Pehea Kou Piko: Motivating Moʻolelo From Hawaiian Education Kumu

Abstract

This qualitative moʻolelo study explores the lived experiences of three Hawaiian education kumu. The Hawaiʻi Department of Education is currently experiencing a teacher shortage especially in the fields of Hawaiian Language and Hawaiian Immersion. This study offers the opportunity to learn from the stories of kumu who have been teaching for more than ten years in Hawaiian Education. Discourse on the relationships between Hawaiian culture, Hawaiian language and education were analyzed to gain insight on the motivating factors that led the kumu to teach in Hawaiian education and how those lessons can support teacher education program practice. Moʻolelo served as a method to collect and analyze the data which revealed that the three kumus’ decisions to become Hawaiian education kumu were highly motivated intrinsically and altruistically. The main influences that contributed to their decision making to become a teacher came from three areas 1) positive relationships with role models like family, teachers, and friends, 2) building competence in Hawaiian knowledge and 3) taking action and accepting kuleana as a kumu.