory?”
Student: “I do! I nevah pau my outline cuz our printah when break las’
night.”
Pali: “Your printah when break las’ night?”
Student: “Yeah, I tink da ink is bus’, but my fadah said he was goin’ fix
’um.”
Pali: “Okay, who else needs time to do back work? What else is due?”
Student A: “Oh-oh-oh! We neva have any ting else!”
Pali: “I don’t think so. I believe your planner says different!”

Although involved in a simple conversation between teacher and the class, Pali
moved back and forth from Pidgin English to Standard English even when the
student only spoke in Pidgin English. “I grew up speaking Pidgin English since both
my parents were blue collar workers and ethnically different. My dad was
Portuguese and my mom was Hawaiian, so Pidgin English was naturally spoken in
my home too. I recognize the value of speaking and understanding in my home
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language as much as my students need to communicate in Pidgin once in a while,”
said Pali.

Hawaiian Language
Teacher Commitment Level One
Greetings Only, For Now
Even though two instructors took Hawaiian language in high school and
college, there was little Hawaiian spoken in their classes, except for greetings and
short phrases. “I think I forgot everything I learned,” Lōkahi exclaimed when I asked
about speaking Hawaiian. “If there was a language renaissance, myself, the kids, the
entire school would have to be completely immersed in the language. And I doubt
it’s going to happen anytime soon. Despite going Kula Hawai‘i, or Hawaiian school,
our campus still has many teachers who have not bought in yet. I try my best, but I
know I can do better.”

Hawaiian Language
Teacher Commitment Level Two
Pali’s Hawaiian Language Quest
One teacher, Pali, had a Hawaiian vocabulary list hanging on the front white
board, about four feet behind the teacher’s desk. Pali would consult the list on
occasion, and even acknowledged to me that, “One of the four or five Hawaiian
phrases being memorized for the year is the Hawaiian for “Any questions?” which is
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“He mau ninau?” The list seemed symbolic of Pali’s desire and commitment to
utilize Hawaiian phrases in the classroom. During Pali’s six observations, she said,
“He mau ninau?” 12 times. On three classroom walls were copies of the Lord’s
Prayer in Hawaiian, or “Ka Pule A Ka Haku.” Learning this prayer was part of the
sixth grade Hawaiian language program. Sixth graders took Hawaiian language
classes two days per six-day cycle. A few teachers did admit that their professional
development goal was to learn Ka Pule A Ka Haku, and one way was to learn it with
their students.
Language-infused lessons were most frequent with teacher Pali. Pali used
more Hawaiian language greetings, vocabulary, and teaching phrases in daily
teaching than any other sixth grade teacher. While other teachers used common
greetings and the word “maika‘i,” or good, on a regular basis, Pali used a variety of
Hawaiian phrases to supplement directions and verbal instructions.
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Table 10
Hawaiian Language Used During Teacher Observations
Teachers Who Used Hawaiian Language During Instruction
Hawaiian Phrases Pali Lōkahi ‘Ewa Manu ‘Ahu‘ula Mālama
Aloha, Hello X X X X X X
Ae, Yes X X X X X
A‘ole, No X X X X X
Aloha Kakahi‘aka, Good Morning X X X X X
E Nā Haumana, Students X X X X X X
Maika‘i, Good X X X X X X
Maika‘i Loa, Excellent X X X X X
Hiki No?, Can? X X X X
Mahalo, Thank You X X X X X X
‘Ā Wī Wī, Hurry Up X
E Pa‘a Ka Lima, Close Your Hands X
Nānā Mai Ia‘u, Look Here X
He Mau Ninau, Any Questions? X
‘Olelo Hou, Repeat X
Ma Kau Kau, Are You Ready? X X X
E Noho I Lalo, Sit down X X X X X
Akamai, Smart X X X
E Hāmau Ka Leo, Be quiet X X
Maopopo?, Do you understand? X X
E Kū Laina, Line Up X X X X
E Ho‘olohe Pono, Attentive Listen! X X X X X X
Mai ‘Ōlelo Ino, Don’t Talk Stink X X X X
E Mahalo Aku, Show Appreciation X X X X
E Hō‘ihi, Show respect X X X X
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Pali was very assertive in piecing short command phrases together. Pali never
said an entire sentence or passage of Hawaiian, but she was quick when inserting
Hawaiian phrases into her English speech, or masterful in formulating Hawaiian
sentences with phrases linked together with “a me,” or “and” or “and with.”
Pali: Hamau ka leo e pū‘ulu! (Quiet, group.) Okay, maika‘i loa (right on) to
chocolate chip cookies, you guys earned a Ke Ala Pono point for being the
first ones ready at your desk. Some of you other pū‘ulu better be ma kau kau,
maopopo? (ready, understand?)
Students: Ae! (Yes.)
Pali: Papa Piko e pa‘a ka lima a me nānā mai ia‘u! (Piko class, close hands
and look here.) Today in social studies, we’re going to be working on our
ancient civilization outlines. Haumana (students), you are not to start typing
unless I’ve had a chance to give you feedback, hiki no (okay)?

Hawaiian Culture
Teacher Commitment Level One
Pray to Eat
All six teachers were observed allowing students to pray in Hawaiian before
excusing students for lunch. One student would start the prayer by telling the group,
in Hawaiian, that it was time to pray and they were going to say or sing a specific
prayer. The student then asked others to bring their hands together, to close their
eyes, and if they were ready to pray. The group, in unison, said “yes” in Hawaiian.
Then the student said, “Let us pray.”
E pule ana kākou i ka pule o ________. E pa’a ka lima, e ho‘opili
Let’s us pray together with this prayer______. Close your hands
ka maka, ma kakaukau? (Ae) E pule kākou.
and eyes, are we ready? (Yes) Let us pray.

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Hawaiian Culture
Teacher Commitment Level Two
Memorization
There are certain chants, songs, and prayers that the teachers have memorized
so they actively participate with the students. When asked how teachers went about
memorizing the content, one teacher replied, “With years of service, I’ve been able
to memorize short chants and songs just by listening to the kids chant and sing
everyday. That’s why I know most of the prayers because the kids pray for lunch
everyday.”
One of the sixth grade student’s Hawaiian language expectations is to
memorize and recite the “Lord’s Prayer” in Hawaiian. For some of the teachers, this
was one expectation that did not come easy. Pali said, “Memorizing Ka Pule a Ka
Haku (Lord’s Prayer) might take me a few years. I barely am memorizing phrases,
and now I have to memorize a sheet filled with Hawaiian?”

Hawaiian Culture
Teacher Commitment Level Three
Incorporating Culture
Manu incorporated Hawaiian culture into her English assignments in two
ways. First, her olelo noeau project required her students to study the kaona or
hidden meaning behind the verse. After doing a study on the Hawaiian moral or
message, the students created a short story based from the olelo noeau. Second,
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Manu’s mo‘olelo project allowed her students to individually write up their own
mo‘olelo after doing a mo‘olelo study as a class.

Hawaiian Protocol
Teacher Commitment Level One
Asking For Permission
Hawaiian culture based methods were most common during opportunities
when teachers implemented Hawaiian protocol. Protocol can be defined as Hawaiian
cultural practices of asking for permission to enter, thanking someone before leaving,
praying before eating, and welcoming someone. Each of these protocol practices was
spoken, sung, or prayed in Hawaiian language. Teachers implemented protocol either
in their own classes, on field trips, or in a large group setting on campus. While some
teachers have memorized the chants, some have not. Those that do not know the
chants ask the students to perform the lead roles.

Hawaiian Protocol
Teacher Commitment Level Two
Oli Mahalo
I observed only one other teacher using this protocol and that was so students
could ask a guest speaker’s permission to enter into their domain of learning. Pali
was observed answering the students in Hawaiian on two occasions for different
guest speakers.
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The students were also observed thanking others in Hawaiian after an activity
was completed. A thank-you chant called “Oli Mahalo” starts off with a leader, or
alaka‘i, saying the first line. The students then begin the chant in unison on the same
musical note that the alaka‘i intoned. Although initiated after a field trip or for a
guest speaker, I observed all six teachers chanting “Oli Mahalo” with the students.

Hawaiian Protocol
Teacher Commitment Level Three
Morning Routine
Through their instruction, two of the six teachers implemented the Hawaiian
protocol of asking permission to enter the classroom. Every morning, Manu’s class
patiently waited outside the class to perform a Hawaiian chant asking permission to
enter right when the school bell rang. In this entrance chant, the students were taught
to ask, in Hawaiian, if they could enter. They chanted that they were focused and
ready to receive knowledge. Then, the teacher, in Hawaiian, chanted back to the
class and told them to enter. I observed Manu leaving the sliding door closed if the
students were talking or fidgeting and not ready to chant together as one class.
‘Ahu‘ula had each of the math sections chant before coming into class. The
students put their things down on the ground and stand up to perform their entrance
chant. When ‘Ahu‘ula answered the chant, the students were beckoned into class.
When I asked ‘Ahu‘ula the significance of performing the entrance chant prior to
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entering math, ‘Ahu‘ula answered, “Performing this protocol seems to calm the
students down. They are very settled when they enter my classroom after chanting.”

Category Two Themes
There were two major themes from category two: 1) Communication and 2)
cultural identity and affirmation. Communication-wise, this category had many
elements of Hawaiian language and Pidgin English. In this case, teacher Pali was
observed to be the most committed in learning and implementing Hawaiian language
and Pidgin English in her class. Cultural-wise, half of the teachers were committed to
memorizing chants and prayers and to implementing daily Hawaiian protocol.
Teachers who chose to use Hawaiian language and protocol in the regular education
classroom showed strong commitment, and cultural identity as teachers themselves,
to a culturally relevant pedagogy.

Category 3: Sociopolitical Consciousness and Service Oriented Leadership
Category three, “Sociopolitical Consciousness and Service Oriented
Leadership” fielded seven results. Three results were in the service section, two
results were in the political consciousness section, and two results were in the
stewardship section. Table 11 shows the defining standard for each strand and
commitment level followed by the bulleted result(s). This category contained three
themes: 1) Collaboration, 2) culturally relevant field trips, and 3) cultural identity
and affirmation. Here is a detailed account of the observations in the third category.
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Table 11
CRP Rubric: Category 3 Results
Cultural
Strand
Teacher
Commitment
Level 1
Teacher Commitment
Level 2
Teacher Commitment
Level 3
Service Service learning
awareness and
study
• Service
From the
Start
Individual advocacy:
requires student to
create and implement
a one-time service
project
• Advocacy Project
Advocacy as a
lifestyle: student
creates and implements
a semester-long service
project
• Kanu La‘au
Political
Concious-
ness
Emphasis or
integrates global
or environmental
themes in
curriculum
• Current
Events
• Ancient
Civilization
Emphasis or integrates
Hawaiian rights,
historically based
Hawaiian injustice or
sociopolitical themes
in curriculum
Active engagement and
study on legislature,
law making, or
Hawaiian rights with
the purpose of bettering
the Hawaiian people or
indigenous rights
Steward-
ship
Class field trip to
perform beach
clean up or visit
recycling center
• Lunalilo
Home Visit
Class field trip to
perform cultural
practices for
sustainability or
culture based practices
• Cleaning the
Taro Patch
Active incorporation
and participation of
Hawaiian rights event,
Hawaiian cultural
practices, cultural way
of life on a daily basis
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Service
Teacher Commitment Level One
Service From the Start
At the beginning of the year, the students attended a workshop on service and
service learning. During the first week, according to Pali, the students are given
extensive workshops, lessons, and readings on service learning. Teachers brought in
an expert on the climate crisis. A service learning poster, two by five feet, was
created by Pali to showcase the learning from the beginning of the year. It featured
pictures, learning logs, group notes, and literature. The pictures were of a service
learning field trip to a taro farm, with smiling students calf-deep in muddy waters
and holding up small weeds and harvested taro roots. The learning logs were field
trip follow-up lessons used in class. The group notes on chart paper were from a
sixth grade service-learning workshop given by a sixth grade teacher. The literature
included from various energy saving guides.

Service
Teacher Commitment Level Two
Advocacy Project
Mālama explained that the service learning units, lessons, and activities all
lead up to the spring advocacy project, in which the students pick a need in their
community, plan a service activity of some sort, and then implement the plan. “The
mid-year assessment was a good reflection for our students, but also a good
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assessment for us because based on the way the students responded, we can tell if we
are facilitating enough global connections.”
One student responded to question five with an honest assessment: “I would
say that the service that isn’t being done in my community is philanthropy. Service
done for the good for the public. And I am ashamed to say that my family doesn’t
help that much. But one way that I could get my family to help out more is to remind
them about these things.”
After four months of sixth grade, another student wrote in the mid-year
assessment:
I really hate walking on the beach or on the sidewalk and seeing people with
no place to call home. I want to decrease the amount of homeless people or at
least get them the necessary supplies to live. This issue is really important
because not only is their life uncomfortable, but also they aren’t getting the
proper supplies and resources needed to survive. Especially when I see little
kids who have to suffer like that really makes me want to help out. One way I
can do that is by collecting canned goods and other items such as
toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and toilet paper to donate to homeless shelters.

This student writer not only demonstrated a politically conscious mind-set, but also
showed a positive vision for the future. The student added, “I hope that you take this
message seriously and remember that one spark can start a fire, just as one person
can impact the world. If we can do this and work together, we are definitely headed
for a path to a better planet!!” To me, the students were becoming more and more
socially aware of the world around them.
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Service
Teacher Commitment Level Three
Kanu Lā‘au
The final culturally appropriate unit, which featured an extensive hands-on
component, was called Kanu Lā‘au, which means cultivating plants. This six-month
project parallels the Hawaiian concept of “Mālama Ka ‘Āina” or take care of the
land. While the sixth grade attended a taro patch farming field trip at the beginning
of the year to introduce service and Ancient Hawaiian farming traditions, Kanu
Lā‘au was a live planting unit. The project took the students from listening and
learning to weeding and clearing, planting and fertilizing, watering and caring for,
and finally prepping the plants to be sold at the annual Ho‘olaule‘a, or school bazaar.
I observed students running to the plant site, where 350 ti leaf plants were stored to
water them every morning. Each homeroom class was in charge of certain months,
which meant every sixth grader had the kuleana or responsibility to mālama the
plants.
“Kanu Lā‘au is a great service project that really involved the students to take
an active part in their learning and really become stewards of their land,” said ‘Ewa.

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Sociopolitical Consciousness
Teacher Commitment Level One
Current Events
In day-to-day curricular operations, the math teachers showed cultural
relevance strength in the two categories of academic excellence and cultural
competence. However, in 11 observations, there were only four instances when the
two math teachers addressed sociopolitical consciousness. Two of those instances
happened during an advisory session when Lōkahi brought up the earthquake
disaster in Haiti and when ‘Ahu‘ula discussed the importance of service learning and
servant leadership. The earthquake discussion sparked interest because many of the
students had not heard about the earthquake. The teacher took 10 minutes to discuss
the state of Haiti before and after the earthquake. Topics such as social class,
poverty, homelessness, and death came up as a result of the teacher taking time to
discuss the Haitian tragedy.

Sociopolitical Consciousness
Teacher Commitment Level One
Ancient Civilization
In social studies, the ancient civilization project was a three-month
interdisciplinary unit study for groups of four students who were assessed on
researching skills, the writing process, model making, gingerbread building,
teamwork skills, and individual study habits. This project met all three categories of
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academic excellence because of the research paper requirement; cultural competence
because of the teamwork aspect built into the project; and sociopolitical
consciousness because of the quest to find out how the past influenced the present.
During the observation period, I witnessed the tail end of the research process, the
gingerbread model making, and the research writing process.
The research process hit all three CRP categories because of the way the
teacher laid out the progression of student learning. The manner in which the
students were required to research their three topics provided an academic challenge.
Students had to research three main points, two sub points for each main point, and
two details for every sub-main point. One teacher, Mālama, gave two individual
feedback sessions on the entire notes for each student, and the other teacher, Pali,
gave individual feedback after each main point was researched. Cultural competence
was shown in explicit and implicit ways. The handout given to the students to log
research included a detailed ethnic cultural example. Pali used Ancient Hawaiian
transportation as an example. Pali’s two main points were hoe wa‘a, or voyaging
canoes, and kukini, or running. These explicit examples of Ancient Hawaiians show
cultural competence. Implicitly, the teacher used Hawaiian vocabulary — such as
maika‘i, or good; e mau ninau, or any questions; and ho‘olohe pono, or attentive
listening — to culturally connect with her students through communication. Pali
monitored her students by walking around and gave students individual attention.
Finally, teachers were able to reach the sociopolitical conscience because the
essential query, “How has the past influenced the present?” was stated as an
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overarching question the students had to address throughout their paper. In a
particular teacher feedback session, I observed Mālama pose the essential question to
the student after perusing the student’s notes. The student knew that the Egyptians
ate certain foods and worshipped certain gods, but did not research enough to see,
within the scope of his three topics, if and how the Egyptians contributed to modern
times. Pushing the boundaries of the research process to include higher-level
thinking was evident when Mālama formally assessed the students during the
feedback sessions.
At one point during this ancient civilization project, Pali taught the students
how to write an introduction paragraph. The students had completed their research
notes, organized them into an outline, and were ready to transfer the outline into a
research paper. The written instructions Pali gave to the students stated that the first
sentence was an attention getter, but the students who volunteered to read had
introductions that, according to Pali, were weak and monotonous. “How many of you
learned how to write attention getters last year in fifth grade, or even in fourth
grade?” Pali inquired of her class. All hands went up in the air. The teacher then
solicited the many types of introduction starters and wrote them on the white board.
Then Pali quickly created several attention getters about the Ancient Hawaiians, and
read them aloud to the class. “Got it?” Pali asked the students. The students, who
immediately understood, burst out with “I get it” and started to rewrite their attention
getters. Pali went through another sharing process, and introduction paragraphs
improved as the class went through several student samples together.
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In the gingerbread-building phase, students were required to bake their pieces
at home, and then bring the pieces to school in order to build the structure as an
entire group. Both social studies teachers planned a gingerbread building day on the
same morning as the Christmas assembly so parents could come and help their child
build and decorate his or her group’s ancient civilization structure. All tables — in
surrounding patios, classroom walkways, and even inside one classroom — were
filled with baked gingerbread pieces, decorative candies, tools, and royal icing. It
was interesting to see how the groups coordinated with parents to build their
structure. Some groups had a parent for each member, and some groups had only one
parent. The teacher was actively monitoring the groups, but each group seemed to
know exactly how it wanted to assemble its structure.

Stewardship
Teacher Commitment Level One
Lunalilo Home Visit
Kinesthetic stimuli and musical sense, two methods for utilizing body
movement and music sense when instructing, can be seen as culturally appropriate
especially when used in activities that involve chant, dance, or song. Hula, a
Hawaiian cultural method of dancing, and mele, the art of singing in Hawaiian, were
two elements used a lot in the sixth grade’s service learning activity at an elder care
facility called Lunalilo Home: a residence for elderly Hawaiians. In preparation for
Lunalilo Home, students were asked to prepare a talent show piece, especially
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dancing hula, singing or playing a musical instrument. Although this could be seen
as a general strategy, hula and mele were very Hawaiian methods. Ancient
Hawaiians had no writing system because all knowledge was passed down through
oral history in the forms of chanting and storytelling (or talking story). After the
students used hula and mele to entertain the kūpuna or elderly, students were able to
kukakuka with the kūpuna in an interview format.

Stewardship
Teacher Commitment Level Two
Cleaning the Taro Patch
Hawaiian-based content was the strongest at the beginning and middle times
of the sixth grade curricular year. According to data retrieved from several
interviews, teachers implemented a strong basis for service learning and Hawaiian
culture in August when the students start. A grade level aligned sequential unit on
service culminated with a field trip to a Hawaiian farm that cultivated kalo, or taro,
using traditional Hawaiian methods. Students were taken through four stages of
growing taro. One of the stations required the students to stomp the ground with their
bare feet in the wetland taro patch. Another station required the students to walk in
the wetland, muddy patch and pull weeds. While pulling weeds, students had to be
mindful of the young taro plants. When students socialized, Pali commented, they
would step on the taro plants unknowingly. “Our students are ignorant city kids,”
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Pali said. “This field trip is so good because there is a paradigm shift between yuck-
I’m-so-dirty and wow-I’m-helping-the-‘āina.”
One student wrote in his reflection: “I think I would like to repeat Ka Lo‘i
Kalo o Punalu‘u on my own because it was fun, made a difference, and is family and
kid friendly so I could bring my whole family to this service. If I did this I could help
keep our Hawaiian culture but still make it fun. I also love to go into the lo‘i and
clean up the streams. So I think it would be fun for my whole family as well as me.”

Table 12
Service and Service Learning Activities from Mid-August to December
Nä Keiki o Ka ‘Āina Service Learning Mid-Year Assessment
Five Types of Service Service and Service Learning Activities
• Direct
• Public
• Philanthropy
• Activism
• Lifestyle
• Ka Lo‘i Kalo of Punalu‘u
• Service @ Home: Campus Cleanup
• Pouhala Marsh
• Lunalilo Home
• “The Climate Crisis” presentation
• “An Inconvenient Truth” movie
• 350 Action Projects
• Waiwai Hawai‘i
• A Kid’s Guide to How to Save the Planet unit
• Campaign & Elections
• Aloha ‘Āina project
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Category Three Themes
This category contained three themes: 1) Collaboration, 2) culturally relevant
field trips, and 3) cultural identity and affirmation. All observation notes in category
three were collaborative and grade level designed. The field trips and projects were
designed for every class of sixth graders. Teachers were observed as working
collaboratively during field trips. Each field trip was culturally relevant, either in the
context of the field trip (Hawaiian activity) or in the protocol associated with the
field trip (chanting for permission or chanting thank you at the conclusion). Finally,
students had many opportunities for cultural affirmation in this category. Teachers
showed strong commitment cultural identity and affirmation through their design of
grade level field trips and activities, both Hawaiian and service oriented.

Teacher Commitment
Measuring teacher commitment to a culturally relevant pedagogy can be a
determinant as to the level of understanding one may have of CRP. Without a deep
understanding of CRP, one may be attempting to implement culturally relevant
connections that are fragmented and not a coherent whole (Knapp, 1997).
There were a total of 35 CRP observations that were picked out and assessed
in this study. Of the 35 CRP observations analyzed against the CRP rubric, 16 were
categorized to be at commitment level one, 12 were at commitment level two, and
seven were at commitment level three. Of the seven highest CRP assessed
observations, three of them were grade level initiatives: the Hawai‘i Island Rotations,
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the Ke Ala Pono behavior management system, and the Kanu La‘au planting project.
All three of these initiatives were long-term and involved all six teachers. Teachers
employed aspects of these projects and behavior management system within each of
their classes on a consistent basis. Each one of these initiatives involved some facet
of the teachers giving direct and guided instruction, students making sense of the
cultural content, and real-life application. Even the most veteran teachers did not put
CRP into practice by themselves, based on the highest levels of the hybrid pedagogy.
What does this say about sixth grade teachers’ level of commitment to CRP?
Teachers, in general, were committed to a culturally relevant pedagogy. They
implemented a variety of strategies and units, and were conscious of their setting and
learning environment.

Teachers’ Beliefs and Perceptions
What were the beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers regarding
culturally relevant pedagogy? In asking research question three, all six teachers were
forthright in their answers during the 45- to 60-minute interviews. The interviews
demonstrated teachers were culturally relevant, but had various starting points,
perspectives, agendas, and methods. I coded and categorized the interview data into
four sections: teacher identity, cultural points of view, cultural affirmation, and best
practices.

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Section One: Teacher Identity
The beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers could be traced to the
past, the kinds of learning the teachers had, and their experiences. This section on the
identity of sixth grade Kamehameha Elementary teachers was based on the
following: background, training, and paradigm shift.

Teacher Identity: Background
The background for each participant could be broken down into three parts:
Hawaiian ancestry, non-Hawaiian ancestry, and growing up in Hawai‘i. Half, or
three, of our participants were of Hawaiian ancestry and had graduated from
Kamehameha Schools. Two of these Hawaiian teachers, Lōkahi and Manu, took
three and four years of Hawaiian language as Kamehameha students, respectively.
Manu described her Kamehameha experience as being filled with opportunities.
We’re so fortunate with so many opportunities here — you know, coming
here at Kamehameha, traveling to Aotearoa when I was here, traveling all
over Europe; just all of those opportunities, I think, make up my schema for
teaching.

Of the three non-Hawaiian participants, two were of Japanese ancestry and
one of European ancestry. Mālama took Japanese language classes in high school,
but admitted that they involved just language and not the culture of Japan. ‘Ahu‘ula
took Spanish in high school, but mainly identified with her Japanese ancestry as she
grew up. “In high school I took Spanish, a little language in Japanese school. My
family used to have Japanese cultural things we always do at different times of the
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year: Girl’s Day, pound mochi,” said ‘Ahu‘ula. “And then I found out that was one
of the things I really gravitated towards.”
Five of the six teachers grew up in Hawai‘i, and some of them commented on
their own diverse backgrounds, as well as the diverse lifestyles of their students.
Manu highlighted the fact that living and growing up in Hawai‘i allowed her to
experience a culturally diverse lifestyle. “Growing up in Hawai‘i is a huge lesson on
multiculturalism in itself. Each of us has families with so many different cultural
backgrounds.”
Both Manu and Pali were exposed to a Portuguese lifestyle as well. Manu
talked about her Portuguese ethnicity being tied into her Catholic religion. Pali
recalled how her dad and grandmother, who both were pure Portuguese, spoke the
language and would “spout out phrases throughout the house, even bad words.”
Mālama believed that students were so mixed culturally that it would be hard
to focus on only one culture. “I think everybody should be able to keep whatever
ethnic heritage they have, and it’s hard now because people were so mixed,” said
Mālama. “I mean some people have eight ethnicities, and I don’t think only Native
Hawaiian children would be interested in the Native Hawaiian culture.” Lōkahi
echoed Mālama’s sentiment. Lōkahi also described} and said a number of her
ethnically mixed students “don’t look Hawaiian, but they may be majority Chinese
or majority Filipino.”

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Teacher Identity: Teacher Training
Teacher training varied for each participant in college course work, workshop
experience, and their own personal development. There were differences in course
work; the youngest participant attended graduate school just six years ago, while the
other five participants attended college some 12 years ago. Three teachers admitted
to not having taken any multicultural type of course work in college. Two teachers
both attended UCLA and Whitworth. At Whitworth, Lōkahi took course work that
dealt with issues of race and socioeconomic status, while ‘Ewa took a reading class
that exposed the class to multicultural and multi-genre literature.
Pali had extensive workshop experience in Hawaiian curriculum and
differentiated learning, which impacted her teaching. “A significant workshop was
the ‘Āina Ulu, or growing land, workshop that was a mix of Hawaiian and science.
Now I can incorporate more relevant Hawaiian content with science themes,”
asserted Pali.
Four of the six teachers admitted that the only formal Native Hawaiian
language and culture classes they had taken were the ones offered at Kamehameha
Elementary School. Once a month, the elementary school gave the staff a
professional development opportunity geared towards learning Hawaiian language
and culture. The Hawaiian committee, called Wai Wai Hawai‘i, developed and
planned the curriculum for these monthly professional development times. For
example, at one of these professional development opportunities, called Home
Ho‘onauao. I observed the staff chanting at the beginning of the workshop and then
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praying in Hawaiian. Then, speakers spoke of how they integrated Hawaiian
knowledge into their curriculum. It was interesting to see how the art teachers
integrated Hawaiian legends and storytelling into their art assignments.
Pali had a personal mission to increase her Hawaiian language skills,
especially by memorizing chants that the sixth graders were required to learn. Pali
remarked, “Every year I add on three or four phrases to classroom instruction, then I
practice in the classroom over and over until it’s part of my everyday language and
there’s no second thought.”
‘Ahu‘ula took a Hawaiian astronomy class that forced her to learn a lot about
the Hawaiian culture. She learned Hawaiian protocol; mo‘olelo, or legends; and oli,
or chants. “All of these things in the Hawaiian culture are making an impact on the
way I teach—like when we do oli kahea and oli komo,” said ‘Ahu‘ula, referring to
the chant seeking permission to enter a classroom and the chant giving permission to
enter, respectively. ‘Ahu‘ula made these personal commitments to connect with the
students. “The kids come in settled because they’re doing something Hawaiian, and
they may never do anything Hawaiian the rest of the day. Plus, saying the oli kahea,
or the permission chant, is a huge responsibility because the students are stating
aloud they are ready to learn.”

Teacher Identity: Paradigm Shift
Several teachers experienced a paradigm shift while teaching at
Kamehameha. Pali, who had graduated from Kamehameha Schools in the 1980s, had
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never felt proud to be Hawaiian. “I wasn’t very proud of being Hawaii, and I didn’t
see very many people in positions of power that seemed intelligent,” said Pali.
“Making sure kids are proud of being Hawaiian is a definite personal mission of
mine.” Pali admitted that she still lacked pride for her heritage when she was hired to
teach at Kamehameha.
Then, in spring of her first year teaching sixth grade, she had an epiphany.
“Although the emphasis for our Big Island trip is so the kids get a chance to
experience their Hawaiianness, I was so hooked on being Hawaiian after my first
trip, it was unreal!” Pali said some of the activities and the people she listened to and
learned from only made her prouder still. They “have a sense of who they are as
Hawaiians; I didn’t get that until after my first huaka‘i,” declared Pali.
‘Ahu‘ula, who was on a one-year assignment working with another
department at Kamehameha, took a Kamehameha sponsored conversational
Hawaiian language class with a Hawaiian and Polynesian expert. While taking this
class, ‘Ahu‘ula connected with another Hawaiian language teacher who made such
an impact on her as a non-Hawaiian teacher of Hawaiian students at a Hawaiian
school. “I had some life-changing kinds of experiences that changed my ways of
looking at things Hawaiian, and with teaching Hawaiian children. There really was a
time when I asked, “Am I the best person to teach Hawaiian children?” because I
myself am not Hawaiian, and I had to grapple with that. It came from that class,” she
said of her new way of looking at things Hawaiian.
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Last ‘Ewa, a non-Hawaiian, had embraced the Hawaiian culture throughout a
30-year tenure at Kamehameha. ‘Ewa had built the family home in Hawaii and had
loved the islands ever since. “Being at Kamehameha has taught me to go from a
haole heart to a Hawaiian heart,” ‘Ewa said. “Once you understand how to express
aloha without expecting anything in return, then you’ll get that out of your kids. The
way you do that is to embody that aloha. It’s really, really important, and once you
understand that concept, then all the pieces come into place.” ‘Ewa expressed that
speaking the Hawaiian language in the classroom was a natural progression. ‘Ewa
understood the importance of embracing the Hawaiian culture in order to connect
with the students.

Section Two: Cultural Points of View
The sixth grade teachers exhibited four cultural points of view. A cultural
point of view can be defined as teaching from a specific point of view or perspective
that can be explicit or implicit in a cultural manner. Culture had been earlier
categorized to include a wide range of cultural topics, such as religious culture,
social culture, ethnic Hawaiian culture, home culture, school culture, and sports
culture. To answer this particular research question, I theorized these teachers had a
spiritual point of view, values point of view, Hawaiian justice point of view, and
global point of view.

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Cultural Points of View: Spiritual Point of View
First, Lōkahi emphasized that she taught from a spiritual perspective,
especially since Kamehameha is a Christian organization.
Besides academic success, which is the No. 1 reason why they're (students) in
an academic institution, for me (the purpose of teaching) would be spiritual
well-being. In my opinion, that would be what truly helps the overall success
of a person, and I would like our students to know Christ, to know Jesus well
enough that they can lean on him and believe in him and have those Christian
values like our Princess Pauahi. I think that would probably be my No. 1
mission besides academic success, would be to see that the kids go away with
an understanding of who Ke Akua (God) is and his son and the sacrifice he
gave for them, because academic success will take you only so far. You need
to be emotionally sound to be able to go up against a really tough world, and
spiritually sound. And all of that comes into play when they know who they
are in relation to Christ.

Lōkahi described how opening the Bible as an instructional tool was powerful, and
how experiencing a short devotional with the students during advisory time opened
the doors to many different adolescent questions. Lōkahi explained that advisory
time was when middle school teachers could “talk story” with their students about
what was on their minds, so it was a “good time to talk about their spiritual health.”

Cultural Points of View: Values Point of View
Second, Mālama’s interview responses seemed to reflect a values point of
view. Mālama wanted to develop the whole child, and not just the academic side.
“For me, it’s not totally the academic knowledge part, because when you get older,
you don’t remember what grade you got or what everybody else got. You remember
if they were nice people, if they were honest,” said Mālama. Mālama’s basic
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philosophy behind this idea of developing the whole child was that one needed to do
his or her very best in life, no matter what, and to figure out what that formula was
that made one the best.
Mālama clarified that at Kamehameha Elementary, Hawaiian values played a
major role in the school’s culture. Mālama declared that everyone had latent
Hawaiian values and it was her job as an educator to make students aware of them.
She said she was:
Just hoping that the kids grow up with the Hawaiian values, and I think they
all have it but don’t realize it. It would be an awareness and letting them see
that should be them. Not like: I’m not going to do lokomaika`i (be gracious)
today, or I am going to do aloha today—okay, good job today. For me, those
values should be a part of you, and you should be that every day. And you
should be all of the Hawaiian values every day. You know, it should be a part
of you, and you shouldn’t have to think about it.

Cultural Points of View: Hawaiian Justice Point of View
Next, Pali spoke of ensuring that Hawaiians become competitive in the
Western world—a perspective I named “Hawaiian justice.” Pali said, “I want
Hawaiians to be competitive in the real world; so don’t baby them because
stereotypically people believe Hawaiians to be less capable in many ways. But
they’re not; so don’t lessen expectations, and hold them accountable.” Pali described
the thought that Hawaiians bringing themselves down by using the metaphor of crabs
in a bucket: Hawaiians were the crabs climbing on each other and pulling one
another down.
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In contrast, Pali adhered to the Hawaiian justice point of view and promoted
the Ke Ala Pono and pū‘ulu systems in her teaching. Pali believed in implementing
the group theory: “If one in the group succeeds, everybody succeeds. I flip the idea
of weak as the weakest link, into the group is as strong as the strongest person. I
celebrate the fact that everybody feels success and not just one person.”

Cultural Points of View: Global Point of View
Finally, Manu and ‘Ewa spoke of the importance of establishing a foundation
of Hawaiian ancestry and Hawaiian culture, but in the context of the global world.
Manu described how the Hawaiian culture, local community, and global community
could co-exist in a dynamic way.
It is very important to know where we’ve come from in order to understand
and have a vision of where we’re going. I feel that although we do have a
very unique culture here that we also have to have an awareness of
everything that is around us because we affect globally and the global world
affects us locally; so we have to have a very good understanding of both
sides. I think it strengthens and broadens their vision of what they (students)
can do.

‘Ewa believed in the integration of service and Western philosophies of
education in order to produce Hawaiian students empowered to become stewards of
their culture, environment, and global community. ‘Ewa spoke of how the concept of
stewardship was the cornerstone of the sixth grade curriculum. Moreover, he
believed the concept of stewardship and students’ knowledge of their ethnic culture
were mutually beneficial goals. ‘Ewa commented, “If the Hawaiian culture is to
survive, they have to know where they came from and what their future holds for
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them. Their culture will die if they don’t know how to become actively involved in
stewardship. Here at sixth grade, we don’t just rely on telling student what to do, but
we allow them to be actively involved throughout the entire year.”

Section Three: Cultural Affirmation
By definition, to culturally affirm means to declare and confirm one’s culture.
Every sixth grade teacher talked about cultural affirmation, and how important it was
to recognize whatever culture the student brought into the learning environment,
especially the ethnic culture.
Sixth grade teachers wanted the Hawaiian student to be successful in the real
world. Lōkahi believed that affirming the Hawaiian culture was important since
Kamehameha did have a unique mission to educate Native Hawaiians, and that
Lōkahi was a Native Hawaiian also. Lōkahi said:
I think if there were a particular belief regarding Native Hawaiians, it would
just be that I am one myself. I do feel an extra connection with them; I do feel
a love. I would hope that it wouldn’t be any different with any other race, but
I do feel a special desire to really see our people succeed.

Mālama believed that Kamehameha students needed to understand their
culture in order to become productive citizens. Mālama said, “I think it’s really
important for them to understand their ethnicity, to find out how they can still have
that spirit and their heritage, but be productive in the world.”
Pali believed that Kamehameha students needed to learn how to be
competitive in the real world without pulling other Hawaiians down, as mentioned
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earlier. Pali asserted that Kamehameha being a Hawaiian school did not mean
forgetting Western ideologies either. “It is literally equally important because very
few students will live traditionally, so I think it’s important to also educate our
Native Hawaiians to be successful in a society that has Western values,” said Pali.
‘Ahu‘ula believed that teaching Hawaiian children with a link to their culture
and their past helped them to understand their role as a leader in their community.
‘Ahu‘ula taught a Hawaiian Astronomy class to summer school students. ‘Ahu‘ula
noticed how students were interested in learning more about their Hawaiian culture
once they understood how intelligent Early Hawaiians were about the stars and
navigation. “I think teaching the Native Hawaiian children with a linkage to them
being a Hawaiian really helps them, because it touches something in them that is
core, that they don’t even know they have,” said ‘Ahu‘ula. ”Kids become proud of
being Hawaiian and want to learn more, because they find out astronomy is part of
this great culture. Then they hold themselves up a little more.”
‘Ewa spoke passionately about building the confidence and self-esteem of the
students through cultural affirmation. ‘Ewa believed that students come into the
classroom with low self-worth, afraid of taking risks. Through cultural affirmation
comes a strong cultural identity, which is vital to learning how to reach his or her full
potential.
Understanding who they are as Hawaiians and knowing that they have a role
as role models for the next generation. They are the next generation they have
to have and take what they learned and pass this knowledge down to someone
else. Now they understand that, through service, through what they’ve
learned here that they can use the knowledge as a positive tool for their future
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endeavors. They have the confidence in themselves to attempt things without
the fear of failure. I think kids come in with the fear of failure and the fear of
inadequacy. If you break down those barriers, they have the confidence in
themselves, the confidence in their abilities, and will achieve a lot more.

Finally, Manu felt strongly that the key to academic success for Native
Hawaiians was indeed cultural validation. Manu said Native Hawaiians work best
academically when they’re valued, recognized, and empowered of who their families
are and where they came from. Manu spoke proudly of being a Native Hawaiian. “I
speak coming from being a product of this school. This pride resonated very strongly
with me when I went to college. I just remember having a strong pride of being part
Hawaiian and being what I felt was on the path of success. I felt a strong pride and
sense of responsibility. The simplest thing that sets them up for academic success is
that validation, empowerment, and sense of pride.”

Section Four: Best Practices
Sixth grade teachers believed in curriculum and instruction that were
excellent, and not necessarily designed to be culturally relevant. There were three
common instructional methods and strategies the teachers talked about: cooperative
learning, interdisciplinary learning, and a balanced curriculum.

Best Practices: Cooperative Learning
The use of cooperative learning groups was dynamic and a source of
motivation for the sixth grade students. ‘Ahu‘ula explained that cooperative groups
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also paralleled the Hawaiian culture because of the ‘ohana or family support systems
and how the Hawaiian values emphasized working together to accomplish tasks.
‘Ahu‘ula explained:
The whole thing about Hawaiian culture was always people helping each
other learn. That’s one of the things we do a lot, where kids are working
together. They see if somebody has an answer, and if it’s wrong, then they
help each other with it. They work in groups—being in groups is very much
Hawaiian, and working toward a common goal is a very Hawaiian concept.
Like in this Ke Ala Pono system we have at sixth grade, where your pū‘ulu
earns points, it’s awesome seeing people working together towards a goal. It
works.

Lōkahi used cooperative group work in her math classes. Lōkahi set up
activities where students needed to put their heads together to solve problems, even
using competition in different math game-like scenarios. “Cooperative learning
really helps the students to break down barriers about math, with each other, by
helping one another. Getting them involved is really a successful strategy,” Lōkahi
stated. While Lōkahi used large group instruction, even taking the students to the
carpet and reading a story, Lōkahi was successful at breaking down the cooperative
groups into smaller groups and pairs.

Best Practices: Interdisciplinary Learning
According to Pali, interdisciplinary learning means learning through many
disciplines, and expanding student learning beyond classroom walls. Pali explained
how running the sixth grade elemiddle program means having the students take
single subjects with three teachers instead of being fully self-contained and learning
133
all subjects with just one teacher. Interdisciplinary keeps the learning open and
flowing between each class. In math, students may write, and in social studies,
students may measure and draw an ancient civilization structure to scale.
In Mālama’s classes, interdisciplinary projects and units caused students to
become aware of local, national, and international issues. In fact, Mālama believed
her social studies curriculum was 75 percent politically conscious because of the
many service learning, issues-based, and environmental awareness strands that were
built in. Mālama talked about her World Cities Unit that required students to
research a city from around the world. The students had to perform many
interdisciplinary authentic tasks such as research and write, draw and illustrate, do an
oral presentation, create a PowerPoint slide show, and teach a cultural activity. In
one part of Mālama’s reflection requirement, students were asked to compare their
world city with Hawai‘i. Here’s an example of a Paris-Hawai‘i write up by one of
Mālama’s students:
Paris and Hawai‘i have many similar, but different problems and solutions
such as air pollution. Paris has air pollution because it populates one-sixth of
the nation. Since Paris has a large population they have congested traffic, so
it’s difficult to travel around the city. The great amount of cars can cause
huge amounts of air pollution. The Hawai‘i gets their air pollution from vog
or volcanic smog. The volcanic smog comes from the Big Island’s many
volcanoes. The trade winds blow the vog to the islands.

Best Practices: Balanced Curriculum
Pali strived to create curriculum that included a balance between the
Hawaiian and Western perspectives and content. Because of Pali’s paradigm shift
134
and the desire to demonstrate the Ancient Hawaiians’ intelligence, Pali informally
and formally brought in the Hawaiian perspective, language, and culture into
curriculum and instruction. For example, in Pali’s science unit, instead of using
traditional Western methods in showing the cycles of matter, Pali used the Ancient
Hawaiian fishpond system to show cycles of matter. In math class, Pali helped plan a
unit on measuring and building stonewalls of the Ancient Hawaiian fishpond.
Manu felt that the teaching formula used was a balance of best practices, or
what Manu called, “good teaching.” Manu used a mix of strategies that were student
centered, inquiry-based, and hands-on. Hodges (1995) called this best practice,
balanced curriculum, and defined at as implementing a program that mirrored a
range of knowledge, focused on the learner, and brought in societal and global
perspectives. Manu remarked:
I always feel there has to be balance between strategies because you can’t
only do hands-on, can’t only do a certain type of thing; there needs to be
variety of text, a variety of methods of assessments. So, I guess I don’t know
if its specifically for Native Hawaiians, because my experience with working
with students from Filipino backgrounds or coming from Spanish, Mexico,
Guatemala, all types of backgrounds where they do have indigenous roots, I
just think it’s good teaching for all.

Conclusion
Kamehameha teachers frequently used teaching methods and instructional
strategies that were effective, standards-based, and research-based. Because of a
broad-based admissions policy, which resulted in a heterogeneous mix of Native
Hawaiian students with varying abilities, teachers were observed using culturally
135
relevant methods to communicate with their students, to create an effective
classroom environment, to develop culturally responsive lessons and units, and to
integrate Hawaiian culture into the classroom.
Using a teaching pedagogy that enables students of all abilities,
socioeconomic levels, special needs, and cultural diversity to maximize their
academic and intellectual potential is integral to creating a quality educational
experience (Bennett, 2001; Hodges, 1995). This hybrid pedagogy that incorporates a
culturally relevant pedagogy and aspects of Kamehameha’s strategic plan seems to
be an answer for Kamehameha teachers. The situation at Kamehameha is a unique
one where the current strategic plan already calls for its faculty and staff to embrace
the Hawaiian culture and language, Hawaiian people, and Hawaiian communities, to
cultivate the Hawaiian culture, and to develop service-oriented leaders.
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CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
“Nānā ka maka. Ho‘olohe. Pa‘a ka waha. Ho‘opili.”
“Observe. Listen. Keep the mouth shut. Imitate.”
― Hawaiian Proverb

Introduction
The purpose of this dissertation was to qualitatively measure if and how the
Kamehameha Elementary School (KES) faculty utilized and perceived culturally
relevant pedagogy (CRP) in their curriculum and instruction. The goal was to find
out the manner as to how CRP was being implemented at the elementary school
level, and teachers’ level of commitment to implementing CRP. This researcher
observed and documented culturally relevant pedagogy in action and examined the
perceptions of KES teachers who used CRP. The sixth grade level faculty was
selected as the group of teachers to study at KES. The following research questions
were explored:
1. What evidence of a culturally relevant pedagogy did the teachers
demonstrate in the classroom?
2. What was the teachers’ level of commitment to a culturally relevant
pedagogy?
3. What were the beliefs and perceptions of the sixth grade teachers
regarding culturally relevant pedagogy?
137
This qualitative study found ample amounts of culturally relevant teaching
being put into practice in the Kamehameha sixth grade classroom, but at the base
level of commitment measured by the CRP observation rubric. To recap, of the 35
CRP observations, 16 were categorized to be at commitment level one, 12 were at
commitment level two, and seven were at commitment level three. Even the most
veteran teachers did not put CRP into practice, according to the highest levels of the
hybrid pedagogy.
Teachers’ CRP beliefs and perceptions were categorized as teacher identity,
cultural points of view, cultural affirmation, and best practices. Teacher identity was
important in this CRP exploration because of the teachers’ background, training, and
paradigm shift, and how much effect it had on teachers’ CRP. Second, cultural point
of view was defined as thinking or acting from a specific perspective that is cultural
in nature from a religious, social, ethnic, home, school, or sports point of view.
Teachers, in general, believed in teaching from a spiritual point of view, values point
of view, Hawaiian justice point of view, and a global point of view. Third, the
teachers felt cultural affirmation was important in recognizing and validating
whatever culture the student brought to school, be it ethnic or home. Finally, teachers
described curricular and instructional methods that were not culturally relevant, per
say, but were named as ones most frequently used by teachers. There were three
common instructional methods and strategies the teachers discussed: cooperative
learning, interdisciplinary learning, and a balanced curriculum.
138
This qualitative study was an informative one that portrayed the sixth grade
teachers as a group who worked hard at implementing a challenging curriculum, and
who were mindful of the students they taught. Cultural relevant connections were
observed in the way teachers communicated, set up their classrooms, created and
taught their lessons, and articulated themselves in their interviews. However, the
challenge still remains that there was a large degree of difference between teachers
who were implementing a culturally relevant pedagogy versus teachers who had a
culturally relevant pedagogy.

Summary
I want to discuss five findings: 1) teachers frequently used various
communication styles and languages; 2) teachers were more likely to work
collaboratively at implementing higher forms of CRP versus by themselves, 3)
teachers used field trips and activities as a method to implement CRP; 4) teachers
seemed passionate about cultural identity and cultural affirmation, but philosophy
and practice did not always match; 5) teacher commitment, and 6) teachers had a
misconception regarding the definition of culturally relevant pedagogy.

Communication and Language
Teachers were observed as using a variety of communication styles,
especially ones that were conducive to students’ home culture. Most notable was the
code switching or switching of English language to Pidgin English. It was interesting
139
when teachers decided to use Pidgin English; for example, teachers used Pidgin
English when communicating directly with those students whose first language was
Pidgin English, and some slipped into Pidgin English when emphasizing points or
attempting to be humorous. Using language that was common and familiar for
students in their communities and home environments seemed to demonstrate a
commitment from the teacher to communicate with his or her students in a manner
that was relevant (Au & Kawakami, 1994, p. 23; Ladson-Billings, 1992; Lipka,
1991). Teachers also seemed eager to learn the Hawaiian language or implement the
Hawaiian language through the daily protocol of asking for permission to enter the
area of learning. This is in line with the literature review: using communication
styles that are relevant to the home culture may equate to an increase in student-
teacher connections within a classroom setting (Au & Kawakami, 1994, p. 23;
Ladson-Billings, 1992; Lipka, 1991).

Collaborative Teaching for CRP
The highest level of commitment shown by teachers was done in isolation or
in collaboration with each other. Three of the seven observations, worthy of the
highest level of commitment, were grade level initiatives meaning all six teachers
participated in the implementation. Is there an ambivalence regarding incorporating
CRP in one’s classroom as an individual? To achieve the highest commitment levels
of this hybrid pedagogy, one must be an experienced educator of CRP (category
one), a Hawaiiana expert (category two), or an experienced constructivist teacher
140
(category three). In order to build independent projects that require students to
complete problem based projects, teachers must be skilled at their craft.
No longer is knowledge viewed as a commodity to be passed from one entity
to another through a process called education; no longer is learning viewed as
the accumulation of bodies of facts. Instead, knowledge is viewed as the
residual outcome of the process that occurs when learners construct
meaningful Interpretations of the data that they encounter in their transactions
with the world and with other learners (Garcia & Pearson, 1994, p. 338)

I came across multiple levels of CRP expertise and CRP comfort; however, it
will be a challenge to get each teacher to commit to a pedagogy that contains
elements of a curriculum and instruction that is culturally relevant, Hawaiian
language based, and Hawaiian culture inspired.

CRP Field Trips
All of the sixth grade field trips and guest speakers observed were geared
towards Hawaiian culture and language, environmental education, and/or
sociopolitical issues. Each of these opportunities contained Hawaiian protocol, such
as asking for permission to enter the site or a musical presentation of a Hawaiian
welcome song for each guest speaker. The combination of Hawaiian culture and
language, Hawaiian identity, and environmental issues were capsulated in service
field trips that seemed to hit the category of cultural competence in Ladson-Billings’
CRP framework most frequently. Student write-ups and assessments showcased
sociopolitical connections teachers were making in the classroom, as well as
reflective statements that showed students who were proud of their heritage. These
141
findings seem to suggest that providing opportunities for students to perform
practical, hands-on application of Hawaiian protocol, service activities, or cultural
practices is a positive one, and one most accessible for teachers to implement CRP
(Kanaiaupuni, 2007; Ladson-Billings, 1995).

Cultural Identity and Affirmation
Teachers were passionate about students achieving cultural affirmation.
During the interviews, teachers frequently discussed the importance of the
Kamehameha students appreciating their Hawaiian culture (Au & Kawakami, 1994;
Ladson-Billings, 1992a, 1995a; Ogbu, 1995; Stairs, 1994). This sentiment is in line
with the literature, but what the teachers believed and was not always documented.
Stanton-Salazar (1997) describes this scenario within the social capital framework as
a situation where minority students are taught how to decode mainstream systems.
The literature suggests that students need to learn how to navigate through
mainstream expectations; therefore, teachers may need to be more explicit about
teaching their students how to recognize when the cultural frame of reference
changes from same, varied, to opposing perspectives (Ogbu, 1995). Unfortunately,
the teachers seemed passionate about helping students achieve a sense of cultural
affirmation, but their philosophies did not match their practice.
Teachers tended to implement grade level activities and field trips that
allowed students to experience cultural identity and affirmation in a implicit mode of
discovery vs. an explicit manner. Writing assessment prompts were used to obtain a
142
reflection that seemed to have elicited writing responses where students talked of
their cultural heritage and cultural identity. Even when teachers did implement CRP,
they seemed conservative still, and did not take the learning to a formal explicit
critical thinking stage (Huberman, 1995).

Teacher Commitment
The levels of cultural relevant commitment are stair cased so achieving the
highest level of the CRP rubric equates to a pedagogy that is comparative of what
Fong described. Fong described a classroom that contained strong core academic
points as well as strong Hawaiian ties to language and culture. Fong discouraged a
type of curriculum that was based on Hawaiian trivia or a desperate need to be
Hawaiian. Fong’s vision of a Hawaiian classroom contained “good teaching” in both
the Hawaiian sense and Western sense.
Sixth grade teachers are in transition to becoming a grade level that teaches
with a culturally relevant pedagogy. They are bringing in visuals, artifacts, and
resources into their classroom, which means they are hitting elements of one side of
the CRP continuum, and implementing cultural experiences and global opportunities
at the other side of the CRP continuum. Teachers should curriculum map and prepare
as a grade level with the strategic plan goals and school wide initiatives in mind,
instead of taking what they already do, and have done for years, and manipulate it to
meet goals and initiatives. A commitment to doing this takes time; however, any
investment of time will reap CRP rewards in the future.
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CRP Misconception
Teachers had a misconception regarding the definition of culturally relevant
pedagogy. Most of the teachers believed that CRP was mainly about ethnic culture or
Hawaiian culture, since that is the secondary culture and language taught at
Kamehameha, and about the students’ home culture. Bennett (2001) defined culture
as a belief system where societal values, global perspectives, and a set standard of
behaviors were promoted. From the teachers’ understanding, they did not always
associate culture with teaching from different beliefs and worldviews. Teachers were
able to provide a variety of cultural beliefs where they felt most comfortable and
confident, but they did not always recognize their own scenario as culturally relevant
pedagogy. Most of the sixth grade teachers felt connected to the Hawaiian culture,
and yet a few teachers admitted that they did not feel they had the authority because
they were non-Hawaiian. What does this mean? Do teachers have preconceived
notions regarding race, ethnicity, or diversity? Gay and Kirkland (2003) argued that
teachers fall back on traditional belief statements, such as “Treat all students the
same regardless of who they are” or “Good teaching anywhere is good teaching
everywhere” (p. 182). Three of the six teachers did respond to interview questions
with holistic statements described by Gay and Kirkland. They suggested that even
before structuring and implementing culturally relevant teaching, teachers must do
critical self-reflection and analyze their own beliefs about sociopolitical issues of
power and privilege (Gay & Kirkland, 2002). That being said, moving from a
144
Western perspective to a more culturally relevant one would be a challenging
process.

Implications for Practice
This section discusses two implications for practice: 1) teachers need to
continue creating culturally relevant connections within their curriculum at higher
levels, and 2) utilize existing school-wide culturally based frameworks when
developing culturally relevant curricular strands.
This qualitative study informs the practice of teaching and administrative
professionals at Kamehameha and other institutions where there is a native indigent
student population. Things may be planned in isolation and may be taught in
isolation (Castagno & Brayboy, 2008). First, this study revealed how teachers
believed cultural affirmation and identity were important aspects to their native
population’s success, but teachers were not always implementing CRP at a high
level. CRP, operated at the highest level, was most frequent during field trip
activities, service projects, and environmental units, which seemed to be more of a
collaborative effort by all six teachers versus one teacher. Although teachers could
take Hawaiian language classes or collaborate with the Hawaiian language teacher,
in an effort to insert more language connection, it seems that collaborating in a
coordinated effort may bring about more CRP opportunities within classroom
curriculum and instruction much like the grade level field trips and units.
145
The working exit outcomes (WEO) Kamehameha created in 2008 may be the
beginning of creating a culturally relevant checklist that teachers can use as a guide.
Although still relatively new in existence at Kamehameha, elementary teachers were
encouraged to use the WEO, during the 2009-2010 school year teacher evaluation.
Representatives from the three campuses at Kamehameha-O‘ahu developed the
WEO. The WEO framework provided Hawaiian-Western type of expectations for
curriculum and instruction. For example, the WEO strand of Ke Ao ‘Imi Na‘auao
means to seek knowledge and wisdom. Under this strand are three expectations:
1. Nānā I ke Kumu or look to the source.
2. Ua Lehulehua a Manomano ka ‘Ikena a ka Hawai‘i or great and
numerous is the knowledge of the Hawaiians. We create, share and apply
knowledge in purposeful and relevant ways.
3. Transform my knowledge through the blending of imagination, intuition
and intellect.
Kamehameha administration can then create a five-year implementation
timeline of culturally relevant concepts, content, language, processing skills, or
activities that would staircase from kindergarten to sixth grade, after considering
where the culturally relevant gaps are.

Implications for Research
Because the mission of Kamehameha is to eventually become a kula Hawai‘i
or Hawaiian school, and remain a top academic institution regardless of our
146
admissions requirements, it is important to continue gathering information about the
way our teachers are performing in the classroom. Conducting observations and
interviews in other grade levels are important tasks for the future. How can teachers
become master teachers in national standards, Hawaiian knowledge, Hawaiian
language, social and adolescent behaviors and attitudes, and home and family issues?
To this researcher, the CRP framework provides an excellent model to combine
Hawaiian and Western ideologies. School researchers can watch teachers and listen
to teachers in order to further gauge where grade levels and teachers fall on the
culturally relevant pedagogical continuum. This process could mimic what a gap
analysis would accomplish for Kamehameha Elementary.

Conclusion
I am excited at the possibilities of a culturally relevant pedagogy that brings
about positive changes within an educational institution that seeks to better Native
Hawaiian indigent students. Kamehameha is in the perfect position to bring our
teachers forward as change agents who believe and practice culturally relevant
pedagogy, as practitioners of Hawaiian language and culture, Christianity, or global
issues. This is a reality for Kamehameha teachers; their private school admissions
department admits a heterogeneous mix of students who have a wide range of
cognitive abilities, various socioeconomic backgrounds, special-needs, and are
culturally diverse.
147
Kamehameha teachers, already adept at implementing high academic
standards based instruction, connecting the home culture with the school culture, and
inspiring students to think globally, need to continuously improvise and improve
their abilities to teach more Hawaiian based content and language infused instruction
in core academic classes. When Manu was asked, “What does the term “culturally
relevant pedagogy” mean to you?” she replied with what the hybrid pedagogy is
defined as:
It's always having an awareness of that cultural, thinking and making it
relevant to what we do have to teach, or what we should teach, just so that
our students are comparative to everyone else. I guess that going back to idea
of Kula Hawai`i. One of my major concerns is making sure that our students
are comparative if not exceeding everyone else in the pool, all the other fish.
So I guess it's just having that thinking of: this is where we come from, this is
our richness, how do we affect everyone else, how does everyone else affect
us? It’s kind of asking ourselves, “How do we blend to make their thinking
just richer?” If we're a school that is in the direction of having culturally
relevant pedagogy as a part of the curriculum, not all teachers are on the same
page. I think it's valid to hear everyone's point because although not every
teacher may be on the Kula Hawai`i wa`a (canoe), I think bottom line, we are
very good teachers, with good hearts, who want the best for our students.

Imua Kula Kamehameha; go forward and strive, Kamehameha Schools!
148
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156
APPENDIX A
INFORMATION SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
University of Southern California
Department of Education
Kamehameha Elementary Sixth Grade Faculty Member:
You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by Lehua Kadooka,
doctoral candidate from the Department of Education at the University of Southern
California. Results from this study will contribute to the doctoral dissertation of
Lehua Kadooka. You were selected as a possible participant in this study because
you are a sixth grade teacher.

I am asking you to take part in a research study because I am trying to learn more
about culturally relevant pedagogy of Kamehameha Elementary teachers,
specifically sixth grade. I am interested in the kind of teaching that goes on in the
classroom that may be culturally relevant in content, methods, and strategies. I am
also interested if this culturally relevant teaching is academically challenging,
culturally connected, and socio-conscious.

I will be making classroom observations, artifact studies on student work, and
interviewing teachers. There are no reasonable foreseeable risks associated with this
study. All measures to assure anonymity and confidentiality will be taken.

You may benefit from this study in that results may be used to inform professional
development or curriculum reform programs for Kamehameha Elementary.

You will not receive payment or compensation for participating in this study.

Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be
identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your
permission or as required by law. A copy of the completed study will be made
available to the administrative office of Kamehameha Elementary to be used for
program evaluation and development.

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no
information will be included that would reveal your identity. No photographs will be
used in this study, however video may be used to collect data on field trips. The
video will be destroyed upon completion of the data collection session(s).

157
Personal information and research data from the observations, artifact study, and
teacher interview will be coded for use in the study. All information collected will
be stored on the password-protected computer and in the locked file cabinet of the
investigator, Lehua Kadooka. Data collected will be destroyed upon acceptance of
the dissertation.

You can choose whether to be in this study or not. Your choice to participate or not
will be anonymous. If you volunteer to be in this study, you may withdraw at any
time without consequences of any kind. You may also refuse to answer any
questions you do not want to answer and still remain in the study. The investigator
may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which warrant doing so.

If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Lehua Kadooka, 7159 Makahuena Place, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 96825, (808) 227-1075,
email: leenomot@ksbe.edu.

You may withdraw your consent any time and discontinue participation without
penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your
participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a
research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for
Research, Bovard Administration Building, Room 300, Los Angeles, CA 90089-
4019, (213) 740-6709 or upirb@usc.edu.
158
APPENDIX B
CONSENT FORM
TO PARTICIPATE IN ELISABETH KADOOKA’S RESEARCH STUDY
SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT
• I have read the information provided by the researcher. I have been given a
chance to ask questions. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction,
and I agree to participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

• I understand my rights as a participant. I understand I will receive no
compensation for my participation in this study. I understand that I can refuse to
participate at any time.

• If I am injured as a direct result of research procedures not done primarily for my
own benefit, I will receive medical treatment; however, my insurance will be
responsible for the cost. The University of Southern California does not provide
any other form of compensation for injury.

• Audio/video-recordings are for data collection purposes only.
□ I agree to be audio/video-recorded if the researcher destroys the media
immediately following transcription and/or note taking.

□ I do not want to be audio/video-recorded.

Name of Participant

Signature of Participant Date
SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR
I have explained the research to the participant and answered all of his/her questions.
I believe that he/she understands the information described in this document and
freely consents to participate.

Elisabeth Kadooka
159
APPENDIX C
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
August 1, 2009
Aloha Kamehameha Elementary Administrators,

My name is Lehua Kadooka. I am a University of Southern California doctoral
candidate. I am working on a study to learn more about culturally relevant pedagogy
of the teachers here at Kamehameha Elementary, specifically at the sixth grade level.

This study will invite the sixth grade teachers to be in the participant group. The
qualitative study will be based on six 30-minute classroom observations of each sixth
grade teacher, an artifact analysis of six pieces of evidence from each teacher, and a
guided interview with each teacher that will take no longer than 45 minutes.

Results from this study will contribute to my doctoral dissertation. A copy of the
completed study will be made available to the administration of Kamehameha
Elementary to be used for program evaluation and curriculum development. All
participants of the study may obtain the information from the Kamehameha
Elementary administrative office. Participants of the study may request additional
information on the study by emailing me at leenomot@ksbe.edu.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me. Thank you for your help.

Mahalo,
Lehua Kadooka
University of Southern California Doctoral Student
160
APPENDIX D
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
Pre-observation Interview Questions:
1. What has this class been covering recently?
What unit are you working on?
What instructional materials are you using?
2. What do you anticipate doing with this class today/on the day of the
observation?
What would you like the students to learn during this class?
3. Is there anything in particular that I should know about the students in this
class?
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Observer: Date of observation:
Teacher Letter: Course:
a. Scheduled length of
class:
b. Length of observation: c. Day #:________
d. Unit / topic / learning objective:

e. Instructional materials

II. CLASSROOM DEMOGRAPHICS
f. Number of students: g. Ratio Male to Female
students:
h. Instructor’s
Gender:
i. CRP decorations, pictures, posters:

j. Other CRP classroom notes:

161
k. Set up of the classroom:
_____ individual desks _____ desks in partners _____ desks in groups

FRONT OF CLASS

162
APPENDIX E
OBSERVATION GUIDE CHECKLIST
CB: Culturally Based; CA: Culturally Appropriate; CC: Connected to Real World
Teacher Letter: Class: Observation Number:
Start Time:

Minute:
Academic Excellence
Cultural
Competence
Sociopolitical
Consciousness
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

End Time:
163
APPENDIX F
ARTIFACT ANALYSIS GUIDE
CB: Culturally Based; CA: Culturally Appropriate; CC: Connected to Real World
Teacher Letter:_____ Artifact Number: ______ of 6 Date of Analysis:___________
a. Artifact Title:
b. Circle:
Essay Poem Letter Reflection Notes Q-A Book Work
Hand-Made Project Computer-Generated Project Group Individual
Poster Drawing Painting Model Booklet Other:___________
c. Artifact Details:

d. Artifact Purpose:

e. Does it meet the following CRP checklist?
Academic Excellence:

CB

CA CC
Cultural Competence

CB

CA CC
Sociopolitical Consciousness

CB

CA CC
164
APPENDIX G
CRP OBSERVATION RUBRIC

Model Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
CRP Academic Excellence Cultural Competence Sociopolitical Consciousness
Strategic
Plan
Embrace our Families,
People, and Communities
(Goal 1, 2, 7)
Hawaiian Culture and
Language
(Goal 3)
Service Oriented Leadership &
Stewardship
(Goal 4, 6)

CRP/Strategic
Plan
Teacher Commitment
Level 1
Teacher Commitment
Level 2
Teacher Commitment
Level 3
Uses instructional
strategies to emphasize
culture (Hawaiian-singing,
spiritual-use of bible,
values-points out value
aloud, athletics-uses sport
analogies, home-invites
parent to activity,
community-allows student
to speak pidgin English
informally)
Uses activities to highlight
or incorporate cultural
perspective (Hawaiian-
may day hula dance,
spiritual-chapel service,
values-awards program
for good behavior,
athletics-incorporates
competition in curriculum,
home-parent is active
participant, community-
guest speaker)
Uses cultural content
in actual classroom
lesson, unit, or field
of study (Hawaiian
history unit, spiritual-
study of bible verses,
values-ke ala pono
system, athletics-
incorporates actual
movement based unit,
home-genealogy,
community-field trip,
people-trip to another
location)
Hawaiian/indigenous
cultural connections made
intentionally, random, or in
isolation
Cultural comparisons:
side by side comparison
of Hawaiian/indigenous
and western perspectives
Hawaiian or
indigenous
perspective used as
main focus
Category 1

Academic
Excellence

+

Embrace our
Families,
Communities,
and People
(Goal 1, 2, 7)
Uses the concept or
perspective of ‘ohana or
family within a lesson or
unit of study
Uses the concept or
perspective of lāhui
Hawai‘i or Hawaiian
community within a
lesson or unit of study
Uses the concept or
perspective of lāhui
kanaka or nation of
people within a lesson
or unit of study
165

CRP/Strategic
Plan
Teacher Commitment
Level 1
Teacher Commitment
Level 2
Teacher Commitment
Level 3
Traditional classroom
setting with some
element of physical
importance
(manipulatives or
cultural objects) or
visual stimuli (cultural
decorations)
Classroom non-
traditional style or using
non-traditional major
elements
-no desks or chairs
-cultural/Hawaiian
implements used
Classroom operates in
natural environment,
cultural place, or cultural
site
Uses talk story or
informal
communication style
during instruction
Allows students to speak
pidgin English (while
answering a question
during instruction) and
write formally in pidgin
English (as an
assignment)
Code switches from pidgin
English to standard
English during instruction
Uses Hawaiian
greetings, single
Hawaiian vocabulary,
and/or Hawaiian place
names periodically to
accent instruction
Uses Hawaiian phrases
or commands frequently
Uses frequent Hawaiian
language in sentences
(more than phrases)
Allows students to
chant, sing, or pray in
Hawaiian in class
Participates in chanting,
singing, and praying in
Hawaiian
Incorporates ‘ōlelo noeau
(Hawaiian moral) and
mo‘olelo (legends) into
instruction; refers to places
using original Hawaiian
place names (such as the
ahupua’a or Hawaiian
geographical district
name); refers to Bible
verses in Hawaiian
Category 2

Cultural
Competence

+

Hawaiian
Culture and
Language
(Goal 3)
Has knowledge of,
tolerates, and/or allows
Hawaiian protocol or
cultural practices
Implements Hawaiian
protocol or cultural
practices periodically by
engagement or initiation
(such as field trips or
guest speakers)
Active incorporation and
participation of Hawaiian
protocol and cultural
practices in daily schedule
(entrance/exit chant
everyday)
166

CRP/Strategic
Plan
Teacher
Commitment Level 1
Teacher Commitment
Level 2
Teacher Commitment Level
3
Service learning
awareness and study
Individual advocacy:
requires student to
create and implement a
one-time service
project
Advocacy as a lifestyle:
student creates and
implements a semester-long
service project
Emphasis or
integrates global or
environmental
themes in curriculum
Emphasis or integrates
Hawaiian rights,
historically based
Hawaiian injustice or
sociopolitical themes in
curriculum
Active engagement and
study on legislature, law
making, or Hawaiian rights
with the purpose of
bettering the Hawaiian
people or indigenous rights
Category 3

Sociopolitical
Consciousness

+

Service Oriented
Leadership &
Stewardship
(Goal 4, 6)
Class field trip to
perform beach clean
up or visit recycling
center
Class field trip to
perform cultural
practices for
sustainability or culture
based practices
Active incorporation and
participation of Hawaiian
rights event, Hawaiian
cultural practices, cultural
way of life on a daily basis
167
APPENDIX H
INTERVIEW GUIDE QUESTIONS
1) College, Workshop, Experiences Dealing with Multiculturalism, Native
Hawaiian Language/Culture, or other Ethnic Language/Culture

2) Number of Years Teaching Experience; Number of Years Teaching Native
Hawaiians

3) What are your beliefs regarding educating Native Hawaiians in general? @
Kamehameha Schools?

4) What are specific beliefs or personal missions you may have in educating Native
Hawaiians? What do you specifically concentrate on in your curriculum?

5) What methods or strategies do you find work best when teaching Native
Hawaiians?

6) What are your beliefs about the way NH academically succeed?

7) What are your beliefs about the way NH learn to be culturally competent?

8) What are your beliefs about the way NH learn to be politically conscious?

9) What are ways in which you incorporate NH cultural based content into your
curriculum?

10) What are ways in which you incorporate NH culturally appropriate methods?

11) What are ways in which you incorporate NH culturally responsive
connections?

12) What does the term Culturally Relevant Pedagogy mean to you?

13) Any other comments to add?

168
APPENDIX I
CTP MATH SCORES FOR SIXTH GRADE – STANINE FOUR AND BELOW
CTP Code Grade
Orphan/
Indigent
Grade at
Entry
Mathematics:
Independent
Stanine
1. a 6 O 4 1
2. b 6 0 2
3. c 6 0 2
4. d 6 0 2
5. e 6 0 2
6. f 6 4 2
7. g 6 I 4 2
8. h 6 0 2
9. i 6 4 3
10. j 6 0 3
11. k 6 0 3
12. l 6 0 3
13. m 6 I 4 3
14. n 6 I 0 3
15. o 6 O 4 3
16. p 6 0 3
17. q 6 4 3
18. r 6 0 3
19. s 6 I 0 3
20. t 6 I 0 3
21. v 6 4 3
22. w 6 O 4 3
23. x 6 4 3
24. y 6 0 3
25. z 6 4 3
26. A1 6 O 0 4
27. B2 6 I 4 4
28. C3 6 O 0 4
169
CTP Code Grade
Orphan/
Indigent
Grade at
Entry
Mathematics:
Independent
Stanine
29. D4 6 4 4
30. E5 6 I 4 4
31. F6 6 4 4
32. G7 6 I 4 4
33. H8 6 0 4
34. I9 6 I 0 4
35. J10 6 4 4
36. K11 6 I 0 4
37. L12 6 6 4
38. M13 6 6 4
39. N14 6 4 4
40. O15 6 0 4
41. P16 6 0 4
42. Q17 6 4 4
43. R18 6 0 4
44. S19 6 0 4
45. T20 6 4 4
46. U21 6 I 4 4
47. V22 6 6 4
48. W23 6 I 4 4
49. X24 6 0 4
50. Y25 6 0 4
51. Z26 6 4 4
52. Aa27 6 4.5 4
53. Bb28 6 0 4
54. Cc29 6 0 4
55. dd30 6 4 4
170
APPENDIX J
CTP READING SCORES FOR SIXTH GRADE –
STANINE FOUR AND BELOW
CTP Grade
Orphan/
Indigent
Grade at
Entry
Reading Comprehension:
Independent Stanine
1a 6 0 2
1b 6 0 2
1c 6 0 2
1d 6 0 2
1e 6 O 0 2
1f 6 4 2
1g 6 I 4 2
1h 6 O 4 2
1i 6 0 3
1j 6 0 3
1k 6 0 3
1l 6 0 3
1m 6 I 0 3
1n 6 I 0 3
1o 6 O 0 3
1p 6 4 3
1q 6 4 3
1r 6 4 3
1s 6 I 4 3
1t 6 I 4 3
1u 6 I 4 3
1v 6 I 4 3
1w 6 O 4 3
1x 6 0 4
171
CTP Grade
Orphan/
Indigent
Grade at
Entry
Reading Comprehension:
Independent Stanine
1y 6 0 4
1z 6 0 4
2a 6 0 4
2b 6 0 4
2c 6 0 4
2d 6 0 4
2e 6 0 4
2f 6 0 4
2g 6 0 4
2h 6 0 4
2i 6 0 4
2j 6 0 4
2k 6 0 4
2l 6 I 0 4
2m 6 I 0 4
2n 6 I 0 4
2o 6 1 4
2p 6 4 4
2q 6 4 4
2r 6 4 4
2s 6 4 4
2t 6 4 4
2u 6 4 4
2v 6 4 4
2w 6 4 4
2x 6 O 4 4
2y 6 6 4
2z 6 4

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Asset Metadata

Creator Kadooka, Elisabeth ‘Ōhi‘alehua Fude Enomoto (author)

Core Title Culturally relevant pedagogy in an elementary school for indigent native peoples

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 07/19/2010

Defense Date 05/06/2010

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag culturally relevant pedagogy,Hawaiian,OAI-PMH Harvest,sixth grade

Place Name Hawaii (states), Honolulu (city or populated place)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Sundt, Melora A. (committee chair), Brewer, Dominic J. (committee member), Gothold, Stuart E. (committee member)

Creator Email ekadooka@usc.edu,leenomot@ksbe.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m3196

Unique identifier UC1296744

Identifier etd-Kadooka-3796 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-353315 (legacy record id),usctheses-m3196 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Kadooka-3796.pdf

Dmrecord 353315

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Kadooka, Elisabeth ‘Ōhi‘alehua Fude Enomoto

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu