Election Results and STEMS2 Relevancy

    I think that STEMS2 is relevant given our current political situation because of its framework which strives to encompass all facets of life when teaching various subjects.  In the article and around the world we hear about students being fearful because of the election results and what it means to their livelihood going forward. Questions about having to leave the USA or being tormented by others for the color of their skin or origins are just a few of the thoughts running through the minds of children in this country.  

    Our ability as educators to highlight the importance of worldliness and the need for respect amongst all peoples can provide a safe space for all backgrounds despite any election results.  We have the ability to create a place of refuge for students where others places may not be.  It is important to state too that STEMS2 framework doesnt support one candidate or the other, instead it allows activities that can provide both sides to share viewpoints and build understanding and respect.  STEMS2 is a powerful framework because as educators we can remind students that they have the ability to cause change and that positive change can start with them.  They don't need to be dictated by the decisions that are happening on a larger scale and especially if that change might not be positive for all.  Students can choose to behave a certain way that embraces all backgrounds but they will never know that if they are not taught the importance of multi-cultural backgrounds and the value of each persons unique history.  If everyone could approach topics in the way that STEMS2 emphasizes, I feel that there would be more empathy given in certain situations and also better understanding of differing backgrounds because of the support provided to create perspectives that value differences for building a strong society.  If we view life in one dimensional ways, we will never fully have understood the world around us because we will fail to incorporate the dynamic society that truly exists all around us. Therefore, teaching in a dynamic way such as with a STEMS2 framework, we can rest assure knowing that not only are we creating students that are more worldly but we are creating the building blocks of a society that will one day embrace differences and celebrate its value and benefit to all.  
  In my classroom setting I would be sure to allow for activities that provide students the opportunity to share about their upbringing and their cultural traditions.  The simple gesture of sharing food amongst each other that is prepared by different cultures allows people to come together and be grateful for what others have to offer.  This type of activity can also allow for students to learn how to be polite in situations that they may not like certain foods.  We know in life that we will not like all things that a culture may perpetuate, but we also know that we can always find at least one thing that we like and approach all the rest with respect and humility versus hurt and rudeness towards differences. The main point is that we must teach respect, kindness, and these types of actions in our classroom so that students are exposed to conducting themselves in this manner on a regular basis.  If not our adults showing the way, then let our lessons of unity guide the children of today and tomorrow to brighten our future.

Rubric Design

            The wordle created as a class using 15 word phrases that we each associated with STEMS2 brought forth various words.  Like the differences and similarities in our perspectives of STEMS2, as educators we must be certain that our stem unit plans not only assess our student’s understandings but also assess the way in which we deliver lessons to students. 

            In essence, the formative assessment is a self-check for an educator to figure our where to guide the flow of the lesson as different things may come up or the approach for student comprehension might not be happening.  A summative assessment would be a way to evaluate student understanding at the end of the unit and hopefully with formative assessments along the way, the unit was a success for increasing student knowledge.  These are just some aspects of things to be aware of when trying to approach education with a multiple lens.

            In designing a rubric for a STEMS unit plan via the "wordle" the key concepts that would be important to get across in a STEMS unit is the development of multiple lenses as well as collaboration/multiple connections amongst student perspectives and social circles.  Community engagement and place based history comprehension/sense of place is another group of concepts that would be objectives for student comprehension.  The rubric will also guide students as to where within each objective should a student be performing in order to meet the minimum of the lesson and what is considered quality work.

Criteria	Acceptable	Target	Beyond
Multiple lenses	Student is able to identify two different disciplines of education within a lesson and explain the interconnectivity.	Student is able to identify 3-4 disciplines of education within a lesson and explain the interconnectivity.	Student is able to identify 5+ disciplines of education within a lesson and explain the interconnectivity.
Collaboration /Multiple connections with others	Student is able to follow directions and work together in a group comfortably, expressing respect and openness to complete a task.	Student takes the initiative to begin work together in a group and comfortably applies others perspectives to complete the task.	Student shows ability to lead group work that honors all perspectives and creates increased unity amongst peers.
Community Engagement	Student has set up interviews with family members and community stakeholders to understand community need and wants.	Student has conducted interviews and has followed up by putting together an event or completed a project to help with the needs and wants of community.	Student has taken lessons and has presented findings at a community event/meeting.
Place Base History/Sense of place	Student is familiar with the place-based information of his/her educational site, example: names of land divisions, mountains, streams, rain and wind etc. Respect towards environment is expressed.	Student is familiar with the place in which they call home. They can identify names and characteristics unique to educational site and their home base. Respect and increased land stewardship is expressed.	Student is familiar with multiple areas within their community and can perform cultural practices unique to the area and environmental methods to best support a sustainable and healthy environment and community.

STEMS2 Unit Planning

I personally feel that what makes a STEMS^2 Unit is bridging together various frameworks of education that honors all types of perspectives creating a more relevant, culturally appropriate and worldly approach to education.  The core of the unit being the innovative effort of educators in conjunction with community and families to involve every student into the circle of learning no matter the topic.  

    The particular design my STEMS^2 unit will follow should definitely help me to achieve an outline of what my curriculum should look like to successful increase cultural identity amongst youth within my community.  I realized that as I studied various frameworks and theories of education, I found myself veering away from my initial goal to work on a soil curriculum.  I found myself more and more out of sorts with developing curriculum on one singular topic as soil.  I knew I could incorporate all types of other topics increasing the diversity of my unit with my slow but steady clear understanding of STEMS^2 educational approach.  However, I still felt like the way I was thinking before, majorly changed in that as much as I wanted students to understand soil, which in my mind I could create a sense of cultural rediscovery with it, I knew coming from that specific topic first, would have certain amount of students drop off from the initial sounding of specific chemistry terms etc.  Therefore, now I feel that designing my unit through a social construct such as identity particularly cultural identity, I can bring students and community together first and then eventually incorporate soils education later.  I realize that as much as soil education is not widespread, the bigger problem I observe in Hawaiʻi is not infertile and forgotten soils and farmlands but more so forgotten souls which were once possibly former DOE students but failed to rise because they maybe didn't have the proper opportunities.  Perhaps the education systems shut them off versus turned them on to possibilities that they can achieve outside of their day-to-day reality that might not support higher education and positivity.

   Therefore, I’m grateful for the fruitful talks I’ve had with colleagues and teachers on the ideas about educating youth.  It really has helped me to understand the process in which I’m trying to follow to create valuable curriculum that can enact positive change in the viability, strength and sustainability of the mental, social, physical, economical and environmental aspects of society. This type of community strength through innovative approaches to education I think will increase educational success amongst students and the sustainability of individual families through support of collective action.  It’s a great way to think that as we go forward more talk about incorporation of others and the concept of thinking of others will become more widespread.  This is a strong aspect of Hawaiian culture and I wish it was apart of mainstream education in Hawaiʻi along with many other Hawaiian perspectives, because I truly believe it provides a strong foundation for youth in Hawaiʻi to be successful and be contributing members to Hawaiʻiʻs society. 

Multicultural Education Frameworks and Standards Implementation

 The role of multicultural education frameworks is to incorporate a sense of equality within teaching that takes into account all students backgrounds.  It does not simply mean education about a specific culture for a specific day.  It means properly teaching topics that incorporate interactions amongst students that dispel racism and prejudice in topics such as race, religion, gender, class, sexual orientation etc. In the critical race theory view of cultural capital, communities of color are looked at normally with a deficit lens but CRT chooses to view them from the wealth standpoint that exists within these culturally diverse groups of people.  CRT is expressed as a type of social justice project in that it represents a theoretical and analytical framework that challenges the impacts race and racism have on educational structures and pedagogy.  It identifies the imbalance amongst educational systems for the various cultures they serve and the need to incorporate their cultural capital into frameworks of education.

         In looking at both these frameworks it definitely opened my eyes up to the amount of imbalance that exists in the educational systems nationwide.  I feel that it really has to do with the lack of focus in education systems on individual cultural identity and value.  Its almost like people of color can be proud on the designated days or months of their culture festivities but its like a "cultural vacation" for them. The reality being that the world we really live in is one that was set up to particularly support one specific type or class of people hence the efforts to bring in a teaching framework that honors all backgrounds shall be strongly supported a school-wide reform and not just curriculum reform. 

         I know these frameworks will impact my learning spaces and STEMS2 goals because I feel strongly about this type of perspective prevalent in my curriculum. It definitely marries well with my STEMS2 goals in that we are constantly striving to incorporate all student perspectives in teaching, being sure to provide safe spaces for learning and being ones true self.  The reason why they are important to consider too is because Hawaiʻi is a diverse place and we are known to be a melting pot of cultures.  With that said there’s a lot of confusion that can occur.  This place also has a heavy history that directly relates to the current educational constructs in Hawaiʻi.  These types of racism and race lessons are important to identify, discuss and educate students about Hawaiʻi.  It also must be done without instilling barriers amongst Non-Hawaiian and Hawaiian students but allowing the two lens to be shared and discussed to bring more clarity and understanding of viewpoints.   When we begin to understand ones origins and one another’s true intentions, values and goals in life, healing and openness is created.  I feel there is a better chance of making a change that will benefit a large population when there is mutual respect and understanding amongst all peoples despite any differences. This is my hope, so it is important that everyone’s background is implemented thoughtfully while educating and teaching about situations.  Furthermore, sharing about accounts of racism in the classroom can be viewed as a tool to bring about awareness, understanding, healing and change amongst contrasting groups.