Molokai Teaches with Heart

Community Contributed

Submitted by Diane Abraham

Each month, kumu from a different school island-wide are featured in articles written completely by the keiki to share their experiences with their most beloved teachers.  Below are submissions from Mr. Bear’s sixth grade class from Kaunakakai Elementary School.

Mrs. Yuen
A teacher that made a difference in my life is my fifth grade teacher Mrs. Andrea Yuen.  She helped me with all my problems that I was having.  One of my problems was my reading.  She helped me improve my reading by letting me read smaller books so I could understand them much better.  This is why I’m picking Mrs. Yuen as a teacher that made a difference in my life.  So, thank you Mrs. Yuen for everything.
-Shaelyn McCutcheon

Ms. Arinoki
The teacher that made a difference in my life was Ms. Arinoki.  She made a difference because she was nice to everyone and did not care if one person did not do a good job on her homework.  She would just help that person a bit more.  She loved every kid in our class.  That is how she made a difference in my life.
-Katy Domingo

Mr. Gonzales
The teacher who made a difference in my life is Mr. Gonzales because even though he had strict laws in the class, he just wanted us to have fun.  Everything he taught, he made fun.  If we didn’t understand something, he would change it so we could understand.  We got together in circles and did some exercises before doing work.  Other times, when there’s a party, or when we left class to go to the sixth grade, he gave us advice.  After we read a story, we planned a party.  For “A Day No Pigs Would Die,” we planned a memorial for Pinky the pig.  That is how Mr. Gonzales changed my life.
-Paula Maroto

Mrs. Jenkins
A teacher that I really liked was Mrs. Jenkins.  I like Mrs. Jenkins because we go on a lot of cool and fun field trips.  My most favorite field trip was to Keawanui Fishpond.  At the fishpond we learned about the fish and got to scoop some up.  I also like Mrs. Jenkins because we do cool science experiments.  My favorite experiment was when we built bottle rockets and we watched them fly.  That is why I like Mrs. Jenkins.
-Kali Lyons