EDUCATION
Ph.D. degree, Department of Education, 2007
University of Buckingham, Buckingham, England
Major: Sociology of Education
M.A. degree, Department of Linguistics, 2001
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Major: Teaching English as a Second Language
B.S. degree (Cum Laude), Department of Education, 1991
Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, Hawaii
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Psychology
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Associate Professor, 2013 – present
Teacher Education Program, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI
SCHOLARSHIP
Publications
Shute, R.W. & Shute, J.W. (2019). Lost and Found. Murrells Inlet, SC: Covenant Books.
Shute, J.W. & Shute, R.W. (2019). Namuka I Cake primary school: A modern miracle in Fiji. Laie, HI. The Millstone Initiative.
Shute, J.W. (2018). BYUH interns build a school and bless the lives of children. Ke Alaka’i. Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
Shute, J.W. (2017). The international teacher education program: ITEP celebrating 20 years in the pacific 1997 – 2017. Laie, HI. Brigham Young University–Hawaii Printing.
Shute, J. W. (2017). “Putting vision into practice: Exploring five timeless principles for student achievement.” C. R. McCray (Ed.), Why school leaders need vision. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
Shute, J. W. & Cooper, B. S. (2015). Understanding in-school truancy. Phi Delta Kappan. March 2015. Vol 96. No. 6. Pgs. 65 – 68.
Shute, J. W. & Cooper, B. S. (2014). Fixing truancy now: Inviting students back to class. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. pages 167.
Shute, J. W. (2014). The ali’i warrior. The Bookshelf Press, L.L.C. Las Vegas, NV. pages 202.
Shute, J. W. (2009). Expanding the truancy debate: Truancy, ethnic minorities and English language learners. In M. Conolly & D. O’Keeffe (Eds.), Don’t fence me in: Essays on the rational truant. (115 – 138). Buckingham, Great Britain: The University of Buckingham Press.
Shute, J. W. (2007). Ethnic minorities and the truancy question (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Buckingham. Buckingham, Great Britain.
Shute, J. W. (2000). Cultural adjustment factors of senior missionaries on assignment in the south pacific for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (unpublished master’s thesis). Brigham Young University. Provo, UT.
Shute, J.W. “Voices from pacific island students: Truants’ perceptions of the classroom.” Asia Pacific Journal of Education. (In review).
PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE PRESENTATION
Truancy in the Pacific. Oxford, UK March 2024
AAQEP. Indianapolis, IN. Feb 25, 2023.
Fixing truancy now: Inviting students back to class. IATDP International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention. San Antonio, TX. October 28, 2014.
Pacific School Conferences Presentations Given by Invitation
The Making of Experts. Church Schools Principal’s Conference. August 2019. Apia, Western Samoa.
The way great teachers think. Ministry of Education and Vanuatu Teacher’s College. Port Villa, Vanuatu. August 3, 2018
Great teachers: How they think and act. Moroni High School Faculty Professional Development. August 17, 2018. Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati.
Expert Teachers: Helping the one in the midst of the many. Pesega High School Faculty Professional Development. January 2018. Pesega, Western Samoa.
Expert Teachers: Helping the one in the midst of the many. Vaiola High School Faculty Professional Development. January 2018. Vaiola, Savaii, Western Samoa.
Expert Teachers: Helping the one in the midst of the many. Sauniatu Elementary School Faculty Professional Development. January 2018. Sauniatu, Western Samoa.
Millstone Initiative: Namuka I Cake Project. August 2017. St. George, UT. (See ‘Citizenship’)
Teaching Standards: Gradual Release. Pacific Church Schools Teaching and Learning Summit BYU–Hawaii. April 24 – 28, 2018. Laie, HI
Keys to High Expectations. S & I Church Schools Principals Conference. Nukualofa, Tonga. August 25, 2017
The International Teacher Education Program (ITEP): Celebrating 20 years in the Pacific 1997 – 2017. Faculty Advisory Committee Forum. April 2017.
Five Keys to Visionary Teaching: Pakilau Middle School Faculty. Nukualofa, Tonga, October 16, 2016.
Liahona High School: Faith to Excel. Liahona High School Faculty. Nukualofa, Tonga. October 13, 2016.
Saineha High School: Faith to Excel. Saineha High School Faculty. Vava’u, Tonga. October 11, 2016
Effective teaching in the pacific: mastering effective techniques. S & I Church Schools Principals Conference. Nadi, Fiji. June 16, 2016.
Connecting student engagement & class attendance in the Pacific: Quality and class attendance. Mapping 21st Century Eduscapes: Global Conversations on Quality Education, Teacher Education & Sustainability. Pacific Circle Consortium Conference. Suva, Fiji. July 3, 2015.
Quality Teaching and Class Attendance. LDS College Faculty. Suva, Fiji. July 2, 2015
How Teacher Thinking Shapes Teaching: Traditional Teaching and Metaphors. LDS Pesega High School Faculty. Pesega, Western Samoa, June 19, 2015.
Four Guiding Principles of Learning. LDS Church Schools Principal’s conference. Auckland, New Zealand. March 2015.
TESOL and Education. TESOL Society BYU–Hawaii. TESOL and the World. May 30, 2017.
Classroom management and school climate: Why it is important to learning. S & I Church Schools Principal’s Conference. Auckland, New Zealand. September 29, 2014
Thoughts on Differentiation. Observation and Practicum Seminar. BYU–Hawaii School of Education. February 28, 2018
CONFERENCES ATTENDED (NO PRESENTATIONS)
January 23, 2019. AAQEP Association for Advancing Quality in Education Partnership. Digging Deeper into AAQEP Standards. Leeward Community College. Honolulu, HI.
May 17 – 18, 2018. WASC Senior College and University Commission Education Program. The learning institution: aligning and integrating practices to support quality. Chaminade University, Honolulu, HI.
January 12 – 13, 2017. CAEP Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. CAEP Accreditation Workshop. Honolulu, HI.
November 15 – 17, 2013. Learning & the Brain. Engaging 21st-century minds: Using brain science, technology, nature and collaboration for deeper learning. Boston, MA.
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Citizenship (Service) Brigham Young University–Hawaii International Teacher Education Program (ITEP) 2013 - 2023
ITEP is a program established to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the 16 schools owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the Pacific Region – Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. We do this by delivering meaningful coursework and professional development to teachers who teach at these schools. The meaningful coursework and professional development are delivered by senior missionary couples who are retired educators.
ITEP Database
Worked with BYU–Hawaii EIS department to develop an ITEP database for organizing, researching, and improving our program systems.
Namuka I Cake Primary School
This is a small primary school in a remote part of Vanua Levu Fiji. Our non-profit humanitarian group raised $105,000 US Dollars and managed to rebuild this little primary school. We rebuilt classrooms, added a library, and teacher’s room, and rebuilt the four teacher living units.
Professional Journal Article Review:
Peer Review. School effectiveness and truancy: a multilevel study of upper secondary schools in Stockholm. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth.
Peer Review. Exploring the Forms of Parental Involvement for Truancy Control: A Scoping Review Analysis with Stakeholder Consultation. Cambridge Journal of Education. 2023 -2024
On-Campus Presentations: (at Prof. Ken Galea’i’s invitation)
Engaging Students. (FALL 2022) Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Laie, HI.
Working with diverse student populations. (WIN 2022) Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI.
Understanding Truancy. (SPR 2022) Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Laie, HI.
Wilderness treatment options for at-risk youth. (FALL 2014). Social Work Student Association. Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI.
Hiring Committee Education Department (2021)
AAQEP Committee:
Helped research and write the Teacher Education Program accreditation.
Contribute to successful accreditation from the Council of Accreditation of Education Programs. My involvement included gathering data, designing quality control, and implementing this Quality Control System. This involved faculty and staff collaboration, and writing different sections of the accreditation document.
Data Committee (Education Department)
Scholarship Committee for Education
Identify students in the Teacher Education Program who qualify for various scholarships. Scholarships include Science Education scholarships specifically for students from the Pacific Islands.
Hiring Committee for TESOL department (2020)
Faculty Advisor for the Kiribati Club (2013- 2018)
Highlights include welcoming President of the Republic of Kiribati, Anote Tong March 14, 2014.
Speaking assignment at a combined Samoa / Kiribati Gospel Forum on October 19, 2014. Welcomed President and Sister Tanner to speak in our Gospel Forum on April 17, 2016.
At the beginning of the culture night performance on March 30, 2018, I prepared and read a tribute to honor victims of a tragic shipping accident in Kiribati.
Faculty Advisor for the Rock and Roll Club (2022 – 2024)
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Teacher Education Internship Program.
This internship program offers volunteer opportunities to our BYU-Hawaii students majoring in Education and TESOL. We have internship opportunities in Kiribati, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa.
Kiribati Career Connect (June 2015)
Escorted a group of 14 Kiribati BYU–Hawaii students to Kiribati.
Scheduled meetings with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Ministry of Communications, Transportation & Tourism Development, Ministry of Lands & Agricultural Development and Climate Change, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor and Human Resources Development, Ministry of Public Works and Utilities, Marine Training Center, and Moroni High School.
Eritai Katebwi Hydroponics and Diabetes in Kiribati
Eritai Katebwi is an alumnus of BYU–Hawaii from the Republic of Kiribati. He worked closely with Brother Les Harper to establish a Hydroponics project in Kiribati. He won an international award and is currently in Kiribati helping the people grow vegetables using hydroponics. In addition to his work in hydroponics, Eritai is making a video about diabetes prevention and cure.
BYU–Hawaii Science Department and the Pacific Island LDS Church Schools
I have been working and collaborating with faculty in the BYU–Hawaii Science Department to help establish and facilitate programs that will benefit the students studying at the LDS Church Schools in Science. The goal was to help develop and implement a Science curriculum in the Church Schools that would help Pacific Islanders be better prepared for BYU–Hawaii. They also wanted to provide research partnerships with high school students to increase their excitement about the sciences.
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Qualitative Reasoning Committee
Evaluated the quality of student writing here at BYU–Hawaii. Established a way to measure quantitative reasoning at the associate and bachelor-degree levels. Gathered a sample population of artifacts, piloted and normed the instrument within our group, and then conducted the evaluation of the artifacts. The analysis of the data and recommendations was presented.
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Institution Learning Outcomes (ILO) Assessment Committee
Wrote a proposal for this committee to outline a plan in which to
1) help promote BYU–Hawaii University ILO among faculty and students,
2) create a shared vision among faculty to integrate the ILOs in their courses by helping faculty understand better the ILOs – what they are and their purpose,
3) align university ILOs to the various programs and courses taught at BYU–Hawaii.
International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention
Member for the past five years. I presented at the conference in San Antonio, Texas in 2014. One area of my research has focused on truancy and how effective teaching, among other things, can influence truancy in high school.
David O. McKay Lecture Nomination in 2019
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Teaching
Course Teaching Assignments:
- EDU 312: Effective Pedagogy: Teaching in Practice (3 Credits).
- EDU 340: Multiculturalism and Culturally Responsive Teaching through Sheltered Instruction (2 Credits)
- ELED 369 Writing Methods (3 Credits)
- O&P 491: Observation & Practicum (4 credits)
- Student Teaching 492 (12 Credits)
- ITEP 492: Student Teaching for Students in the Pacific
- EDU 390R: Internship Preparation (1 Credit)
- EDU 399R: Summer Internship Program Coordinator
- SCED 350: General Methods for Secondary Teachers (2 Credits)
- ELED 451: Elementary Math Methods II (3 Credits)
- ELED 430: Classroom Management in the Elementary Schools (2 Credits)
- SCED 430: Classroom Management in the Secondary Schools (2 Credits)
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
BYU–Hawaii College of Human Development Faculty Recognition Stipend Award 2014-2015
Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year 2007
National Education Association Since 2001
Utah Education Association Since 2001
Jordan Education Association Since 2001
Deseret Language and Linguistics Society Symposium presentation 1999
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 1998
Secretary for Kiribati National Athletic Association, Republic of Kiribati 1993 – 1994
(Organized the Nation’s annual Interschool Track & Field Competition working with various government organizations and school administrators from around the country).
Professional Development Program, LDS Church Educational System 1994
National Teachers Exam 1991
Vice President – Micronesian Club, BYU-Hawaii 1990
President, Gospel Forums, Micronesian Club, BYU-Hawaii 1990
Professional Certification
Teaching Certificate, Level II Grades 1 – 8, Utah State Board of Education 2001
(Endorsements—English as a Second Language)
Teaching Certificate, Hawaii State Department of Education 2011
PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
Teacher, 4-6th Grade, Connections School, Hilo, HI 2011 – 2013
Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts
I taught all subjects to these students as they progressed through the 4th and 5th grades. Connections School uses a unique system where the 4th-grade teacher continued teaching the same students until these students graduate from Elementary School and go to middle school. Because of this situation, I was able to get to know these students and their parents more deeply than if I had only taught them for one year. By 5th Grade, we were able to accomplish a great deal and learn in ways that were exciting to the students. We put on a play/puppet show for the entire school and the parents. The play was on the Revolutionary War. My students wrote the entire script and included all the required information. They created the scenery backdrops and did all the performing. This was a great confidence booster to these students as they realized they are smart and can, actually, accomplish these types of things properly.
An interesting note about the group of students who I started with in the 4th Grade. During my interview, I was ‘warned’ about how disruptive and troublesome ‘kids’ in this grade were. In fact, I was told they were responsible for their 3rd-grade teacher walking out one day and never returning to teach at the school. Fortunately, my background working with at-risk and troubled youth made me perfectly qualified to take on this challenge. As with all youth, these students only need firm guidance in a respectful way. In less than a month these students were making great progress. Eventually, the class was back to normal and everyone was impressed. What these people didn’t quite understand is that the at-risk youth I worked with were juvenile delinquents, whose troubles included home invasions, gang shootings, drug use, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and other serious problems. A group of ‘rowdy’ 4th graders was no problem after my experience in Las Vegas (See Hero’s Journey Program below).
ESL Committee Chairman
With my background in English as a Second Language, I was responsible for the English Language Learners in the Elementary School. I was involved in testing (using WIDA), placement, pull-out groups, and other activities in an effort to help our English Language Learners succeed.
Director and Co-Founder, Hero’s Journey Program, Las Vegas, NV, 2007 – 2011
The Hero’s Journey Program was an outdoor, structured, behavioral, and mental health program for youth ages 11 -18. The program lasted 6 weeks and was accomplished in the mountains of Nevada. Each week, the program focused on different goals, which varied with the needs and responsiveness of each youth.
The youth in our program were experiencing severe life challenges, such as truancy violations, overall school disruptions, and poor grades. They were involved in serious criminal activity, including drugs, gangs, and home invasion robberies. Many of our youth were in detention centers or jails and came to our program as a way to reduce their sentences.
They were defiant, disrespectful, and masters at manipulation. Many came from extremely abusive and negative home environments, including horrendous physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. As such, these youths were a strain on their families and community.
Working with probation and parole officers, lawyers, judges, and law enforcement, the goals of our program centered on completely removing the youth from these negative peer or family situations. We would take them on a ‘Hero’s Journey,’ leaving behind old identities and discovering new, healthier identities.
This required intense physical activity, which we did through backpacking, hiking, climbing, rappelling, orienteering, obstacle course, and ‘anger mountain’ where we hiked up a mountain carrying a heavy rock. At the top of the mountain, we would have an intense, open discussion of the anger inside each of us, the causes, pain, etc. then throw our rock, or ‘anger’ off the mountain. Other activities included meaningful service learning experiences, weekly therapy, rigorous academic work, detailed journal writing, personal histories, weekly academic school work, and reading good books.
In addition, to designing, creating, and directing the program, I wrote and implemented a 48-day program instructor and student manual, beginning with a wake-up call and ending with lights out in the tent. Every minute of the day was structured and demanding.
Teacher, 6thGrade, Rose Creek Elementary
Jordan School District – Sandy, UT 2001 – 2007
Teacher, Language Arts
Taught 150 6th grade students each year by engaging them in writing stories and essays, keeping journals, and studying grammar and other topics outlined by the district curriculum, using the Houghton-Mifflin Language Arts curriculum.
Teacher, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, P.E., Technology
Following the curriculum outlined by the district.
Team member
Our 6th grade uses a modified departmentalization rotation schedule that requires the four 6th grade teachers to work very closely together. We teach all 150 6th grade students in our respective areas and communicate daily about curriculum, students and parents. We organized and produced our 6th grade parent and community program.
School Enrichment Committee Member
We produce enrichment activities outside the curriculum, such as Reading/Writing Workshops, assemblies, and the annual Science Fair.
ESL Committee Chairman
This is a team that is creating and implementing the ESL program at our school. We are responsible for the ESL instruction and education of our students.
Literacy Committee member
Helped oversee the school writing contest. Produced assemblies and wrote skits.
Teacher, English Language Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 1995
Taught Reading, Writing, and Grammar to beginning and intermediate foreign students from a variety of countries including Japan, Korea, Austria, Brazil, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
Teacher, LDS Church Education System – Moroni High School, Tarawa, Kiribati 1992 - 1994
Taught English, Computers, and other subjects to over 120 students per year for 3 school years. Grades 7 – 12
Athletic Director / Coach of Moroni High School
Track and Field and Basketball teams for the interschool competitions and other national events. The basketball team won the national championship in 1993.
Faculty Advisor for the Moroni High School English Club
Organized speech and writing contests that involved students from all grade levels. Founded and published the school’s tri-annual newsletter, The Moroni Messenger.
Co-Founder, NEBO Products – Salt Lake City, UT 1996 - 1999
Created, implemented, and managed business processes and procedures as Business Administrator in different areas of the business including sales, operations, and finance.
Co-Founder, American Direct – Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati 1997 - 2001
Established relationships with shipping companies, foreign government officials, and product suppliers.
Created, implemented, and managed business processes in different areas of the business including sales, operations, and finance. Set up distribution channels for the products we shipped.
CV Last Revised: 06/12/24