Dr. Troy Hutchings, nationally recognized expert in the field of educator ethics, brought the HEA “Communities of Care” series to a close with webinars on September 9 and 26, 2023.
In Their Own Words: Teacher Stories of Compassion and Resilience was the theme as Hawaii educators gathered via Zoom to reflect on how compassion looks given the complexities and uniqueness of communities in Hawaii.
The webinars challenged educators to consider stories centered around the pedagogy of power; compassion and professional responsibility; and professional frameworks, including the Department of Education’s HĀ Framework and the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE).
Dr. Hutchings offered attendees the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions for discussion centered around the topics, followed by an activity entitled “Do Something or Let it Go,” where real-life scenarios were presented and attendees were polled to “do something,” meaning in that situation they would intervene in some way, or “let it go.”
These collective conversations allow educators the opportunity for free discussion in safe spaces to be prepared when they encounter challenging, often stressful, situations in their school communities.
These final events in the Communities of Care series gave educators the tools to choose to work in collaboration with colleagues and families in their school communities instead of in isolation.
The HEA looks forward to Dr. Hutchings’ next presentation in Hawaii at the December 9, 2023, Educator Workshop at the Blaisdell Center Pikake Room, where he will discuss the intersection of ethics and artificial intelligence.
By Lynn Hammonds, Ed.D.
