My Strengths

Years ago, before I got into higher ed, I was applying for a job that would be using CliftonStrengths. The job was right up my alley (working with high school students), but I'd never heard of CliftonStrengths before. I ordered the book, Strengthsfinder 2.0: Discover Your Strengths, which turned out to be a super fast read and came with a code to take the psychological/personality test online. According to this talent assessment, my top five strengths are:

1. Relator
2. Strategic
3. Empathy
4. Achiever
5. Activator

I have color coded them here to match the four domains of Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. 

Long story short, I didn't get the job, but I did get involved with the organization as a student mentor. Learning about and using my strengths was central to that role, and I found it really enlightening.

Some years later, I read another book, Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow, and I took the test again. My top five results came out the same. For me, this showed the validity of the assessment where there are 34 identified strengths. I'm telling you about this because a number of administrators here at Hawai'iCC have recently taken the test to inform our leadership understanding and ability. No matter what your job, understanding yourself can make you better at what you do and better at communicating and working with others.

The unique thing about the CliftonStrengthsFinder assessment is that its approach to self-appreciation is based on identifying what you are naturally really good at. What's interesting is that there is no magic combination of strengths that makes a good leader (or teacher or whatever). If you've ever taken another psychological assessment, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), part of the discussion around your type is how well your type "fits" with certain professions. Not so with CliftonStrengths.

It does, however, help you recognize your strengths and opportunities and how the combination of your top five work together to make you who you are. It can also help you to comprehend others. CliftonStrengthsFinder helps you understand why someone communicates the way they do, who might be the best person for a project, and how to pick a team that will not only get the job done but enjoy it and work together well.

For me, it's been most valuable in helping me understand myself and reframe my uniqueness so that I don't feel badly about what I can't do, am not good at, or don't enjoy. I can accept those things and focus on what I am naturally good at. I may still have to do things that are not easy for me sometimes, but now I know how to structure my work around my strengths, and I'm not so hard on myself about my weaknesses. I also appreciate the strengths of others more.

I recently ordered copies of Strengthsfinder 2.0: Discover Your Strengths for all my department chairs, so you may be hearing more about this soon. Take a look and see if you're interested!

Pi’ia

This two-day mini-conference was amazing - full of fun, enlightenment, and camaraderie. There were so many sessions to choose from: Hei (ritual string figures), `Aha `Awa (`Awa ceremony), Waiho'olu'u (natural dyes), Hula for children, Taga (ritual cordage regalia), Oli (chant), Lei Hilo (Hilo style lei), Kālai (carving), Lauhala (pandanus weaving), and `Ohe Kāpala (bamboo printing).

I attended the Lei Hilo and one of two different Lauhala sessions. While I've made many lei hilo (I even have a lei hilo tattoo on my left wrist in honor of the first lei I learned to make), I learned new techniques and worked with a different plant, the kupukupu fern, to make a kupe'e, or wrist adornment. Previously, I had only braided the fern for a lei po'o, or head lei.

 
 

Mahalo to Kumu Kekai and Aunty Kawehi for sharing their knowledge and aloha. I will never forget to ask the plants for their permission and mahalo (thank) them for their gifts.

Next, I learned from master weaver Lolay Muraki the most basic weaving techniques, which I found very challenging! The picture above belies the complicated techniques, full of non-intuitive folds. Most important, perhaps, was that we learned the proper way to gather the stalks, clean, and prepare them while honoring the plant that provides you with her materials for the long-term.

All of this alone would have made for a beautiful summer, but I learned something very important on the second day of the conference when I invited my daughter Kalli to participate with me in planting trees and learning about the Pālamanui Trails. Dr. Richard Stevens guided us out to meet Grandfather Lama, an ancient tree and one of the few remaining of what was once an abundant dryland forest. It has been eaten away by cattle and wild goats.

Inside a protected garden, Kalli and I joined a team of about 25, and we planted three to four native Hawaiian trees per person.

At the end of the day we were treated to a closing story of Marty Allen, an artist who devoted many years of his life to raising awareness of the wiliwili tree and promoting its care. Each of us walked away with a greeting card featuring one of his paintings. It was a beautiful experience that has ignited a desire in me to continue supporting native tree restoration on Hawai`i Island.

The real connection and learning came from contemplating how indigenous art is inspired and informed by the`aina (land). Working with the dirt to restore the forest, honoring those plantings with an `aha `awa and oli, and really seeing how what we did could make a difference made me want to go back again and again.

There is talk of another event like this one on the Hilo side of the island. If so, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to attend. You'll be glad you did!

My Kūkūʻena Hula Experience

In "Kūkūʻena: Guiding by Walking the Academic Path as a LearnerCommunity," Gail Makuakane-Lundin, one of the founders of the Kūkūʻena hula group, described the experience as one of igniting the spirit through connecting to Hawaiian culture. She said it gave new meaning to her hectic life. I can attest, as one of the newest members of the Kūkūʻena hula group, this is a perfect description of being a part of this circle of HawaiiCC and UHH administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

Last fall, my husband asked me if it was more of a commitment than I realized it would be. Yes, but it has been worth every minute. As he has watched me grow and become more confident in my modest hula practice and in chanting in ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi, he senses that I am making deep connections with practices, people, and places that are having a profound impact on my life. I am absorbing Hawaiian language, culture, stories, and ways of thinking, all intertwined together, and I am grateful for the opportunity.

The Kukuʻena hula group was first started in 2008 under kumu hula Dr. Taupōuri Tangarō. Members have weaved in and out of the group, some staying, some moving on, others being initiated. The wealth of knowledge and experience in the group is always in flux, so that we learn and teach one another as we receive more formal instruction from our kumu (now, Kainoa Ariola-Sukisaki).

Each of us is encouraged to explore the connections between group activities and our work lives. CeliaBardwell-Jones captured the struggle and frustration I felt with the challenge of learning hula for the first time: "I struggled my first year in learning the dances and the chants. Throughout this process, I kept reflecting on how my students felt learning a whole new subject matter and struggling in the same way I was in hula class." I remember the moment I made the realization that the way I was feeling - insecure and somewhat lost - must be how students feel sometimes.

The truth is there are moments of great joy when we are dancing and chanting in unison, or when we are joking as we learn together. These overshadow the times when I feel tired, clumsy, and irritated with myself. At the end of a practice, no matter how well or badly I performed, I do not regret the effort. I walk away from the warmth of my halau feeling enriched and part of something important, connected to generations of hula practitioners who came before us.

There is so much more I could write to reveal the special activities we do together, the ways my hula sisters and brothers have reached out to guide me, the way I feel when I watch more skilled and experienced dancers glide and step in unison...but it feels too sacred to describe in too much detail on a blog. I'm writing because my purpose for this public diary is to share my journey in supporting the Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao initiative through my personal and professional activities.

Also, I hope to spread the word about Kūkūʻena to keep the group growing and active. Last year I received an invitation from Trina Nahm-Mijo who has been my mentor. If you've heard about us and wonder what we do, here's a synopsis. We meet Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the school year from about 5:00-7:00 pm. We share responsibility for the kuahu (altar). We go on field trips, take part in kipaepae when we can, and help with commencement. We memorize oli and mele, talk a lot about what we're learning and how it connects to students and our work, and we laugh. A lot. 

I can say that being a part of this group is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

I Made a Kīhei!

 A kīhei is a ceremonial garment traditionally made of kapa (or tapa) cloth woven from plant bark. In todayʻs world, we often use cotton in an off-white color or dye it using color made from native plants. It is stamped using carved bamboo stamps or other shapes from plants, such as ti leaves or banana leaves. The design is personal to the creator of the kīhei, a pattern of abstract shapes that represents you or your life.

We were told: "Put all your best energy into the kīhei!" In fact, the word is made up of "kī" (energy, mana) and "hei" (ensnare). You shouldnʻt share your kīhei, but itʻs ok to pass it on within your family. What a nice family heirloom!

The kīhei is always tied over the left shoulder. The left side of the body represents the wahine (female) side because of the heart; the first heartbeat we hear is in our motherʻs womb. You tuck the ends under when you tie it, because the ends represent, well, endings. And donʻt wear it around your waist like a pareo, because it loses itʻs ceremonial purpose if you treat it that way.

At Hawaiʻi Community College, the Hawaiʻi Life Styles program holds kīhei workshops several times a year. It takes about 3 hours to design, print, and dry your kīhei. This workshop was led by two of the (awesome) peer mentors who work in I Ola Haloa Center, Sean and ʻIhi.

My kīhei didnʻt turn out exactly like I envisioned, but thatʻs part of the beauty of it. Itʻs the intention that matters. Some people donʻt share the meaning behind their design, but hereʻs mine.

Coming back to Hawaiʻi has been like a rebirth for me. Since coming here I have fallen in love with the ʻalala, the Hawaiian crow, which is experiencing a rebirth of its own. The circles with lines in my design represent the ʻalala flying toward the ʻohiʻa trees in the distance. They are new trees with branches just beginning. ʻOhiʻa trees are said to be the first to grow back after a lava flow. The ʻalala loves the ʻohiʻa tree. Behind the trees is the sea, whose beauty tugged at my heart when I was contemplating moving back.

Now I have my own kīhei to wear during kīpaepae!

'Ōlelo: Taking Hawaiian Online at Hawai'i Community College

This summer I enrolled in Elementary Hawai'i Language I & II (HAW 101 and 102), two 6-week intensive online Hawaiian language courses. It was fantastic! After the first week I was able to read a sign while walking across campus, and I was so thrilled.  This is one of the benefits of living in a place where the language is spoken and used.

I have talked to language teachers who are absolutely against teaching a language online for a lot of different reasons. Being a strong distance education advocate, I've always believed that you can teach almost anything online if you are creative enough, and research shows that well-designed online courses are equivalent to face-to-face classes in terms of student learning outcomes. This is my first time with firsthand experience of an online language course, and now I can say definitively that it works!

I had heard many good things about Hawai'i Community College's online Hawaiian language course, so I decided to take it this summer rather than wait to take it face-to-face in the fall. That way I would be able to move right on to the second level, HAW102, and complete two courses over the summer break if I felt I could handle it.

At this point, in the interest of transparency, I need to let you know that I am a serious language learner. I mean I love learning languages, and learning Hawaiian has been on my life list since I heard a Hawaiian prayer at a wedding 30 years ago. It was so very beautiful, and it was the first time I had heard Hawaiian language spoken in such length. It was a paradigm shift in my thinking of Hawaiian as a modern, spoken language.

I came to this task with the motivation to learn, a positive attitude, and some past skills with both language learning and distance education. Fitting a 15-week course into six weeks is challenging, but it was doable, even while working full-time. The organization of the course is logical; it's broken up into modules containing the video lessons, homework, discussions, and vocabulary lists. There is a textbook, which you could get through the class without, but I wouldn't. It added greatly to my learning experience.

One of the concerns instructors have with online language courses is assessment. How does one adequately measure a student's learning for the oral - speaking and listening - aspects of a language? Another concern is interactivity. One way is to break out of the concept of online education as only online. Another is to be open to the many tools available that allow students to interact.

In HAW 101, we had a requirement to read aloud 10 children's books to the (awesome) peer tutors or to our Kumu. We could do this face-to-face in the I Ola Haloa Hawai'i Lifestyles Office, over the phone, or via SKYPE. The final project was to write, design, and read aloud a children's book. I taped myself using my phone.

In HAW 102, we had more message board discussions, and again, we were encouraged to interact with our peer mentors. By this time, my vocabulary had grown so much that I was able to pick words and phrases out of songs, read more signs, and even unintentionally eavesdrop on conversations, recognizing greetings and replies.

There were many supports in place, adequate for me to feel that I could handle it while working full time. The hardest part for me was the sheer number of vocabulary words, which I am still working on. Try taking Hawaiian language online. You won't regret it!

PS - For all who have asked, Akea Kiyuna was my kumu. Mahalo e Kumu Akea!

ka pūpū (shell)

ka hoe (paddle

ka 'omawawe (microwave)   

ACCJC Peer Review: Hawai'i Tokai International College Visit

Last fall, I attended an ACCJC peer reviewer recruitment/training along with several faculty members and a lecturer. Before I left my last school, my next big goal was to become a peer reviewer, so when the opportunity came up here, I jumped at the chance. Having served as Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) and worked with the staff and faculty there on our last accreditation document and visit, I knew that furthering my learning in this area would serve Hawai’iCC well. Working on accreditation is the best way to learn how your college works.

My experience was that accreditation visits could be really stressful as we defend our practices and show evidence for how we are achieving the standards. Imagine my surprise when ACCJC representatives shared with us the new, school-friendly, positive changes they have made in the way they approach accreditation. Their new philosophy is to celebrate and support the college. They are committed to taking the fear out of the process!

Instead of approaching the visit with a negative, compliance driven mindset, the peer reviewers come in with the intention of finding out how we have met the standard. In fact, the interviewing process at the school is considered part of the evidence, so if we left something out in our report or didn’t adequately explain how we are meeting the standard, we have a chance to add to it. Each peer reviewer team is intentionally staffed to best fit our college.

Shortly after this training, I filled out the form to show my interest in becoming an ACCJC peer reviewer. The process only works if we have a wide community of volunteer peer reviewers. It is excellent professional development and an opportunity to travel to another college and be part of this important work. Much sooner than I expected, I had a chance to be a part of a team - not as a peer reviewer but as team assistant under our own Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas.

Dr. Solemsaas had been asked to chair the team of peer reviewers who would visit Hawai'i Tokai International College in Kapolei, O'ahu, HI, adjacent to UH West O'ahu. What a great introduction to being part of an accreditation review team! I facilitated for the group in many ways, helped edit the final document, and learned so much about what it takes to be both a good peer reviewer and part of a healthy team.

HTIC is a wonderful, little college that has been located in Hawai'i since 1992, one of many campuses around the world, most of which are located in Japan. HTIC is part if the Tokai University Educational System, founded by Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae who believed in intellectual rigor, physical fitness, and intercultural understanding to encourage lifelong learning who would build world peace. It is a unique college with a distinctive mission. This photo shows the students welcoming our group with a hula in front of their library.

Becoming a peer reviewer for other colleges in the ACCJC family is excellent professional development and an opportunity to travel to another college and be part of this important work. You can show your interest by filling out this form. ACCJC assured us that it was not necessary to have attended training to fill out this form. Doing so just shows your interest in being contacted and learning more about the process. You would be invited to a training if chosen, after which you still get to decide whether the work is for you.

Think about it! My experience was fun and educational, and I'm looking forward to being a ACCJC peer reviewer soon.

Indigenous Leadership Through Hula

One of my lifelong dreams has been to learn hula. In Fall 2017, I took Dr. Taupōuri Tangarō's class at UH Hilo, HWST 194-Indigenous Leadership Through Hula. I gained a new appreciation for the admissions process, but that's a side story! The class itself was enlightening and a joy to attend twice a week from 5:30-6:45. It joined two subjects that I'm passionate about: indigenous leadership + hula.

I discovered many things, one of which is that I'm not as fit and flexible as I thought I was. Hula is a real workout! I'm also, apparently, not as coordinated as I'd like to be. Still, the class was appropriate for beginners, and I learned some basic steps, oli (chants), and mele (songs) and had a fun time getting to know my classmates who ranged in age from teenagers to kupuna. Some were experienced dancers, and others, like me, were new to dancing hula.

Translating a chant

On the first night of class, there were no less than 80 participants! Over time the class thinned out to a core of about 40 students. It began to feel like a big family, everyone willing to help one another. One of the best parts of the class was hearing students' thoughts and appreciating the unique perspectives they brought to the learning experience. We learned a number of Hawaiian mele for which we were provided translations.

Mapping my thoughts and idea

Our task was to delve within to determine how each mele's message applied to our own lives, specifically to ourselves as indigenous leaders. We focused on enduring principles that are traditionally taught through poetic compositions from long ago. Practicing hula to these mele was a meditation on each message and its meaning and brought us closer to the authors and the generations of ancestors who spoke these words before us.

In addition to the young people taking the class with me, there were a number of recent graduates, tuta, who were practicing their leadership skills by showing us how the dances were done, gently correcting us, teaching us in small groups, and evaluating our performances. They were inspiring, graceful examples to us. I will never again under appreciate the work and skill that goes into performing a beautiful hula.

I was even considering taking the course again in the fall, but I was honored to be invited to join the Kuku'ena hula group of Hawai'i Community College in the fall. Trina Nahm-Mijo will be my mentor. I'm looking forward to taking an even deeper dive into hula and personal growth!