Chaminade University of Honolulu

Education

Silversword Sets High Bar for All Her Students

Sara Koide ’18, M.Ed. ’19 teaches kindergarten on the campus she also attended—Lihue’s Wilcox Elementary. Several of her former teachers are now colleagues.

And Koide says while many things haven’t changed since she was walking the halls as a student, one thing has: How inclusion classrooms are managed.

She should know. Koide is a co-teacher in her special education inclusion kindergarten class. The model is designed to help lift up all types of learners, building lessons that break up concepts and allow for extra help.

Koide says co-teaching isn’t for everyone, but she loves what she does—even on the toughest days.

Of the 18 students in her class, about half are in special education.

“I’ve worked with a co-teacher for three years now and in the past, the teaching load has been shared,” Koide said.

“But this year, it’s been different based on need. I’ll do primarily the bulk of the teaching and she’s there for that extra support, whether it’s pulling a child on the side or parallel teaching.”

Koide was born and raised on Kauaʻi. After graduating from Kauaʻi High School, she opted for Chaminade University because she didn’t want to get lost in a crowd. She was quickly grateful for the warm environment on campus, the opportunities for academic growth, and for how her professors stressed hands-on learning.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree and as she got started in the classroom, Koide also decided to advance her skills with a master’s degree in education from Chaminade.

“If I had to do it again, I would go to Chaminade,” she said. “I needed those opportunities.”

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In particular, Koide said, she appreciated the care that went into her student teaching experience. She recalls spending a significant amount of time in an actual elementary school classroom, building her confidence under the guidance of a teacher mentor.

Along the way, she also got vital feedback from her professors.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Koide returned to Kauaʻi and quickly got a job at Wilcox Elementary.

She was a little surprised, though, when she was assigned kindergarten. She had been planning to teach an older grade, but didn’t let the pivot discourage her.

“It’s about understanding that you’re in a different environment, but in the same vein, still pushing. You still want to succeed as best as you can,” she said.

In her second year at Wilcox, Koide got another surprise: She was assigned to teach a SPED inclusion class.

“It felt like another brand new year,” she said.

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But Koide approached the challenge like any other—she was determined to excel and ensure her students did the same. “Everyone’s different but that doesn’t mean you don’t set high expectations,” she said, adding that kindergarteners already come with all types of skills based on their previous school experience.

“You have to navigate how to reach all of them,” she said.

Koide has now been teaching for seven years and says it was only at the four- or five-year mark that she realized she’d found her rhythm. And after overcoming more than a few “bumps along the way” in sharpening her practice, it also dawned on Koide that she had found her passion in life.

“You look at these kids and you realize, they need this help and they’re growing,” she said.

Koide added that she is also grateful to the many mentors who have helped her along the way.

“Having that support system is important,” she said. “It’s somebody to be that ear when needed.”

Thought Leaders Talk AI, Tech Tools in Education

It was a day of learning, mentorship and inspiration.

Several Chaminade professors, staff members and administrators served as speakers at this year’s Conference for Catholic School Educators, held Jan. 31 at Sacred Hearts Academy.

Their presentations touched on everything from leveraging AI in the K-12 classroom to the unique identity and role of Catholic schools in the islands and nationally.

Tiffany Akiyama, an educational technologist at Chaminade’s Center for Teaching and Learning, focused her presentation on the power of combining curriculum development and technological tools to transform spaces for active student learning.

“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to help design and implement active learning spaces that are reshaping active learning at Chaminade,” said Akiyama, who delivered her talk with Dr. Scott Wylie, director of the Center for Education in Oceania at Chaminade.

They said redesigns focused on the importance of flexibility, collaboration and creativity.

“We took a fresh look at how students learn best and designed classrooms that adapt to them—not the other way around,” Akiyama said. Added Wylie: “Flexibility means students and faculty can move things around. Collaboration means fostering spaces where ideas can be built together. Creativity means giving students tools to express their thinking.”

Other Chaminade speakers at the conference included:

  • Dr. Katrina Roseler, associate professor of Education;
  • Dr. Denise Dugan, Education instructor
  • Dr. Allison Jerome, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students;
  • Andrew Ancheta, student engagement coordinator;
  • and Fr. Martin Solma, S.M., university chaplain and special assistant to the president.

Solma and Ancheta delivered a talk on Catholic education entitled “Those who Sow Generously, Reap Generously.”

They explored the ethos and identity of Catholic schooling, and spoke to educators on the importance of character development in young people.

In the AI talk, the Chaminade team underscored how AI-driven technologies are revolutionizing traditional teaching models and offered educators and stakeholders with practical and innovative strategies for integrating AI into today’s K-12 classrooms.

Collaboration, Mentorship at Doctoral ‘Bootcamp’

The gathering offered students a chance to meet for collaborative sessions

For doctoral students, dissertations can be the stuff of nightmares.

The culmination of years of research, the dissertation represents a doctoral student’s unique contribution to the academic community and the dissertation defense is oftentimes the final requirement of a doctoral degree program.

Put simply, it’s high stakes—and high stress.

But Chaminade Psychology Associate Professor Abby Halston says it doesn’t necessarily have to be, with the right mixture of planning, preparation and collaboration.

That’s why Halston and her colleagues organized a “dissertation bootcamp” over the summer for Chaminade’s Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology students.

The gathering offered cohort members—busy professionals who attend their doctoral courses online—a chance to meet in person for collaborative sessions and mentorship.

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During the bootcamp, Halston said, attendees covered everything from online resources available for robust literature reviews to what’s required to meet the regulatory oversights for including human subjects in a research study.

They even took a campus tour, learning about Chaminade’s history along the way.

Halston said the central message of the gathering was simple: You’ve got this.

“Dissertations represent a huge piece of anxiety in doctoral programs,” she said, noting that her goal is to prevent students from failing to progress beyond the ABD—or “all but dissertation”—stage, when they’ve completed coursework but not the final requirement.

“This can be where doctoral students traditionally fall behind or fall through the cracks, especially without the right support,” Halston said, noting that the program works hard to weave dissertation conversations, research and milestones into every course.

She added that the dissertation bootcamp also served another purpose: To ensure that doctoral students, many of whom live on the neighbor islands, feel connected to Chaminade and its mission, their professors and their fellow cohort members.

Some 19 students are in the Ed.D. in Educational Psychology cohort, and all but five were able to attend the bootcamp. Among them was Susan Shinkawa, who serves as a behavioral health specialist for the state Department of Education’s Leeward District.

She said a “commitment to lifelong learning” inspired her to pursue a doctoral degree.

“Earning an Ed.D. represents personal fulfillment and satisfaction for both myself and my parents,” Shinkawa said, adding that she chose Chaminade because of its strong reputation, mission and values— plus the flexible program schedule.

In her dissertation, Shinkawa hopes to explore whether testing students’ perception of safety in their school environment impacts their performance on state tests.

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She said the bootcamp covered just about every question she had about the dissertation process.

Her favorite part of the day, though?

“I most enjoyed the fellowship with my classmates and collaborative sessions with faculty,” she said.

Jasmin Chang, also a behavioral health specialist with the DOE, said her dissertation will focus on interventions for traumatic grief and whether a manual for providers would enhance their perceived competencies and skills.

“I have always been passionate about learning and self-growth so I wanted to take on this exciting challenge,” Chang said, when asked what spurred her to pursue a doctoral degree at Chaminade.

“I wanted to use my education to expand my impact on the DOE in terms of systemic change, and I wanted to use my newly learned knowledge to improve my practice and better help the students and families I work with.”

She said she walked away from the dissertation bootcamp feeling more at ease and confident with the process and her next steps in her academic career.

“My favorite part of the day was simply seeing my classmates and professors in person,” she added

Leadership Journey: A ‘Dream Come True’

This Chaminade graduate is excited to set the course for her alma mater, Sacred Hearts Academy

The new president of Sacred Hearts Academy is a familiar name there—and at Chaminade.

Brandy Ann Sato ’97, MAT ’02, Ph.D. has served in various roles at Sacred Hearts. She’s taught elementary to high school grades, held the vice principal position and became a board member in 2014.

Taking over the helm at the school, she said, is a “dream come true.”

“I’ve always had a special connection with the school,” she added.

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An all-girls private Catholic school, Sacred Hearts Academy’s enrollment stands at close to 500.

Sato notes that faculty members mentor their students to become strong women.

In Sacred Heart’s boardroom, the words “Where Girls Who Aspire Become Women Who Inspire” stretch across the wall. Sitting in the boardroom on a recent day, Sato says that motto “says it all.”

After serving in previous roles with Sacred Hearts Academy, Dr. Brandy Sato is now the president of the private, all-girls school.
After serving in previous roles with Sacred Hearts Academy, Dr. Brandy Sato is now the president of the private, all-girls school.

A Lancer alumni, Sato describes her peers of the Class of 1994 as “high achieving,” adding that some of her friends attended Harvard, Notre Dame and Georgetown universities.

She chose instead to stay home and attend Chaminade University—the only Catholic Marianist university in Hawaii.

Graduating first with her bachelor’s in History and Political Science, Sato then attained her Master’s of Art in Teaching with a concentration in Secondary Education. She later earned her Doctorate in Education at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.

“If Chaminade had its doctor of education then, I would have stayed,” Sato said. “The experience at Chaminade taught me the importance of building lifelong relationships and service to the community.”

Sato said she understands that leading a private Catholic high school in Hawaii holds particular significance because of the unique cultural and religious diversity of the islands. She says balancing Catholic traditions and values with inclusivity and contemporary perspectives is key.

“Hawai’i’s population is notably diverse, with strong roots in Native Hawaiian traditions, Asian cultures, and Pacific Islander values,” Sato said. “A Catholic high school can build bridges by emphasizing universal values like respect, compassion and service, which resonate across different cultures.”

A focus on enrollment is among Sato’s top priorities.

“We provide an exceptional education,” Sato said. “We’re modernizing our education through technology, and we continue to develop a strong STEM curriculum.”

Aside from being “book smart,” Sacred Hearts students also have the opportunity to participate and serve in the community, as well as participate in various sports and a vibrant performing arts program.

Students also have the chance to opt into Chaminade’s Early College Program, allowing them to earn an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts without ever officially stepping into a classroom on campus.

“It’s a great opportunity for our students to learn in a college setting,” Sato said. “It’s certainly a beneficial partnership, and I believe we can further strengthen the EC Program.”

One of the intangibles that Sato likes to point out is Sacred Hearts faculty seek to make learning fun. “When the students can feel and see that joy, it makes it that much easier to teach them,” she said.

Aspiring Teachers Get STEM Inspiration

Elementary Education students learn engaging strategies for teaching STEM

What does a girl who dreams about playing the drums have to do with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)? A group of teachers-in-training at Chaminade learned the answer to that intriguing question—meant to challenge traditional divisions between subjects—as part of a recent workshop.

Some 16 day undergraduate students majoring in Elementary Education attended the 90-minute workshop with Karen Ansberry, co-author of the Picture-Perfect Science series and lead speaker.

The professional development opportunity, designed by Picture-Perfect STEM and funded through the Takatani Foundation and School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, was one of four workshops offered to students in September to help them think about new strategies for teaching STEM.

Madison Polendey ’25, who will begin her student teaching in Kaneohe Elementary School in January, said the workshops helped her re-imagine how to design STEM lesson plans that engaged students.

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“These workshops helped me learn how to integrate math and reading into my STEM lessons,” she said.

Like that girl who aspires to play the drums.

Ansberry talked to workshop attendees about the female protagonist in “Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music,” which was inspired by the story of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba’s traditional taboo against female drummers.

Using the book, a lesson plan was designed to highlight the principles of sound and math.

In the exercise, students create their own drums, using empty coffee cans, Pringles tubes and other household items. The next step would be to add some confetti or rice in a bowl and seal the top. Once the drum is banged next to the bowl, the vibration of the sound causes the confetti or rice to move.

That action proves to students that sound is a type of energy made by vibration.

“Kids can add some rhythm into their banging, which will also teach them about math,” Ansberry explained to workshop attendees, who were delighted by the example. “Studies have shown that rhythm helps teach such mathematical concepts as fractions, ratios, and pattern.”

Chaminade senior Pūnohu Keahi said the workshops taught her how to better engage students, especially through the use of picture books, which helped her learn when she was younger.

With co-author Emily Morgan, Ansberry wrote the Picture-Perfect STEM series to offer teachers engaging pedagogical approaches for teaching young kids about STEM.

On the final day of the worokshop, students learned how to teach robotics to elementary kids, providing them with resources and lesson plans.
On the final day of the workshop, students learned how to teach robotics to elementary kids, providing them with resources and lesson plans.

“Future teachers didn’t have the skills to teach science,” said Ansberry, before the start of the final workshop. “And picture books didn’t really exist for the sole purpose of teaching STEM courses.”

Picture-Perfect STEM offers an approach to teaching that is designed to encourage students in STEM through a combination of inquiry-based learning and literacy. The approach integrates children’s literature with hands-on activities, promoting a deeper understanding of STEM concepts.

According to Chaminade Director of Teacher Preparation Programs and Associate Professor Katrina Roseler, Ph.D., Picture-Perfect STEM is particularly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the 5E instructional model, making it a powerful tool for modern educators.

The 5E instructional model is a widely-used framework in science education that consists of five phases: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The model is designed to facilitate active learning and help students construct their own understanding of scientific concepts. Picture-Perfect STEM complements the 5E model, making it an effective approach for teaching STEM concepts.

Roseler added that the NGSS are the K–12 science standards that guide educators in providing students with a science education that reflects the interconnected nature of science in the real world.

The goal is to engage students in Picture-Perfect STEM activities, which will inspire them to think critically and ask questions, connect ideas across different domains of science, and explore fundamental scientific concepts through both literature and hands-on experiments.

“This integration ensures that students not only learn scientific facts,” said Roseler, “but it also develops a deeper understanding of the scientific process and how it applies to the world around them.”

Silversword Awarded Obama Foundation Scholarship

Easterlei Tuitasi ’26 is among just 100 students nationally selected for the honor

Chaminade Psychology student Easterlei Tuitasi ‘26 was recently selected for the prestigious Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service, which aims to celebrate student leaders with access to new opportunities and offers recipients financial assistance and a generous travel stipend.

Tuitasi was among just 100 students nationally selected for the 2024-26 scholarship cohort.

She is the first recipient of the Voyagers scholarship from American Samoa, and said her selection offers a chance to “broaden my perspective, develop new skills, and create meaningful connections that will shape my future career and the impact I hope to have on others.”

Tuitasi said her long-term goal is to become a clinical psychologist, focusing on trauma and child psychology. “I plan to use this opportunity to expand my academic knowledge and gain practical, real-world experience” and explore different approaches to mental health, she said.

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The Voyager Scholarship, which is administered by the Obama Foundation, is funded with a $100 million gift from Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky.

Recipients receive financial aid of up to $25,000 a year to cover educational expenses, a 10-year travel stipend totaling $20,000, an invitation to a fall summit, and access to a mentoring network of leaders.

Tuitasi said in applying for the scholarship, she emphasized her passion for psychological research that delves into cultural attitudes toward mental health.

“My interests aim to dissect how diverse perspectives influence everything from treatment options to the assimilation of mental wellness routines in everyday life settings,” said Tuitasi, who is a junior.

Tuitasi said she selected Chaminade for its highly-regarded Psychology program and low student-to-professor ratio. After graduation, she plans to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology.

“Alongside further studies, I also plan to gain practical experience through internships or entry-level roles. Hands-on experience is critical,” she said.

She added she’s extremely grateful to the funders of the scholarship.

“The chance to connect with others with the same passion for public service inspires me even more to contribute to building stronger, healthier societies,” Tuitasi said, adding she feels “blessed.”