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.”
