Ho’oulu: Growing Professional Dispositions in a Teacher Education Program to Reflect a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is committed to becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning (NHPoL), however, gaps remain in fully integrating Hawaiian perspectives and practices across the institution. This discussion examines one initiative to develop a culturally responsive assessment tool that aligns with the principles of NHPoL, supporting new teachers as they enter the field of education. The authors ask, “What does a culturally responsive assessment for teacher dispositions in Hawai‘i look like, and how do we get there?” Here we describe: a) a theoretical framework grounded in dynamic assessment; b) the background of professional dispositions assessments used in teacher education; and c) our process for developing a culturally responsive approach to growing professional educators in Hawai‘i. Through this call to engage in culturally responsive praxis, we challenge others to grow alongside us, as we incorporate the wealth of cultural knowledge that lies within our communities.