I first met Dr. Noboru Tanaka in 2015, while traveling across Japan giving a series of lectures related to democracy and education. Since then, we’ve become friends and colleagues, collaborating on a number of scholarly endeavors that aim to bridge the work of progressive educators in Hawai‘i and Japan. Not only has this included co-authoring academic journals and book chapters, but also cheering side-by-side at my children’s high school football games and learning more about Tanaka’s love of motorcycle riding and stint in a punk rock band. Today, I continue to work with Dr. Tanaka in his role as an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment at Kobe University, where he specializes in citizenship education and democratic society studies. His research, similar to mine, focuses on education for democratic citizenship, with his lab exploring civic engagement and educational philosophy.

One of the greatest honors of my life has been learning, growing, and teaching at the only public high school on the rural and very Hawaiian Island of Molokai. Located in Hoolehua, Molokai High School has a predominantly Native Hawaiian student body, with approximately 76.5% identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. As a non-Native Hawaiian, it has been   very special to learn from the Molokai High School community; how Hawaiian cultural values can be used in my work as a special educator who aims to foster a holistic, safe, and supportive learning environment for our entire school community.

My name is Gillian Wood, and I am one of the 6th grade teachers at Hanahauʻoli School. In November of last year, my co-teacher at the time, Noreen Varney, died suddenly. She was a true progressive educator, and I feel profoundly grateful not only to have worked alongside her, but to have learned with and from her. Each school day, I experienced the joy, creativity, and the possibility this model of education can bring to life. Over time, I came to believe that this is how learning should feel for everyone: both teacher and student alike.