Pahala

What a day! I'd like to thank Ann, Jeannine and Jan for setting up a very interesting yet unexpected day. I've driven by Pahala dozens of times without much notice but now I have a new found appreciation for this tiny town. My favorite part of the day was visiting the radio station. The fact that it is a community run station in a former dentists office located next to the old theater was interesting to me. When my wife's family (from Oahu) comes to visit I will be sure to take them around town, they are fascinated with the Big Island and how it is still relatively untouched, I enjoy seeing a glimpse into Hawaii's past.

I also enjoyed learning about the town's coffee and sugar past and local history. I have decided to try the podcast (my first, I hope it works) on the history of Pahala.

Here a few highlights:

• 1910: C. Brewer takes over W. G. Irwin and Company, which owned Hutchinson.
• 1922: Volcano Golf Course opens, the first in Hawai`i.
• 1982: Kilauea Caldera erupts for 24 hours
• More to come...

source: pahala-hawaii.com

Labels

We as humans love labels eg. republican, democrat, etc. Parents and educators are no exception, schools now a days may be considered "green" "charter" or "private" and teachers may consider their curriculum to be "place-based" or "project-based." I believe when we as teachers "label" ourselves, we are opening some doors yet closing others. Labels are simple, in-the-box, sometimes dangerous and very easy for those with contrasting viewpoints to dismiss. The definition of a school is a constantly changing and evolving being, therefore educators must be open-minded, diverse and be able to use their knowledge and training similar to how and when a professional golfer selects the proper club.

Anna Ranch

Today as I began the first class of Place-Based Literacy: A Journey Through Hawaii's Ranching and Agricultural Past, I began to wonder exactly what "place-based literacyy" is. At first I wasn't exactly sure and considered asking the instructor for an "official" definition but I didn't.  I kept an open mind and later the walking tour of Waimea's Anna Ranch answered the question for me. The excellent tour was a tribute to one person, Anna Lindsey, who made a difference and left a significant and positive mark on Hawaii and beyond. After the tour, I came up with my own "unofficial official" definition of place-based literacy, which is to go somewhere-anywhere, try something new and then admire and appreciate that experience by translating it into words.