Why Pink?

For the past two years, we have spent considerable time discussing A Whole New Mind. What motivated your Professional Development Committee to make Daniel Pink's ideas a foundation for our keynote addresses and small group seminars?

The major reason involves our vision that education mus t be relevant and meaningful. However, this proposition begs the question,s "In our rapidly changing world, what will the marketplace and world be like for our students? What skills will be essential for our students to succeed?"

Daniel Pink addresses these very questions in a fresh, readable and insightful manner in A Whole New Mind. In summary, Pink ideas six key skills that will be essential to prosper in the globalized economy of the 21st Century. These include:

1- Design
2- Story
3- Symphony
4- Empathy
5- Play
6- Meaning

Child Development... a jewell of Aloha!

A joy at Aloha is to see our students, under the able leadership of Stacy Major and Ashley Dimeo, work with our Little Warriors in the Child Development Program. At first glance, seeing our students work with the kids looks so cute and fun... which it is!

However, our students learn so much more. In their initial class, Stacy's classes learn about the stages of child development, teaching skills and ways to discipline and motivate in a kind and fair manner.

This spring, students earning a Career Pathways Certificate will present portfolios outlining their learnings... don't miss this fun and meaningful activity!

This program certainly addresses empathy, play and meaning... Pink would be proud!

Cougs Win!

Not only did I view a history of tradition of excellence at UCLA but the team I root for, the Cougs from the Palouse, upset the Bruins 82-81! Fun... Go Cougs!

Yarnell visits the home of greatness... what can be learned?

To celebrate my 50th birthday, Barb (my lovely wife) and I went to Los Angeles for a weekend of relaxation, fun and sun. A highlight for me was attending the UCLA vs. WSU basketball game... see why I call my wife lovely? The whole setting was very interesting as campus environment celebrates the incredible success the Bruins have experienced in Men's Basketball. In short, beginning with Coach John Wooden's tenure UCLA has won many Pac-10 championships and a record 11 national championships.

The community is proud of what Wooden stood for... namely, great teaching and an emphasis on teamwork and character. From a teaching standpoint, Wooden's practices were noted for the practices we value as classroom teachers. These include:

• Learning Targets- Each practice had 2-3 objectives posted and these were constantly referred to and assessed...
• Whole-Part-Whole- Richard Schmoker talks about good teaching as being in "chunks." In essence, he advocates that a lesson should have several small parts. This is exactly how Wooden coached, as a two-hour practice would be broken into parts that directly related to their goals and each segment had some sense of informal assessment.
• Depth vs. Breadth- A genius of Wooden's coaching was that he was simple. He constantly re-taught his big ideas. He believed it was better to really understand and execute a few principles than be exposed to many principles, none of which you really master. Isn't this true i our various disciplines?

Finally, my favorite quote from Wooden is shown below,

"Success is peace of mind that is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming."

Very special Warrior hoopsters

Our "very special" basketball team (students from the ISC) recently played in a basketball tournament at Beaverton HS. What a great event! The joy and enthusiasm was evident on the faces of our students and, as always, they were an inspiration to watch!

A big thank you to Melody Jette and her whole staff for providing great teaching and care for their students!

Maryland is represented at the convention

These students, representing the viewpoint of Maryland, debated various topics ranging from the tariff, slavery and representation in Congress. It was obvious they worked hard as they were articulate and persuasive!

Constitutional Convention comes to Aloha!

Creative teaching was stage when the American Studies classes of Stephen Lucero and Brian Reichelt participated in a Constitutional Convention. Students were divided into groups, representing the original 13 states. Each student group researched the viewpoint that represented their state and then participated in a series of debates and negotiations that ultimately led to the adoption of the Constitution.

The fun and creative activity helped students understand the issues of the time and how challenging the democratic process can be. It was also evident the class practiced literacy skills, as reading and writing occurred regularly in convention.

Thanks to Stephen and Brian for excellent work but not so sure how Brian looks in a wig!?

Design and Self-Esteem

Daniel Pink believes that the ability to create and utilize compelling design is a fundamental skill for the marketplace of the 21st century. Our art department continues to be a leader in this arena. Have you taken time to look at the student work that is displayed in the art gallery and front office. The skils of our students are impressive and inspiring...

How do you emphasize design in your class?

Jam the Gym... more than fun!

Our two nights of Jam the Gym were an incredible success this past basketball season. In addition to fun, great performances by the band, cheer team , Analanis and basketball teams, the Marketing classes displayed their exceptional skills.

The organizational and creative skills that made the nights a rousing success are exactly what will be needed in the marketplace. Talk about relevant and rigorous education!

recolo eruditio... the purpose of this blog

Recolo eruditio is Latin for "to consider teaching." In a real sense, that is the purpose of this blog. The Aloha HS Leadership team will post examples of outstanding and inspirational teaching , as well as thought provoking articles, videos and ideas.

Our audience is "you," the staff of Aloha HS. It is our hope that you will engage in online dialogues where we celebrate great teaching and consider (and maybe even debate) a host of ideas related to teaching at Aloha and education in our nation.

Enjoy and never forget, your teaching skills and care for our students is what makes our motto, "Preparing for the Future... Today" a reality.