“… teaching and learning alongside the students with disabilities is my passion. I continuously enjoy the challenge of discovering and implementing new strategies to support my students to reach their educational and socio-emotional goals.”

Hometown

Honolulu, HI

Department

Special Education

Related Degrees

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Special Education (PBSPED)

COEAA Spotlight on Shay Chun by Kayla Ueshiro

What is your education background?
High School: Henry J. Kaiser High School
Undergraduate: UH Mānoa, BS in Biology
Post Baccalaureate Certificate: UH Mānoa College of Education, SPED Mild to Moderate Elementary Education

Where do you work?
I currently work as a hospital-based teacher at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children. I provide educational support to pediatric inpatients to encourage cognitive stimulation and socialization. There are many programs that I currently facilitate such as Brain Station, which is a program for students in grades K–12 that focuses on various subjects and cognitive functions. This year, I started a program called Brain Station, Jr., mainly designed for students in pre-kindergarten that focuses on school readiness and early literacy skills.

How did you become interested in education?
Initially, I was interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Prior to applying to medical school, I started volunteering at Kapiʻolani Medical Center in their pediatric department to gain patient experience. Through my volunteer experience, I started tutoring at Brain Station, and I was instantly captivated by the role of the teacher. From not only witnessing the interaction between a teacher and student but also experiencing firsthand the “educator role” as a DOE tutor, I developed my love and passion for creating this shared goal of success with my students. This was my turning point that led me to switch my career aspirations and pursue a post-bacc in education.

Is there anyone who inspires/ or inspired you to become a teacher?
The inpatient children inspired me to become an educator, and they continuously encourage me to be the best teacher that I can be. More specifically, teaching and learning alongside the students with disabilities is my passion. I continuously enjoy the challenge of discovering and implementing new strategies to support my students to reach their educational and socio-emotional goals.

What are your future vision and goals?
In the near future, I aspire to pursue my Master of Education in Special Education, more specifically the Literacy Specialist program from the College of Education. As an avid reader, I want to create an experience for my students to discover their love and joy for reading rather than associating reading with being a chore. Reading is such a powerful tool, and I believe this program will help me reach my goals as an educator.

What are three fun facts about you?
1. I could eat breakfast for any meal of the day! I LOVE breakfast foods!
2. If I could be an animal, I’d be a Kolea bird (a.k.a. The Pacific Golden Plover) so that I could travel.
3. Reading is my favorite pastime. I could sit and read all day from morning to night.