Partners in Development Foundation

PIDF Spotlight: Tūtū and Me

Tūtū and Me is Partners in Development Foundation’s early education program. It was our very first program, having been started in 2001. Tūtū and Me aims to meet the developmental needs of keiki ages 0-5 years old in order to prepare them to overcome the challenges of kindergarden and of life. It is a statewide program having locations on Hawaiʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. The U.S. Department of Education funds the project through the Native Hawaiian Education Act in collaboration with Kamehameha Schools.

In Hawaiian culture, grandparents or “tūtū” often play a large role in the raising of children because of socio-economic conditions, and also due to the value of ʻohana. The Tūtū and Me program strives to support the underserved people making up this portion of the Native Hawaiian population.

When caregivers are involved in their child’s education very early in life, there are many positive outcomes. Tūtū and Me recognizes this fact, and therefor, equipping and training tūtū, parents, and other caregivers to be able to positively influence their keiki is a very important part of the program. The program endeavors not only to directly educate the children, but also to train the caregivers of the children (who are the most influential teacher) to be able to provide positive and successful learning opportunities for the child/children they love. A parent, tūtū, or other primary caregiver is required to accompany and remain with the child during program hours and are encouraged to take on a teaching role, participate alongside their keiki during activities, and praise their child’s efforts. Every activity that the child does at the learning center can be repeated in the home. Recipes, learning activity instructions, advice, and more are sent home to assist the caregivers in the building up of their keiki. 

Tūtū and Me is a “Travelling Preschool” being that it has no permanent school building. Instead, teams of early childhood educators travel to pre-selected communities where they set-up, conduct and facilitate the program. Each team serves two communities - one on Mondays and Wednesdays, and one on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tūtū and me targets an enrollment of 50 children and their caregivers at each community location. A tuition-free program, Tūtū and Me provides learning opportunities for children’s social, linguistic, cognitive, physical and emotional development, and meets the needs of anyone directly involved with them and their development.

If you would like more information, you can visit the website or Call the Honolulu Office.

http://www.pidfoundation.org/programs/tutu_and_me/about

(808) 524-7633

A recent trip to the Pāhoa Tūtū and Me site:

Setting Up

One of the learning stations: Math

Every learning station has instructions for the caregiver on how to teach their child using the provided materials.

A caregiver assisting their keiki at the Puzzle station

The Art station

During the “free time” the children can choose whichever learning station that they want to spend their time at whether it be Art, Math, Science, Writing, Music, etc.

The ever-popular Playdough station. Such tactile activities work the children’s many different hand muscles preparing the hands for more dexterous tasks like writing.

Group activities which build social skills are just as important as individual activities