Ho'olohe means to Listen

I just got finished attending a Kahua Workshop. This workshop has enlightened my mind, body, and soul to how to better help the learners in my classroom. On Friday we were able to learn and give back to the 'aina or land by doing community service. The elementary teachers broke up into groups and rotated in five stations. We learned about the Hawaiian culture, the Ahupua'a and the Hawaiian values that our ancestors practice back then. There were many ideas and aha moments that I had but one in particular that stands out is to Listen and observe. Back then in order for the Hawaiian people to live and build their villages to feed their people they had to rely on listening to others and observing what they saw. When it rained the water fell on the tops of the mountains and trickled down to the land, the flow of the water was where people decided to build their homes,their gardens and ponds to help the villagers survive. Hawaiians were master engineers back then, they worked together and relied on each other for life and sustenance. So I take this lesson with me this week. I will be a better listener, not to quick to talk and react, but to observe and listen intently to life and others around me...