{"id":229982,"date":"2026-02-24T14:39:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=229982"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:43:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:43:04","slug":"preparing-hawaii-olelo-educators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/24\/preparing-hawaii-olelo-educators\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Â鶹´«Ã½\u2019s ʻōlelo educators at UH<\/abbr> Hilo"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Makaimoku
Kanani Mākaʻimoku<\/span> and an aerial view of Â鶹´«Ã½Hilo\u2019s Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla<\/span> O Keʻelikōlani<\/span> College of Hawaiian Language.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hawaiian language immersion programs across the state are growing fast, however schools need more qualified teachers to meet that demand. At the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Hilo, Kananinohea “Kanani” Mākaʻimoku<\/span> is working to help fill that gap.<\/p>\n

As director of the Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Program<\/a> within the UH<\/abbr> Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla<\/span> O Keʻelikōlani<\/span> College of Hawaiian Language<\/a>, Mākaʻimoku<\/span> prepares educators to teach in Hawaiian medium and immersion schools. Throughout the past decade, the state\u2019s Hawaiian immersion program has grown by 67 percent.<\/p>\n

\"four
Kanani Mākaʻimoku<\/span> with Kahuawaiola teacher candidates during a site visit to an immersion school on Maui.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kahuawaiola is a three-semester graduate certificate delivered in ʻōlelo<\/span> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> (Hawaiian). During the pandemic, Mākaʻimoku<\/span> helped shift the program online, reshaping and expanding access.<\/p>\n

“Since 2020, the average number of students enrolling from the outer islands has increased by approximately 56 percent compared to the program\u2019s pre-2020 history,” said Mākaʻimoku<\/span>.<\/p>\n

She has seen firsthand how hybrid learning has opened doors for students in rural communities, including areas such as Lānaʻi<\/span> and H\u0101na. That access drives her to reach even more future educators as the need continues to grow. Since its inception, Kahuawaiola has prepared 164 certified teachers.<\/p>\n

“By preparing teachers who are fluent in Hawaiian and grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, we ensure that Hawaiian language medium and immersion schools can continue to serve families across the state,” Mākaʻimoku<\/span> said, noting that education has long been one of the most effective ways to reverse language loss in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Full-circle journey<\/h2>\n

Mākaʻimoku<\/span>\u2019s own path reflects that mission. Educated in ʻōlelo<\/span> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> from preschool through high school, she later spent 16 years teaching in immersion classrooms. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Hawaiian studies<\/a> at UH<\/abbr> Hilo, along with a teaching certificate<\/a> through the Kahuawaiola program and a master\u2019s degree in Indigenous language and culture education<\/a>. She is now pursuing her doctorate in Hawaiian and Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization<\/a> within UH<\/abbr> Hilo\u2019s College of Hawaiian Language.<\/p>\n

For more go to UH<\/abbr> Hilo Stories<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n

—By Susan Enright<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kananinohea “Kanani” Mākaʻimoku<\/span> prepares educators at UH<\/abbr> Hilo to teach in Hawaiian medium and immersion schools across Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":229993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1725,1057,316,933,14],"class_list":["post-229982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-hawaiian-lang","tag-hawaiian-language","tag-ka-haka-ula-o-keelikolani","tag-teacher-education","tag-uh-hilo","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t