Reduplication of haʻa #1; low, lowly, minimum, humble, degraded, meek, unpretentious, modest, unassuming, unobtrusive; lowness, humility
Pukui, Mary Kawena, Hawaiian dictionary : Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian
ALOHA FOCUS FOR THE WEEK: HAʻAHAʻA
Seven years ago, we started celebrating failure and making mistakes on the last day of 1st quarter which we called Silver Linings Day. Inspired by Finland’s National Day of Failure, we wanted all students and our entire school community to know that it’s okay to fail and make mistakes. Failing and making mistakes is normal. Everyone at some point fails. No one who has achieved greatness made it without at some point failing and making mistakes.
Despite this fact, many of us still allow a fear of failing/making a mistake to hold us back from trying or to get angry when things don’t come out as we wanted. Some students even get so down on themselves that they develop a belief that they are incapable of learning. They call themselves “stupid” and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, stopping them from absorbing what’s being taught. This belief can even spur students to act out in class when they perceive someone is calling them out for being behind.
Even adults experience this fear of failing/making a mistake. This weekend, a retired president of a prestigious private school told me a story about how during the 90s, a third of his teachers were resistant to use laptops, a “new” technology at the time. One of his teachers, an accomplished and well-loved educator, told him “Please don’t make me look stupid in front of the kids.”
So, every year, I humble myself, confront my fear of public humiliation, and learn something new. I then show students a video of my attempts with the aim that they will be inspired to approach learning with the same humility. After all, our mission is to have all embrace learning which means embrace a tolerance for making mistakes. Only by acknowledging them, reflecting on why they happened and improving upon them, can we authentically learn.
This year, we celebrate Silver Linings Day on Friday, October 6. On that day, I will release a video documenting a new thing I attempted to learn, featuring my mom, Grandma Sadie. Can’t wait? Here’s a snack: my first Silver Linings Day video from 2017.
5 PURSUITS of HAʻAHAʻA
Inspired by Gholdy Muhammad
Please watch this: Mistakes Are How I Learn written by Kiara Wilson. Then with you child, answer the following:
- IDENTITY: Ask a parent or kupuna to share about a mistake they’ve made while getting skilled at something.
- SKILLS: This story uses a rhyming scheme similar to prose or a poem. Write a rhyming poem about something you learned and the mistakes you made along the way.
- INTELLECT: The book is about developing a Growth Mindset. Watch this video about what is a Growth Mindset and create a Bubble Map with adjectives related to having a Growth Mindset.
- CRITICALITY: What are phrases (or affirmations) you can say to yourself to remind you to embrace your mistakes as a part of learning? What are phrases you can share with others who may be having a difficult time overcoming their mistakes?
- JOY: Enjoy this song featuring Janelle Monáe about The Power of Yet.
MAHALO: SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OFFICERS
Mahalo to parent Chelsea Pang for volunteering to serve as our School Community Council Chairperson. Mahalo also to community member Vaughn Tokashiki for serving as vice chair. Both play a vital role in helping our school through policy making, advising school administration, and developing school improvement initiatives. We also owe a debt of thanks to parent Shawna Kobayashi, our out-going chairperson.
MAHALO: CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION DAY
This past Saturday nearly 100 volunteers comprised of our students, their parents, members of the community, the Castle High Key Club, our military partners, and members of our staff gathered to show akahai to our school. Mahalo piha to each and every one of them for leaving our campus much more beautiful and well cared for. Special thanks goes to 1st grade teacher Mrs. Kresge, Head Custodian Mr. Wali, and our Parent Community Network Coordinator Dee, for organizing this huge effort.
WEAR PINK FOR MAUI WEDNESDAYS
We are continuing to Wear Pink for Maui on Wednesdays and invite all to continue joining us in letting “that light, that divine inspiration that Aunty Pilahi Paki says is given to you at your very beginning, come through and let your ALOHA join with the ALOHA of the collective to bring about healing.”
DAILY VIRTUAL PIKO – please join us
The Daily Piko helps us become centered and ready to learn. It helps us get on the same page, hearing one message of focus for the day and the week. If you are able, we begin at 8 AM everyday except Wednesday when we conduct the piko in-person.
https://hidoe.zoom.us/j/89410873182?pwd=dERWOEs2SldQdW5aZHpDM29vdWdhdz09
UPCOMING EVENTS
| Oct 2-6, 2023 | KES Book Fair To donate to build your child’s classroom library, here is a link to our teachers’ eWallets. |
| Fri, Oct 6, 2023 | Silver Linings Day End of Quarter 1 |
| Oct 9 – 13, 2023 | Fall Break Intersession – no school |
| Oct 23 – Nov 3, 2023 | Parent-Teacher Conferences early release 12:45 PM daily |
| Wed, Nov 1, 2023 | Complex PC Day – No Students |
| Nov 6 – 9, 2023 | WASC Accreditation Full Visit |
| Wed, Dec 20, 2023 | Winter Classroom Paina end school at 2:05 PM (switch with 12/21) |
| Thur, Dec 21, 2023 | Winter Songfest end school at 1:15 PM (switch with 12/20) End of Quarter 2 |
| Dec 22, 2023 – Jan 5, 2024 | Winter Break Intersession – no school |
| Mon, Jan 8, 2024 | Waiver Day #3 – No Students |