Page 264 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

238 P.W.U. Chinn and D.D.M. Hana‘ike

Becoming a Science Teacher

David’s premed biology degree prepared him for his first position as a contact lens
optician, but staff reduction and comments from friends that he would be a great
teacher led to a career change. When he reviewed the section below, he commented
on his lack of preparation for working with culturally diverse students. Because his
teacher preparation program did not provide strategies to reach the “rascals” with
behavior issues, he drew upon his own learning experiences and his growing knowl-
edge of Hawaiian practices, places, and natural history to develop an instructional
toolkit of learning activities to share with colleagues. Experienced mentors, includ-
ing his maternal grandmother advised him to put aside “foolish lesson plans” in
favor of pedagogies supporting relationship building and engaging all students in
learning.
My move into education came about due to staff reduction in the eye department of my
hospital. That was the turning point in my genealogy of being an educator in the DOE.
Even after graduating from the University of Hawai‘i with a Professional Diploma in 1985,
I returned every Christmas to Salem, Oregon for several years to be with my grandmother
and learn about her passion for education. She was critical in [developing] my thinking
skills, as she was a veteran teacher with similar relationship skills that I had. Our conversa-
tions over my first couple of years as a teacher assisted my ability to work stronger and
wiser with relationship building with my students. I would have to say that my grandmother
was as important an influence on my success in education as were my parents.
My first year of teaching I had three levels of students (grades 7, 8, and 9) both math
and science. My math students were Z level (lowest) and English Second Language
Learners (ESLL). Much of what I had to work with prompted me to draw on my knowledge
base from Willamette University. I did quite a bit of direct instruction and a lot of drill with
my ESLL, and constant bombardment of quizzes to remind the student that I meant busi-
ness. I [also] did a lot of rewarding of good work with words of kindness. My students
knew how I wanted them to act. My greatest moments were [when] my hardest classes
came back and cried as they left for high school. When I [reminded them] they were so
kolohe (rascally) during our first quarter they cried more and claimed that they truly loved
me, the work we all accomplished and that I truly respected them [and treated them with]
kindness.
Taking the kindness method out into the field and doing small group studies was
Dr. George Walker’s approach to discussing things with his UH students. Judy and I often
were seen falling behind on our hikes because students got so involved that they wanted to
find their own examples of what I was talking about. And they were almost always
successful.
My education mentors within the public school system here in Hawai’i are numer-
ous. My coordinating teacher at Kailua High School, Amy W was a tough individual who
did not fool around with foolish lesson plans. Her “no nonsense” approach to curriculum
design and inquiry lessons was instrumental in forging my philosophy on education. The
efforts of Edith W. and Judith I. at Kawananakoa during my first year of teaching also made
a lasting impression on the value of long hours and thorough unit plans. Both took me
under their wings and helped me to develop strong ideas about the education of all students,
from those with challenges to the most gifted of students.
During my 16 years at Kawananakoa, I worked side by side with two great mentors,
Edith and Judy. Together we ruffled a few feathers promoting science education and
requesting increases in years of science. The crowning jewel of our efforts was to become
the first public middle school to offer a mandatory 3 year science curriculum based on
general science and natural history. In addition, we created the curriculum to get the