Chaminade University of Honolulu

Education

Alumna Lorna Gomes ’05 Finds Her Life’s Calling in Elementary Education

At one point in her life, Chaminade University alumna Dr. Lorna M. Gomes ’05 thought her future belonged in the financial industry. Accordingly, the Sacred Hearts Academy graduate earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and launched a banking career. But something was missing. “I had always wanted to teach,” Gomes said, “so I decided to return to college to pursue this dream. The Chaminade program was convenient to my lifestyle because classes were online and in the evening.” Lorna GomesWhile earning her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Gomes served as a student teacher at Lanikai Elementary Public Charter School – now called Kaʻōhao School – in Kailua. Today she teaches language arts, mathematics and social studies to fourth graders at Kaʻōhao, where she also worked as a curriculum coach and media coordinator. This dedication to helping students succeed prompted School Director Ed Noh to recognize Gomes as an “outstanding teacher.” “Dr. Noh consistently includes me in school-wide decisions,” Gomes said, “and I am currently a grade-level chair as well as a mentor to a University of Hawaii student teacher. I have been on numerous hiring committees and the strategic planning committee. This is my 14th year here.” At the encouragement of a previous school director, Gomes earned a doctorate in Education Leadership in 2014 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her dissertation focused on “helping reluctant readers become better readers.” Reflecting on her time at Chaminade, Gomes said the Division of Education program “allowed me to feel successful in pursuing my master’s degree, and I did make some nice friendships that I still maintain today.” “The collegial atmosphere with small classes were definitely highlights,” Gomes said, adding that she was especially influenced by Dr. Margaret Mize’s children’s literature class. “I just would like to encourage anyone considering a higher education degree to give Chaminade a look,” Gomes said, “because it is a fine institution with excellent professors!” Chaminade University’s Master of Arts in Teaching program is part of the Division of Education, and offers state-approved licensure in early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education and special education.

Teacher Candidates Explore Hawaii Military History Through Partnership with Pacific Aviation Museum

Under a new partnership, the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is helping preservice teachers at Chaminade University gain a greater understanding of Hawaii’s military history so they can share this knowledge with students.

The future teachers are accessing the museum’s non-formal education resources that will eventually reinforce and expand formal classroom instruction in local schools. This includes materials from museum STEM camps, which integrate science and history for children as they explore aviation topics such as weather and atmosphere, flight planning and flight physiology.

The preservice teachers are also gathering information by visiting other Pearl Harbor historic sites, including the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park.

The museum intends to use this partnership with Chaminade’s Division of Education as a springboard for outreach activities involving teachers statewide.

Working with the museum and other historic sites benefits teacher candidates in multiple ways, according to Chaminade Assistant Professor of Education Katrina Roseler, Ph.D.

“First and foremost, their final products for the Pacific Aviation Museum are a performance assessment demonstrating the integration of their three years of education coursework,” Dr. Roseler said.

The museum’s outreach to Chaminade is also beneficial, Dr. Roseler said, because it “models the types of relationships teachers should expect from their local educational resources.”

“This partnership demonstrates that teachers have resources available to them beyond their classroom and school,” Dr. Roseler said, “that can and should be leveraged to the benefit of K-12 students.”

Located on Ford Island, the nonprofit Pacific Aviation Museum is housed in two historic seaplane hangars that survived the attack on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The museum features an extensive collection of warplanes and helicopters, including an iconic B-17E “Flying Fortress” heavy bomber from World War II.

Chaminade’s Division of Education offers bachelor’s degrees in early childhood, elementary and secondary education, and master’s degrees in teaching and education.

Cover Image courtesy of Pacific Aviation Museum

Alumna Shea Rodriguez ’16 Gives Back to her Maui Community by Helping Middle Schoolers Succeed

Shea Rodriguez (Elementary Education '16)For Chaminade University alumna Shea Rodriguez ‘16, the bachelor’s degree she earned in Elementary Education represents more than personal achievement. It’s also a way of giving back to her hometown of Wailuku, Maui.

“Growing up on the small island of Maui, I was greatly influenced by the community around me, especially those teacher figures who acted like mentors,” Rodriguez said. “Just as they helped and pushed me into success, I knew I wanted to do the same.”

Now Rodriguez is doing just that by teaching middle school mathematics and journalism at her alma mater, St. Anthony School. Established in 1848, this Catholic institution educates preschoolers through high schoolers in the Marianist spirit.

Rodriguez said she’s grateful for the dedication of her education professors at Brogan Hall.

Shea Rodriguez (Elementary Education '16)“I believe the Chaminade community truly reflects the aloha spirit that is apparent throughout the state of Hawaii,” Rodriguez said, “where each professor knows your name and goes the extra mile to see you succeed.

“I am also extremely grateful for Maimoa Fineisaloi and the rest of the Campus Ministry team,” Rodriguez said, “for welcoming me with the ever-apparent Marianist spirit and providing me with opportunities to nurture my spiritual growth.”

Rodriguez described Chaminade as an `ohana she’ll belong to forever.

“I am thankful for the opportunities I was provided with,” Rodriguez said, “and the connections I have made and continue to keep.”

Chaminade University’s Division of Education offers undergraduate degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education and Secondary Education. For graduate students, the division offers Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education programs.

Chaminade Partners with iteach to Help Educators Earn Master’s in Instructional Leadership

Chaminade University is pleased to announce an exciting new agreement with iteach . As part of this partnership, the Division of Education will waive up to 12 elective credits in recognition of coursework and fieldwork completed by iteach program participants on their way to becoming licensed K-12 teachers.

This opportunity benefits iteach completers who wish to continue their academic training by pursuing a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership degree at Chaminade. The program is modeled on an existing Division of Education program that enables students to waive up to 12 university graduate credits for teachers credentialed in the Montessori method of education.

The iteach organization provides alternative teacher certification programs in Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, and Louisiana. These programs are approved by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The three components of iteach programs are certification exams, coursework, and field experience. To date, iteach has helped more than 9,000 people obtain rewarding jobs as educators.


The Master of Education in Instructional Leadership program is designed for teachers and other academic practitioners seeking advanced knowledge of leadership and classroom practice. The university also offers master’s degrees in Educational Leadership, Teacher Leader, Child Development and Montessori Emphasis.

Dr. Fryxell Appointed Education Dean, Dr. Edelson Named Humanities and Fine Arts Interim Dean

Chaminade University President Lynn Babington recently made two key academic appointments by naming Dr. Dale Fryxell as Dean of Education and Dr. Cheryl Edelson as Interim Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts.

Dale Fryxell, Dean of EducationDr. Fryxell, a former Faculty Senate president, teaches courses in Development Psychology, Career Counseling, Cross-Cultural Counseling and other topics. His research interests include: autism, violence prevention, positive behavioral supports and educational reform.

Prior to joining Chaminade, Dr. Fryxell worked for the Hawaii Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division. He also provided technical assistance to the Department of Education, Department of Human Services and other agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Dr. Fryxell earned his doctorate and master’s degrees in Psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Minnesota.

Cheryl Edelson, Interim Dean of Humanities and Fine ArtsDr. Edelson has won numerous awards and honors, including Chaminade’s 2013 Father John Bolin Excellence in Scholarship Award, and the 2010 President’s Award from the National Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association.

Courses she teaches include: Expository Writing, American Literature: 1940-Present, Literary Theory and Criticism, and Introduction to Motion Pictures.

Dr. Edelson earned a doctorate in English and bachelor’s in Anthropology from the University of California, Riverside. She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of California, Irvine.

Future STEM Teachers Inspired by Leading Scientists, Engineers at NASA Institute

For the second consecutive summer, future teachers studying at Chaminade University gained a behind-the-scenes look at America’s space program. This during a five-day professional development institute conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The training program, funded by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project, helped pre-service teachers enhance their STEM instructional practices. Field trips and other interactive events focused on the International Space Station, a planned mission to Mars and other major NASA initiatives.

Dr. Katrina Roseler, an associate professor with the Division of Education, applied for the program and took seven Chaminade students to Ames Research Center, a major NASA facility in California’s Silicon Valley.

Education students at NASA Research Park“For me, the most memorable part of the trip was watching the excitement of the students as they engaged in new activities,” Dr. Roseler said. “They developed their engineering design skills and had firsthand learning opportunities with some of the leading U.S. scientists and engineers.”

She pointed out that many elementary schools emphasize mathematics and language arts – because they’re highlighted on standardized tests – at the expense of science education. Moreover, pre-service teachers are only required to complete six hours of science-related coursework in their undergraduate studies.

“As a science educator, to me, this is unacceptable,” Dr. Roseler said, emphasizing that “science knowledge and practices are essential tools for engaging with the world.” NASA addresses this issue, she said, by providing learning experiences for future teachers “that can be directly applied to their future classrooms.”

Danielle Friend ‘18, a double major in Elementary Education and English, said she and the other six Chaminade students “got to go inside a wind tunnel, see how the NASA engineers prepare to send things up to the space station, and so much more.”

“I am excited to share what I learned at NASA with just about anyone who will listen to me,” Friend said. “But mostly, I hope to take what I learned and help encourage students to love science. Teach them that if they work hard, they really can become astronauts or even rocket scientists.”

Katie Grywczynski ‘18, an Elementary Education major, said she wanted to attend the training institute “because it sounded like a really fun opportunity to learn about NASA, their resources and STEM activities I can use in my future classroom.”

Education students at NASA Research Park“My most memorable part of the trip was getting to tour the facilities/labs and learning about everything that NASA does in our world,” Grywczynski said. “My biggest takeaway from the program was learning about all the amazing and free resources NASA has to offer.”

Elementary Education major Sara Castillo ‘19 said the training program was “jam-packed with so many sessions, tours and lessons.” This included meeting an astronaut, experiencing a mega-computer “that took up a whole upstairs building,” and exploring numerous NASA sites.

“I think my biggest takeaway – literally – is all the physical resources that we were given on the last day of the conference,” Castillo said. “Everyone was given pamphlets, lesson plans, posters for the classroom, stickers and just so many heavy resources – 20 pounds to be exact.

“Many of us were struggling to put it in our luggage without going over the airline’s weight limit,” she added.

Other Chaminade students participating in the training institute were: Angelica Louise Concepcion, Hannah Parker, Marisa Paz and Samantha Tufaga.

Chaminade’s Division of Education offers undergraduate programs in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education and Secondary Education. The division also offers graduate programs leading to a Master of Education degree or Master of Arts in Teaching degree.