At Ko Olina, a traveling classroom connects keiki and kūpuna through lessons rooted in Native Hawaiian values.
In April 2002, the Partners In Development Foundation hosted its very first session of the Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool at Lili‘uokalani Protestant Church in Hale‘iwa on O‘ahu’s North Shore. Designed to support kūpuna (grandparents) who care for their mo‘opuna (grandchildren), Tūtū and Me’s novel concept delivered a free familychild interaction learning (FCIL) program right to the community and provided a culture-based alternative to expensive and inaccessible private preschools.
Today, Tūtū and Me makes twice-weekly visits to 24 learning sites in predominantly Native Hawaiian communities on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Hawaiʻi, Moloka‘i, and Maui. “The initial dream was to nurture the special relationship of kūpuna and keiki, and it’s blossomed to include parents, aunties, even daycare providers, all coming together to create a learning environment driven by Hawaiian culture and values,” says Amanda Ishigo, a former Tūtū and Me caregiver educator who serves as the program’s project director. “We’re empowering our caregivers to be the keiki’s first teacher, and they get to be right there learning alongside their little ones.”
Each Tuesday and Thursday, the preschool on wheels arrives at Lanikūhonua Cultural Institute at Ko Olina via the program’s Mercedes Sprinter van. Tūtū and Me caregiver educators open with the program’s signature song, “‘O Wai Ma Ke Kula?” (“Who Has Come to School Today?” before guiding children through explorations of music and movement, math, language, science, and creative arts all through the lens of Hawaiian values. Many of the program’s lessons are site-specific and tailored to the unique history, landscape, and spirit of the area.
“Having opportunities to work alongside mahi‘ai (farmers) and harvest kalo (taro), fruits, and vegetables connected so many dots for my keiki when we explained farmto-table concepts,” says Naomi Kim-Davis, who attended Tūtū and Me sessions at the Lanikūhonua site with her son, Kala‘i. “It was so special to show him how we cultivate ‘āina (land), how it relates to his grandpa’s ‘āina, and the importance of water distribution.”
Not only has Tūtū and Me become a successful model for teaching fundamental skills and cultural knowledge to younger generations, the inclusive, modular preschool strengthens the keiki-caregiver kinship and provides a unique space for older generations to socialize. “I’ve seen tūtū (grandmothers) bonding over their mo‘opuna as they learn and play together,” Ishigo adds. “We’re connecting families who have the same kind of values, the same aloha for their keiki—this is really the essence of community.”
Guiding children from birth to age 5, the Tūtū and Me program offers children and caregivers an opportunity to explore subjects like music, science, creative arts, and language through the lens of Hawaiian values.
The Tūtū and Me program features site-specific curriculum tailored to the unique history, landscape, and spirit of each location. To learn more about the Tūtū and Me program.
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