"I love seeing my students grasp the concepts they are learning and witnessing their many "aha" moments!"

Hometown

Kailua, O'ahu

Department

Special Education

Related Degrees

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Special Education (PBSPED) Initial License

Why did you choose to become a teacher, in general?

Teaching has always been something I have loved ever since I was a young girl. As a child, I would line up plastic chairs and take attendance of my make-believe students. I enjoy sharing knowledge with others and love helping my classmates if they need extra assistance in class. I also enjoyed teaching dance moves to my cousins and friends. I have always gravitated towards the field of teaching in one way or another. As a dance educator for over 25 years, I continue to be a lifelong learner by taking workshops and training courses that extend my teaching into new avenues. I believe becoming a teacher is a natural fit for me, as I love seeing my students grasp the concepts they are learning and witnessing their many “aha” moments! I also enjoy the valuable lessons I learn from my students. It has been a wonderful symbiosis between us.

Why did you choose to become licensed in special education?

To be honest, I didn’t plan to become a licensed teacher, let alone a special education teacher. I thought being a dance educator would be what I did for the rest of my working years. After closing down my dance studio, I took a sabbatical from teaching dance and asked myself, “What’s next?”

It wasn’t long before I came across a job fair hosted by Kailua Elementary. I went through the application process and ended up teaching part-time as a paraprofessional educator. Within a year, an opportunity arose for an emergency hire special education teaching position. It felt like the right fit, and I quickly felt at home with my students and colleagues in this field. I learned so much and saw firsthand the difference we can make both in and out of the classroom. Becoming an advocate for our students’ academic and developmental growth has been incredibly rewarding. My school principal, Allyson Doherty, played a key role in encouraging me to explore the UH Manoa Post-Baccalaureate Special Education program. It has been an intense year, but I know this program and becoming licensed in special education will enable me to work with many amazing students with varying abilities. I can’t wait to meet them!