Kiyoshi Najita is an educator at the Parker School, where he has been for 26 years, teaching English, songwriting and philosophy.
"Parker School has entered a new and truly exciting chapter in its history, and I've been here long enough to make that claim with some degree of authority," he told Big Island Times. He says that teaching is "constantly surprising. That's why I love it."
Both of Najita's parents were teachers, and after studying developmental psychology in college, he found his calling in teaching early in his career.
"I often encounter students who struggle with the process of writing. They put tremendous pressure on themselves to write something perfectly the first time. When this invariably doesn't occur, they begin to have an aversion to writing and to doubt in their abilities. What I try to offer them is a variety of approaches to a written assignment and the suggestion that they commence any academic task the way an artist would begin a work of art. Take the time -- this is crucial, it can't be rushed -- to experiment, fail and start over. Get useful feedback from a variety of people. Don't shy away from being bold and provocative. Carefully craft a written product that is beautiful to read and hear. Be content with your efforts as they are, and then try again, with more focused effort," Najita said.
Located in Kamuela, Parker School is a nonprofit, independent, college-preparatory, coeducational day school serving over 300 students from kindergarten through high school.
The total number of enrolled students at Parker School is 338. In the Upper School, there are 129 students, 106 in the Middle School and 103 in the Lower School. The school is accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and HAIS (Hawaii Association of Independent Schools). The student-to-faculty ratio is eight to one. The average class size is 18 in the Lower School, 14 in the Middle School and 14 in the Upper School.
One hundred percent of the graduating class of 2020 at Parker School was accepted into a four-year college or university. Parker School has a history of producing National Merit Scholarship students as well.
When asked what advice Najita had for parents, he said, "I teach high school kids, so one of the most important strategies a parent can employ is to take a big step back but still be available if needed." When asked what advice he has for the community to help teachers, he said, "Love all children completely." He sees his role of teacher as "helping students to discover what they might be authentically passionate about."