"I chose to become a special education teacher because I believed I could help struggling children and improve the lives of young children with special needs."

Department

Special Education

Related Degrees

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Special Education (PBSPED)

Shannon Kaaa has been a preschool special education teacher at Fern Elementary for over 20 years. She has taught preschool children with special needs in multiple settings. She also taught second-graders with mild to moderate special needs in her career.
Shannon is an active member of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. She currently is appointed to the Special Education Committee, where she and other Special Education teachers meet with the Department of Education to address operational and working condition concerns. Shannon has served on the Negotiations Committee for the past 10 years and has been part of the Negotiations Team that met with the state to negotiate teacher contracts. She has also served on the Board of Directors and the Teacher Evaluation Joint Committee.
While attending the University of Hawaii Shannon was actively engaged in the Student Council for Exceptional Children. After graduation she continued her membership in the Council for Exceptional Children, attending conferences and lobbying the Legislature. Shannon has also served on the Board of Directors or the Hawai`i Association for the Education of Young Children.

Message to Teacher Candidate

Dear Teacher Candidate,

I am looking forward to having you as part of our preschool special education class at Fern Elementary.

As your Cooperating Teacher, I will support you in learning about teaching special education using developmentally appropriate practices and will share some classroom management strategies that might help you in your classroom.

I am excited to meet you and to learn some new things from you, too – both from your course work and from your personal ‘skill set’.

Aloha,
Shannon Kaaa