Historically, progressive education schools and institutions have generally rejected traditional, high-stakes teacher evaluations based on standardized test scores. They tend to favor collaborative, qualitative growth models that focus on peer review, reflective practice, and portfolio assessment, rather than ranking or punishing teachers with rigid metrics. Today, this progressive education stance on teacher evaluation is increasingly supported by research, such as a national study from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University titled The Effect of Teacher Evaluation on Achievement and Attainment. In this study, Bleiberg (2021) and colleagues conclude that post-2009 state reforms instituting high-stakes teacher evaluations yield null effects on average, showing no measurable improvement in student test scores or educational attainment. Knowing that standardized accountability-based teacher evaluations or consequential performance appraisals tied to student test scores do not improve teaching and ultimately student learning, what might a more progressive approach to teacher evaluation look like?

Hosted by science journalist Shankar Vedantam, Hidden Brain is a popular podcast that uses science and storytelling to explore the unconscious patterns, hidden biases, and psychological triggers that drive human behavior, shape our choices, and influence our relationships. In two recent episodes, Vedantam had a conversation with Dr. Lisa Miller, a psychologist at Columbia University, Teachers College. She is also the author of The Awakened Brain, The New Science of Spirituality, and Our Quest for an Inspired Life. You can find links to the two Hidden Brain episodes here:

In 2023, visiting scholar Dr. Christoph Kühberger immersed himself in a variety of educational settings across O‘ahu, including Hanahau‘oli School. The blog to follow provides a window into the insights he had about how educators in Hawai‘i teach critical historical concepts like “change, continuity and context,” “perspective,” and the use of “historical sources and evidence” in Hawaiian history.

The Navigating AI in Education Think Tank took place over three days during the summer of 2026. On the last day, something magical happened. All the moments leading up to that day—identifying our own values, perspectives, and experiences with AI; understanding the tensions surrounding its use; hearing different perspectives; engaging in healthy push and pull; and collectively making sense of what AI is and is not—came together. As a recipient of a Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center Scholarship, Kate Werner thoughtfully engaged in the workshop and then shared her takeaways and reflections with us to extend to others who may be seeking to grow in their own thinking about AI and education. She beautifully describes her experience below.

In her research on the successful transfer of professional development learning to classroom practice, Dr. Sara L. Wicht (2024; 2025) outlines six facilitating conditions that support professional development (PD) implementation after the workshop or PD experience.

Progressive educators should care about the design of their software as much as they care about the design of their classrooms. And for the first time, we can finally do something about it.

At the heart of every child is a natural scientist – a curious explorer ready to ask "why" and "how" about the world around them. But as educators, how do we shift from being the source of all answers to being the facilitators of their discovery?

In our previous post, Dr. Luke Steller explored how mission-aligned partnerships—like Hanahau‘oli School’s collaboration with the Mānoa Heritage Center—can transform STEM learning. But how does a school cultivate a staff and student body that is ready for such deep applied work?

The PDC had the pleasure of hosting researcher Dr. Luke Steller for an immersive school-day visit in September 2025. A science communicator and community engagement leader from Australia’s Northern Territory, Dr. Steller was exploring how STEM education can be strengthened through authentic collaboration with local communities as a Winston Churchill Fellow.

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.

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.

Environments shape how we think, feel, and engage more than we may realize. Have you ever walked into a space that instantly made you feel overwhelmed? Sensory regulation, or the brain’s ability to process, organize, and respond to sensory input, is essential to learning, attention, and emotional well-being.

We are Federica Gallone and Federica Lentini – two educators who feel most alive when we are learning with children. Our professional lives have unfolded in early childhood settings, where relationships, curiosity, and wonder shape our days. We have worked closely with children as teachers, atelierista, and pedagogista, accompanying students’ thinking through materials, dialogue, light, and documentation.