Kanu O Ka Aina: Navigating Between Two Worlds

Abstract

For decades Hawaiian students have failed to thrive academically in public education. In order to understand the reason behind that difficulty, this study examines the history of education in Hawai‘i and the cultural dissonance between the expectations in mainstream classrooms and expectations for how Hawaiian children are to learn and behave. With public charter schools as a vehicle, Hawaiian leaders and educators design a culturally congruent pedagogy that side-steps the mismatch of expectations in the conventional schools. By using Hawaiian cultural wisdom as a foundation, Kanu o ka ‘Āina Charter School aims not only to ground their students in cultural knowledge but also prepare them to thrive in the 21st century. This study explores how effectively Kanu o ka ‘Āina is able to navigate between two worlds.