Molly Jenkins loves learning just as much as she loves children. But neither motivated her to become a teacher.

For Jenkins, 29, teaching is a direct and effective means of addressing inequalities in education and the social problems that arise from them.

"I love children, but for me teaching is really more about wanting to see a stronger educational system," Jenkins says.

As a teacher at Hoaloha o ke Kai Montessori School in Kahala, Jenkins has found the sort of responsive, supportive learning environment that aligns with her values.

Unbeholden to narrow assessment methodologies and empowered to take ownership of her classroom, Jenkins has embraced the pedagogical principles developed more that a century ago by Italian education reformer Maria Montessori to provide her students opportunities to learn and grow at their own pace, within the context of their own culture and location, with meaningful benchmarks to guide their development.

Jenkins was herself educated in Montessori schools in her native Illinois and studied Montessori philosophy and method after completing her graduate studies at the University of Washington.

Like other Hoaloha o ke Kai teachers and parents, Jenkins says she values the ways in which the Montessori method allows children to assume as much responsibility as they have been observed to be able to handle, how lessons are adapted to the students’ individual interests and how the curriculum encourages development of the whole person.

It was no surprise then that when the school announced in November that it would be closing at the end of the school year — a sad ending brought about by financial and administrative problems — parents and teachers weren’t willing to go their separate ways.

A working group of about 20 parents and teachers has been working furiously to establish a new Montessori school, Montessori of Oahu. They have applied for 501(c)(3) status and are awaiting approval of their state charter application.

The school will operate privately next year before hopefully re-emerging the following year as the state’s first public Montessori school.

"There’s a private-public dichotomy here," Jenkins said. "If you can’t afford private school, the options are very limited.

"This is an opportunity for people to ask what a school should be and how, beyond academics, it can explore culture, language and the environment and develop character," Jenkins said. "For me it’s about social reform and closing the achievement gap. Hawaii is ready for it."

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