"The support I continue to receive from the SONG program is invaluable."

Hometown

Framingham, Massachusetts

Department

School of Teacher Education - M.Ed. in Teaching

Related Degrees

• MEdT, Teaching - Elementary, Secondary & Hawaiian Language Immersion

What is your current position?
I am a kindergarten teacher at Royal Elementary School.

How did you become interested in the field of education?
My undergraduate degree in is business, so I began my career in the corporate world. While working in the travel industry, I would tutor kids in an urban Boston school a couple of times a week. I realized I was much happier working with the students.

Describe your road to graduate school.
I did a domestic exchange at UH Mānoa during my undergraduate program. Four years later, my roommate from that semester said she was returning to Hawaiʻi to teach and asked if I wanted to move back too. When I returned to Hawaiʻi, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do.  I was teaching surf lessons and working on a boat when a friend of mine who taught at Farrington High School told me about a position there. I began tutoring students again, working with freshmen in a college-track program.

I decided to enter the MEdT program and was hired before I even finished. I have taught fifth grade special education as well as first grade at Royal Elementary. This upcoming school year will be my first time teaching kindergarten.

How has the SONG program helped you in your position?
My advisor, Stephanie Furuta, has made a dramatic difference in my organization and overall comfort in the classroom. Since graduating last year, I have had peace of mind, knowing that the SONG program is there to support me. Stephanie has helped me with everything from grading consistency and rubrics to writing strategies and time-management. She’s actually coming back this week to help me with the floor plan in my new classroom.

What are your future plans?
My five-year plan is to get National Board Certification. Maybe someday, I can incorporate my love of the water, surfing, and teaching.