"Learning collaboratively with a small cohort of fellow teachers-in-training has also proven to be extremely valuable in my development as an educator."

Hometown

Honolulu, HI

Department

School of Teacher Education - M.Ed. in Teaching

Related Degrees

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

What drew you to your current program?

The opportunity to immerse myself in school-based fieldwork while working alongside experienced mentors seemed ideal. Learning collaboratively with a small cohort of fellow teachers-in-training has also proven to be extremely valuable in my development as an educator.

Where are you working now?

I’m currently a sophomore English teacher at Punahou School through a program called “Mentoring at Punahou” (MAP).

What is your philosophy of teaching?

My philosophy of teaching is still evolving as I gain more experience in life and in the classroom. However, one element that has remained constant is my desire to cultivate in myself and in my students the habit of deliberate self-reflection. I believe that if you move through the world with the intention to be more conscious of how and why you act and think in certain ways, you will live a more personally meaningful and socially responsible life.

How do you relate to your students as a teacher?

My students are dynamic individuals with so many creative questions and ideas. I’m learning that my best teaching happens when I’m receptive to my students, when I relate to them by actively listening to what they have to say.

How has the COE helped you on your road to becoming an educator?

I agree with Parker Palmer’;s assertion that we teach who we are. The COE has provided the conditions to help me continue discovering who I am – as a human being and as a teacher – so that I can bring to the classroom a more integrated and purposeful sense of self.

*The MEdT Cohort 37 partners closely with Waipahu High School and is made up of teacher scholars and teacher interns working and learning at various DOE, private, and charter schools. The focus is on building strong communities with and within schools and utilizing giving back as a means of scholarship. Please contact Dr. Jon Yoshioka at jonyoshi@hawaii.edu or Dr. Vail Matsumoto at vail@hawaii.edu for more information.