Fellows create, coordinate, and contribute to opportunities that strengthen and elevate teachers, students, and Hawaii's public education system
Teacher-Led Conferences
ECET2 - Elevating & Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers
Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2) is a conference that brings together a community of teachers and aims to empower and connect them professionally as educators. The conference is designed, planned, and executed by teachers for teachers. Oʻahu’s first ECET2 (branded ECET2.HI) in 2016 convened 83 teachers statewide. The ECET2 movement has grown since then, with more than 850 teacher leaders across all complex areas and islands participating in 10 additional ECET2.HI state/regional conferences (Honolulu District, Campbell-Kapolei, Kauai, West Hawai'i, Molokai).
808 Unconferences: 808 Unconferences are free, participant-driven events. Attendees create the topics then discuss ideas and concepts. Volunteers help organize session topics in focused groupings. Sessions are conversations not presentations. 808 Unconferences have taken place at Kaneohe Elementary, Kapolei Middle, and virtually.
Hawaii educators carve out time to gather in a creative, community space. Special guests join in as we encourage and inspire one another. Many educators work on pieces to publish in national and local landing spots in order to share firsthand classroom perspectives and insight with the community.
Hawaii Teacher Voices- Voices for Hawaii's Teachers BY Hawaii's Teachers. A space to share thoughts about education and the profession of teaching.
Educators from public, public charter and independent schools across the islands either moderate or join in monthly conversations. The solutions, ideas and questions are shared on Twitter's global platform.
Elevating Teacher & Student Voices
Our Fellows are committed to listening to teachers and students and bringing their insights and perspectives to education stakeholders and the table of decision makers.
They have organized data collections, facilitated teacher and student focus groups on a variety of topics, and shared their findings to inform decisions and develop and implement solutions to strengthen education in Hawaii.
Read past reports from our data collections HERE.
Peer-to-Peer Power Sessions are 45 minute virtual professional learning offerings born out of the belief that it is teachers who inspire teachers.
Since April 2020, teachers across the state have been supported in leading the Peer-to-Peer Power Session series. Teachers present successful distance learning strategies and foster collaborative discussions among participants. Resources and notes are shared widely through our website and by participants sharing with their colleagues and leading their own professional development at their schools.
Over 1,000 different educators from 240+ schools/offices have attended the sessions.
Our Virtual Summer Learning Lab focused on:
Practicing and sharing effective distance learning practices
Experimenting with new models of teacher collaboration
Redefining how a community of learners are grown virtually
6 teacher teams offered an 8 day multidisciplinary unit 1-hour virtual learning experience to students entering PK-12th grade. Over 525 students participated in the program. 300+ teachers observed class and student feedback sessions throughout the Summer Learning Lab.
Partnerships
Hawaii State Teacher Fellows have partnered with Teach for America Hawaii and HawaiiKidsCAN on a series of Advocacy and Policy events that brought together teachers, students, and community members
Fellows have worked with Hawaii P-20 and various offices within HIDOE to gather data through surveys and focus groups on a variety of topics to inform policy and action
Fellows have partnered with the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Education by providing teacher candidates one-on-one professional mentoring and growth opportunities