A good teacher can be a leader, too

Back in June, I was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas, the first Hawaii teacher to be selected. It is an honor filled with humility and gratitude, and it’s important for me to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the impact that teachers have had in my life, both in my early days and in recent times.

Growing up, I survived poverty, physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Research now tells us that two-thirds of children are exposed to at least one type of ACE in their early years. Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, I learned to be resilient. I did not learn this on my own. During some difficult times in intermediate school, three teachers were pivotal in my capacity to transcend the obstacles: Roberta Lau, Eva Kono and Kathy Lum.

Mrs. Lau, my music teacher, made sure I knew what lyrics and dynamics meant, but also focused on much more than music. She taught me to consider what is important to me and how to think about my beliefs and where they would take me in life.

Mrs. Kono, my homeroom and keyboarding teacher, set a high bar for excellence. I struggled that year in other classes, but one day she took a quiet moment to tell me I was her all-American boy for that school year. (I thought it was a random encouragement, until she introduced me to her all-American boy from the year before.) I don’t know whether she truly understood how much I needed and appreciated that encouragement. I will never forget it.

Ms. Lum, a vibrant French teacher, helped me be at ease in the classroom and encouraged me to excel. She opened her students’ minds to a world they didn’t know existed by learning a new language and culture. Indeed, she extended those lessons into a real world experience. After graduating, I joined her and some of her students on a six-country French language study tour. That opportunity to travel as a naïve 18-year-old was a life-changing experience.

All three of these teachers also taught me many other things, including the importance of setting goals, being thoughtful of others, and finding joy in one’s work. Those lessons are certainly part of the reason I survived the difficult times. Perhaps these life mentors are also the reason I became a teacher.

Teachers who often make a difference make the effort to reach beyond the four walls of their classrooms; they take the time to collaborate with their colleagues, seek resources from outside the school, see children as learning holistically, and celebrate even small successes. In public schools, these efforts are viewed as teacher leadership. Many teachers want to assume leadership roles without having to become a school administrator.

Hawaii is at the cutting edge of teacher leadership. In 2014:

>> The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board established a licensure field for teacher leadership.

>> Hope Street Group established its Hawaii Teacher Fellowship, in which teachers seek to assume new leadership roles, voice their expertise, and engage in dialogue about public education.

>> A group of Hawaii public school teachers joined the Teacher Leadership Initiative, which develops overall leadership skills, as well as specific skills in instructional, association and policy leadership.

In 2015, teachers who had gained experience in these ventures joined with crucial others — including the Hawaii State Teachers Association, DOE’s Teacher Leader Academy, the New Teacher Center and Kamehameha Schools — to create the Hawaii Teacher Leadership Network. This group promotes opportunities for teacher leaders and celebrates their work across the state.

I am encouraged for Hawaii’s keiki as more teachers are seeing themselves as leaders and are seeking new ways to share their voices while improving learning opportunities for their students.

Let’s applaud the work of public school teachers. They need the support of their communities. Teachers make a difference for our keiki, often in profound ways. They certainly did for me.

Jonathan Gillentine, Ph.D., has served in Hawaii’s Department of Education for over 36 years; he is a product of Hawaii’s public schools.