Weaving Core Values, Curiosity, and Joy with Dr. Mark Hines (EP149)

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Dr. Mark Hines is the Director of Kupu Hou Academy at Mid-Pacific Institute, a professional learning organization that supports deeper learning practices for teachers and school leaders. He has played for 42 years as a math, science technology teacher, technology coordinator, program head, deeper learning evangelist, facilitator of learning, canoe paddling coach, and champion of teachers and learners of all ages.

Your WHY 

I believe that the best work we can do collectively is to prepare learners for their future by providing them with authentic engaging and joyful experiences. A belief that teachers and schools can be collaborative, empathetic, and professionally rewarding. A belief that the best work you do is what you are doing today and how that builds into better work tomorrow. A belief that we make a difference one learner at a time. A belief that educators are in a privileged position to shape the future and we should celebrate it. Kupu Hou Academy is the latest outgrowth of this quest.

What it was like for you as a student

I was an introvert and was bullied. It was because I was talk, probably the tallest in my class but wasn’t into sports. I didn’t feel safe, seen, and heard in elementary and middle school. When I was in high school, I found performing helped me. I was a band nerd. 

Can you share a little about your background in education?

I taught Science, Math, and Technology for 42 years. I am passionate about teaching, learning, and the future of education. I serve on the Governing Board of The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability (SEEQS) and am a past president and current board member of the Hawaii Society for Technology in Education (HSTE). I also coached high school canoe paddling for 30 years.

I am a recipient of the Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching,  a National Tandy Technology Scholar, and a Pacific Technology Foundation Technology Educator of the Year. In 2016, I was recognized by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools as an “Educator of the Future”. I serve as a planning member of the state-wide Schools of the Future Conference as well as the Hawaii Educational Leadership Summit. I have a Ph.D. in Educational Technology from the University of Hawaii and a B.S. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

I consult and present locally and nationally on issues of deeper learning in schools, technology in education, and school transformation.

MPX eXploratory at MPI

https://www.midpac.edu/academics/high-school/mid-pacific-exploratory-mpx

Mid-Pacific Exploratory [MPX] is an innovative program that features project-based learning as the primary focus of student work. We engage in immersive experiences that promote deeper learning and understanding.

This curriculum encourages learners to synthesize their knowledge of language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, technology, art, and engineering through participation in a collaborative “real-world problem-solving” setting. Some examples include working with community partners such as the Honolulu Zoo in developing their educational outreach, international water quality testing for Water Hands Hope, writing legislation and participating in the testimony process, crash testing protective pod designs, construction instruments to study magnetism, electricity, and sound, and cooking to explore thermodynamics.

In the words of one of our students, “We should use our strengths in one subject area to strengthen our skills in another.”

Article in The Star Advertiser
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/08/06/hawaii-news/teachers-students-divided-over-ais-risks-benefits/

Kupu Hou Academy 

https://www.midpac.edu/the-center/kupu-hou-academy

Kupu Hou Academy was founded over ten years ago by its current director Dr. Mark Hines, and fellow Mid-Pacific teachers. In Hawaiian, kupu hou means, “to sprout anew.” This program encapsulates our vision to give teachers and school leaders the tools and support to bring Deeper Learning to life in classrooms everywhere.

Pedagogies in Authentic Design for Deeper Learning Experiences (PADDLE)

Contact Information

Website/blog: https://mhines.edublogs.org/
Twitter(X): @mhines
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhines1/ 
Email: mhines@midpac.edu

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I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Mark Hines who is an inspirational leader with an amazing journey in designing deeper learning environments. It was such an honor to have Mark share his story and his WHY with me. Please share this podcast and the post with your friends.