Conceptual Framework and Core Values
The College remains committed to the fundamental goal of employing as well as preparing education professionals who are KNOWLEDGEABLE, EFFECTIVE, and CARING, and who demonstrate these core values through their (k)nowledge, (s)kills, and (d)ispositions.
CARING
Knowledge
We believe that the development of a general ethic of care in future educators should be a central concern in preservice teacher education programs. The literature on the matter is clear in stating that “caring” is at the heart of education, and that effective teachers are generally described as caring individuals. We understand that by nature, many candidates in preservice education programs are already caring individuals; the further cultivation of this disposition is our goal. We believe that by equipping educators with knowledge about the importance of caring in education, as well as knowledge of the mental, social, emotional, and physical needs of learners, we will be giving them the foundation to carry out their fundamental “obligation to care about every student.”
Skills
We believe that good teachers care, and good teaching is inextricably linked to specific acts of caring. However, a general ethic of caring is not enough for educators; it is imperative that they go beyond this and actually demonstrate their caring dispositions in specific ways. That is why we believe it is important to equip teachers with the skills that will help them demonstrate their ethic of caring, as well as create a classroom environment in which caring is the central focus. These include strong interpersonal skills, which will allow them to be approachable and to form relationships with students; the ability to be empathetic, yet in control; effective and appropriate ways to demonstrate affection for students, both verbally and non-verbally; classroom management skills that will stress prevention and fairness in dealing with discipline problems; and the ability to be democratic in their approach, while incorporating and respecting multiple perspectives. We believe that these skills will enable educators (most of whom are already caring individuals by nature) to take a step beyond simply “having” a caring attitude, and allow them to actually demonstrate their caring disposition in specific ways.
Dispositions
Researchers have pointed out that in order to cultivate caring attitudes in their students and therefore create positive classroom environments, educators themselves must operate from fundamentally caring dispositions. As was pointed out above, we believe that most educators are, by nature, caring individuals. It is this general ethic of caring, love, and respect that we hope will serve as the foundation for educators hoping to instill such dispositions in their learners and to create such environments in their classrooms and workplaces.
These goals are in line with the following Hawaiian values and proverbs about attributes associated with our definition of caring, which we hope our students will understand and put into practice:
- Mālama—Caring
- Aloha—Love
- Lōkahi—Unity, agreement, harmony
- Hō‘ihi—Respect
- He lani ke keiki, he milimili na ka makua—The child is a chief to be fondled by the parents (A child requires as much care as a chief).
- Ua ola loko i ke aloha—Love gives life within.
- E waikahi ka pono i mānalo—It is well to be united in thought that all may have peace.
- He waiwai nui ka lōkahi—Unity is a precious possession.