Hawaiian Culture and Language

Children develop 85% of their core brain structure by the time they are five years old. That’s what Maria Montessori refers to as “the absorbent mind”, and this principle drives the way Montessori curriculum is structured and designed.

Studies show that age three is the ideal age to begin learning other languages. Fluency comes fairly easily, more quickly, and without accent. Between ages 8 and 12, children often lose the ability to hear and reproduce new sounds as they did when they were younger, making language acquisition more challenging.

By embracing an educational philosophy that acknowledges a native Hawaiian perspective, Kawaiahaʻo Church School is furthering its broader vision of multilingualism, multiculturalism, educational excellence, and Montessori’s focus on whole-child development.  In addition to cognitive benefits and a correlation to higher academic achievement, exposure to multiple languages creates a deeper understanding for humanity and culture.