TAB Travel Logs

Sherri Moore’s Final TAB Inquiry Part III

Having a sense of humor is key to survival.

I have learned that teaching requires a tremendous amount of self-belief and guts, and having the ability to laugh with your students while learning alongside them will help keep you sane. 

A great quote I heard: “It is my daily mood that makes the weather”  – we impact our students HUGELY!

I’ve learned that what a school may have as their mission statement is not necessarily what is taking place in one or two of the classrooms, that in a sense the whole child not being left behind is in fact partially being left behind due to the heavy workload on teachers and students to meet the state wide standards. Posted on the school website: 

COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM (CSSS)

 

All schools in the State of Hawaii operate under the goals and principles of the Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS).  The CSSS mission is to provide all students with a support system so that they can become productive and responsible citizens.   One of the major goals of CSSS is to provide all students with comprehensive, coordinated, integrated and custom supports that are accessible, timely, and strength-based so students can achieve in school.

I’ve learned that there are teachers all over the world who feel over-worked and under-paid. You’re in this profession for the love of it.

I’ve learned that teaching needs to be purposeful, we need to ‘think more about how we teach’ and to ask ourselves why do goal, evidence and context matter so much?  An example is given in the book, Understanding by Design I borrowed, “If you’re lost while driving and you stop to ask for directions you want direct (didactic) instruction.  You don’t want Joe Socrates endlessly asking, “And why are you trying to get there compared to some other place?  What does it mean that you are driving? How do you think you became lost? Have you considered that you may not be lost and have found something else more important? No, any conception about what good teaching is must take into account the goals, the nature of the learners, and the situation.”

I’ve learned that when you are in another culture you need to be respectful of how things are done and of their value system, it is not yours to change but it can be one you could adopt, even if temporarily.  A quote I heard: “Expect everyone to respect the expectations.”

I’ve learned the importance of the word, ‘o’hana’ and that no matter where you come from you are loved and cared for by people around you who take you in as one of their own.

I've learned that to live on O'ahu you need around $1800 - $1,200 a month for rent.  You need a reliable car that won't break down on the highway and cause some really serious traffic-jams.   

I’ve learned that there is always something to learn and that your perception is not always the only one or the right one; that in speaking with other teachers around you there is another side to the story and a different approach to seeing the same thing – being open to other views is role modelling the importance of listening and being  considerate of others.

I’ve learned that the environment in which a child is immersed has a greater influence on them than their home life because their environment encompasses them 24/7 - the neighborhood and school are huge teachers in that child’s life, more than we give credit to. 

Here’s a little story that the director of my practicum school shared with his staff a few years ago upon returning from a well needed sabbatical that changed his perspective on his staff:

I was told by a source that Dale took this break after the long hard haul of revamping and turning his school around after being hired as the director.  During his break his neighbor was diagnosed with cancer and so Dale began helping him out on a daily basis. One day this neighbor had a long conversation with Dale about his life.  One part resonated more than anything with Dale and it was that his neighbor said he regretted not being more friendly to people. Unfortunately the man passed away but left behind a legacy in reminding Dale of what is really important, the people who help sail that ship of success - the staff.  

Apparently it was a turning point in Dale's life and he soon returned to work a much happier and more relaxed director. In talking with Dale, I recognize a lot of passion and determination to see a project through and that he values the school like it was his baby.  I admire his tenacity, forward way of thinking and deep intelligence.  I also appreciated his witty sense of humour, his wisdom, and last but not least his willingness to make time to talk to me even when he was incredibly busy.  

Recently Dale was approached by his superintendent to consider fulfilling the role of a superintendent for another jurisdiction. He told me he was concerned about having to travel and be away from his kids but that he liked the idea of change and the opportunity for professional growth, perhaps he has outgrown his school? I said often times even when we don’t understand the reasons, work can choose us and this could be a situation where the superintendent job isn’t so much about what he can get out of it personally but perhaps it is more about what he can contribute to another community needing his leadership… “Maybe you have a point there,” he said to me, but I could tell he didn’t really want to hear it.  This brings me to a realization, or more like a reaffirmation that in our school systems we have to always remain flexible and adaptable to change. I am trained to teach grade 1 to 6 even though I would much prefer grade 4 if given the choice, but I have to be prepared to take on any grade. It’s just how it is, here in Canada. Of course going international is a whole another conversation  : )

What will you bring from this experience to your schools and classrooms in the future? 

I will continue to bring my love of children and education to the classrooms I work in. I want to work with my students, not as someone at the front of the room but someone beside them. I would love children to discover and appreciate the meaning and relevance of knowing and respecting ones-self, ownership, choices, independence, confidence, courage, tenacity and inquiry and reflection - I just had to put that in there after our B.Ed. program : )

 

On reflection, what might you have done differently if you were to begin TAB again? 

Funny enough prior to going to Hawai’i I felt like I had researched and found the perfect practicum school on the island of O’ahu, it was a holistic school grounded on the belief that well-rounded responsible students who were aware of themselves, their community and their world would become great global citizens. I wanted to go to this school but was placed at another school that was in my friend’s mother’s jurisdiction and for that I am very grateful because I learned a tremendous amount about assessments, evaluations and cultural diversity, even on an island. I also made some friends whose kindness and trust enabled me to try new concepts and to also learn how to use the Promethean board with the students’ help.Despite my frustration at the lack of extra-curricular activities and paper recycling at the school, I had to learn to accept that you have to choose your causes carefully and to be respectful when in another place/country.  I was able to quietly speak with the lady in charge of student council who received my recycling information regarding a local environmental group designed specifically for implementing reducing, reusing and recycling in schools on O’ahu. She said she was unaware they existed and that she would contact them; so I left the school feeling I had done my small part in contributing back to the school for their warm welcome and the time they gave me.

If I had the chance to do TAB again I would like very much to go to his school that recognized the importance of character development to the degree that they were willing to integrate it into their school system. The school I ultimately went to was good, don’t get me wrong it just wasn’t the right school for me. There was no art and P.E and music was one period bi-weekly as I was told.  My undergrad is in arts and so I support a learning environment that encompasses the arts, encourages time for music, drama, P.E., art and activities centered on building community. I get that academic achievement counts, I just don’t think it need be 100% of a child’s educational experience, I think school is so much more, especially considering the high population of single parent homes and immigrant families where parents both work long hours to get by or one is overseas earning money to send home; school should be a place students turn to, not run away from.

I’ve learned that if you treat a student with respect, even in Grade 1 - they will be nice back.

I've learned that children are pretty incredible little people with a great sense of logic.

Resource

Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by Design –Expanded 2^nd Edition, Merrill Education. New Jersey, Pearson Education Inc. 

Here are some images from my school and time in Hawai'i.

Literacy resource center poster

Mrs. Kinney's grade 3 class and myself

Kids who require tutoring do so after lunch and school.

A guidance booklet for parents.

 19 schools becoming empowered with solar power!

Lots of mapping at this school.

Being creative and playing with our food - art in the cafeteria

Each grade 3 student builds their ice-cream sundae of multiplication facts once proficient.

Book samples from grade 3

Grade 5 science project posted in the front administration office. Board rotates bi-weekly

Grade 3 oath signed by each student

Education was in the news - a lot it's a big concern regarding the grant being proposed.

Potholes are a big problem and a disgruntled tourist shared her woes.

Three of the five admin. staff who are the glue that bind the school!

This is the grade 3 group meeting in the lunchroom/workroom where they eat and discuss what is working and not.

Me introducing word problems in after school tutoring in Mrs. Kinney's class

Taken from the school parking lot, a pretty expensive area

I had just bought this $5 necklace in an anitque shop and the kids loved the birds on it and wanted to count them.

Part of the beautiful school grounds. There is a full time staff of gardeners and janitors working hard.

Smoke free posting at the school

Ms. Anzai's grade 3 class

 

My Nukshuk - island style

What's Hawai'i without a sunset?

A cool mailbox!

Meet Maria - the catlady- see below

Tireless firecracker Maria putting water for the cats who live under the bridge near my place.

I met this amazing lady one day when I was out feeding some stray cats near my apartment. We hit it off right away and then my friend Kyle and I offered to help her feed the cats she has been taking care of since 1980, on a retired chambermaid's salary.  Maria feeds atleast 80 cats on various routes she takes by bus and pushing her trolley full of catfood and jugs of water.  She works from 2:30 until 11:30.  After helping her one full night my friend and I were astounded by the amount of energy and positive attitude she possesses. We committed to taking over part of her route for the last two weeks I was there and blew through 3 25 kilo bags of catfood in 3 days...at $18 a bag... Maria admits she probably makes the situation worse because the cats depend on her now and they definitely aren't shy around her.  With some financial support of friends and the humane society who help her trap and neuter/spade and release the cats, it's Maria's goal to try and avoid anymore strays that are abandoned by owners who move away. Meeting Maria who turns 81 soon has been an inspirational experience for me on TAB. The next time I complain about something I will think of her - she is a very giving and selfless woman - I nickname her Mother Marisa and to thank Maria I gave her a small collapsible stool which she bungy-chords to her trolley for those needed rest stops along her way. "These cats give my life purpose, and someone has to do it,"Maria adds non-nonchalantly. I think Maria, who lives alone in a rented room has found her o'hana and she couldn't be happier she says.

Need I say more?  This picture explains my weight gain : ) oh okay, just 1 kilo.

Welcome to crazy packed world famous Waikiki, home of Duke the legendary surfer!

Seeing is believing - no Photoshop! My friend Kyle took this pic of a guy standing in a deep rock pool and his friend jumping off in mid flight into the sea below him. The edge of the rocky shore is hard to see.

Sherri meeting an endangered baby greenback turtle missing a front appendage but managing to adapt just fine.

Sherri loves teaching children - I'd love to have a class devoted to playing in the sand - it would be a fun way to learn how to print!

My friend's apartment in Aiea, and look I'm doing my coursework surrounded by flowers I had to buy.

I suffered from a bad neck and lower back pain since August, 2011 so went to this Chinese doctor in Chinatown upon a recommendation.  He performed Chee Gong on me and then I took a bunch of herbal stuff made into a tea and I swear it worked, it was pretty incredible.  It cost $40 and lasted half an hour, involving deep massage as well. What mattered most was I felt so much better within a few days and still do! It was a neat experience, which I felt was part of TAB, exploring what this culture had to offer...I am sure I can go downtown Calgary and find the same thing if I wanted to.

Here you can see the barks and roots being put together for me based on the doctor's prescription.  Prior to taking it I had a Chinese friend confirm the ingredients were not anything too weird or dangerous for me. It tasted bitter but gave me a lot of energy and looked like coffee when boiled down. It cost $15 and lasted me 2 weeks.

I liked this image of a young guy learning to play chess with an older Hawai'ian lady.

Parts of the island, Haliewa in particular don't want develpment to take over their small town appeal - there are t-shirts with the slogan "Keep the country country"printed on them. Here is a sample of local people wanting to keep their traditions and heritage honoured and alive.

Ancient ruins where feasts were celebrated with visiting royalty.

A bamboo forest

The palace as mentioned in inscription above

Man looking for crayfish in shallow stream

Now this made me happy - traveling recycling trucks which you see around town. People bring their recycled materials to them.

Welcome to O'ahu's mid morning traffic. This is the main highway between north and south. My friend works 5-3 just to avoid it! Bus rides cost $2.50 and a lot of people ride them since they can't afford cars - just as well I think, one less on the road not to mention the pollution. 

$6.39 for 2L of milk.  Lots of things besides cars are expensive - this is ABC store is probably be the equivalent of our 711.

Saying mahalo and aloha to Dale, the always smiling director.

Diamond Head Park

Honolulu

One of my cutie pie students - her dad always came late to pick up due to work and traffic so we would hang out together by the front gate. I really enjoyed the one-on-one time we had, in class she is shy otherwise.

My wish - I happen to love my green vegetables : )

Good-bye TAB and thank you!

What a fitting way to spend my last day and what a beautiful send-off it was....no man-of-war jellyfish neither! I found this stump and decided I had to have my picture taken to celebrate my TAB wrap-up. Did I cry at the airport? Of course, it was an amazing gift experiencing TAB, both personally and professionally - but I couldn't say good-bye, instead I said aloha to my friend Kyle. It was my hello for next time when I come back to swim with the turtles and to collect sea glass, while thinking of resourceful ways to engage my students. Thank you Greg for being a great sounding board and for also being as genuine to me as you ask  us to be to ourselves and to our students. I've also enjoyed your humorous anecdotes too, it made the questionable moments more understandable, mahalo and aloha!   

                                                                                                  

 Sherri's Travel Log #1 February 10th Introduction: Why TAB?

“At last, an expedition with an explicitly feminist twist: May French –Sheldon was a patent activist.  So when she left for Mount Kilimanjaro in 1891, it was not to swoon in ecstasy at the sight of the vast Serengeti Plain, nor to fulfill a desperate need to go one step further, nor even to respond to the call of the unknown.  No, when she packed her bags - and what bags! – it was simply to prove that a woman could be as good an explorer as any man.”  (Mouchard, C. (2010). Women Travelers, A Century of Trailblazing Adventures. France: Flammarion. )

I’m no May French-Sheldon, who by the way did indeed conquer Africa and any man’s doubt that she could, and she returned home in one piece to write about it – albeit with a spinal injury from being swept down a raging river and smashed against a rock…however, I do possess her thirst for travel and an inherent curiosity for people and places; mine taking me to the much inhabited island of Oahu, Hawaii ..minus 'ferocious man eating beasts and savages,' (the way the world preferred to imagine Ms. French - Sheldon's great journey).  

It all began for me in December 2010, while sitting on one of Hawaii’s lovely beaches with my friend Kyle. I told him I wished I could stay long enough to learn more about his island and the people.   Being the kind person that he is, Kyle said he’d be happy to offer me a place to stay if it would help make my wish come true.  Thus the idea was born and I pursued it more seriously when I realized it I could still apply to TAB. The process took nine months of back and forth emails, an interview and a huge hiccup over the required insurance policy; then it was sorted out and here I am, eleven days away from going to Hawaii for a two month practicum. Before even leaving on my trip I’ve already learned to be tenacious and at the same time patient, two great qualities worth adopting when traveling overseas.  

As for language, vaccinations and getting prepared, I think I mentally wrapped my mind around the whole possibility a long time ago, (actually more like years), when, at age thirteen I began squirrelling babysitting money away in a Hawaii Trip jar after watching The Blue Lagoon and falling in love with not only Chris Atkins the actor, but also paradise where the movie unfolded.  I never made it to Hawaii unfortunately; instead I traveled to South Africa to see my grandfather who'd taken ill, however my dream was not over.

I believe when a seed is planted in your mind it doesn’t really ‘go away ‘blown elsewhere in the winds of time, I believe it’s carefully stored, ready to take root when an opportunity arises. My time has come and I’m ready, willing and able, thanks to TAB and my Hawaiian friends.  I’m looking forward to sharing my discovery of what Hawaii and its culture can offer you, my TAB companions.  I am also very interested to find out more about my practicum school's 'turn-around' to the high achieving school that it is today.  I believe its success is attributed to the collaboration among staff. For example teachers 'meet for 80 minutes every three days for 'student-focused planning time' to share notes and plan curricula and strategy.' The school's name, Mililani Waena stands for 'the beloved place of chief(s) between heaven and earth,' which sounds like a great place to spend some time learning and contributing. Here is Mr. Dale Castro with some of the students - seeing eye-to-eye together.

If you’re interested in reading more about May French-Sheldon, known as the White Queen to the natives of Africa, below you’ll find an astonishing list of items packed in those magnificent travel bags that I mentioned above:

 “Garments included a few jackets and a short - that is, ankle-length – skirts, a white cotton suit with frogging, night dresses, a silk dress, three hats (one of felt, adorned with an ostrich feather, a second veiled with muslin, the third a wide-brimmed hat edged in gold); white gloves with gauntlets; an alpenstock marked with her French motto, ‘Noli me tangere’ (Do not touch me); a ceremonial costume composed of a long gown of white silk embroidered with (imitation) jewels, a large baldric from which hung a medieval style sword (of tin); and a dagger (also tin, designed to be slid into her bodice). The whole thing topped off by a long, blonde wig.”

A footnote about the Hawai'ian islands and O'ahu in particular by a former resident who writes,"Geographically Oahu is the third largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, covering some 607.7 square miles.  But it is home to nearly to nearly three-quarters of the state's 1.2 million residents-370,000 of whom are concentrated in urban Honolulu, the states largest city, which sits on the islands southern coast under the shadow-so to speak of Diamond Head one of the now long dormant volcanoes that formed the Hawaii island chain.  The total population of the island is 876,156 a large percentage of which are military personnel and their dependents.  All four armed services are represented on Oahu; the Navy at Pearl Harbor Naval Station and the Air Force at Hickam Air Force base on the south side of the island; the Army at Schofield Barracks in the center of the island, and; the Marines at Kaneohe Bay on the windward side of the island.  In additional to these four principle bases there are a number ancillary bases, Commands, and recreational facilities sprinkled throughout the island numbering nearly 75. 
. 

Like the other islands, islets and shoals that make up the 1,600-mile Hawaiian Island chain, Oahu is believed to be the product of a single "hot spot" in the earth's mantle, where-upon  lava formed the island.  Over the course of millions of years, the earth's crust drifted to the northwest across this hot spot, giving rise to each island in turn; this "hot spot" is currently under the island of Hawaii, and as I write this the island is growing in size, as lava pours into the sea from a very active volcano, is cooled and become new landmass.

Since Hawaii is lucky enough to be perched in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and close to the equator, the islands never see snow with the exception of the Big Island, which sees snow in the mountains year round.  The Average temperatures on Oahu range from 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, all year, and coastal rainfall averages 23 inches per year.  One of the great things about Oahu is that you can usually see the rain coming as the clouds gather over the mountains and sweep over the island."

INQUIRY LOG PART II: The Cultural and Educational Context of my TAB Placement

Here I am, into my seventh week on O'ahu and I've had the pleasure of starting the day at my friend's apartment in Aieia with a plate of locally grown purple sweet potatoes and organic eggs.  This is accompanied by fruit salad and a cup of Kona Hawai'ian coffee on the lanai overlooking the swimming pool. It begins any school  day with a smile for sure! 

That said I have discovered a lot of my students do not eat a healthy breakfast and depend on the school to provide them with some government funded sustenance, including lunch. Unfortunately I've also discovered a lot of food waste going on in my school including no recycling of milk cartons or paper at my school. Also, in the 22 floor apartment building and condo complex where I'm staying, there is no recycling what-so-ever so the garbage bins are constantly overflowing with items that could (and should) be recycled, even pop cans and water bottles are lying under bushes or on streets. It disheartens me when I think of the homeless I've encountered on the streets of O'ahu and outer lying areas along the shoreline.You will see quite a few homeless people down around Waikiki Beach, sleeping under a tree, hunched over scribbling notes, struggling to get back on the bench after falling off due to inebriation, and often times they are accompanied by their grocery cart or wheelchair of precious possessions parked beside them on a bench overlooking the sea-perhaps waiting for their good fortune to roll in on the next wave..
 

Despite there being shelters for the disadvantaged, I'm told some people prefer to live on the streets to maintain their freedom. Some local restaurants provide a 89 cent breakfast as a way of showing their support. There were about 15 of these make shift tarp tent homes alongside a road to a far north end beach, way out of the way from the hub.

 I am filled with optimism and purpose and look forward to spending quality time with two grade 3 classes I'm enjoying  working with (me at left in one of them). Each class has 27 students of multi-level ability. Inclusion is a big part of this school with students receiving one-on-one support from reading specialists in the literacy center to special aides assisting those requiring additional academic or physical support. There certainly is no lack of resources and the mostly female staff are very qualified and hardworking. The administration end has four secretaries who keep a tight professional ship but make time to welcome volunteer parents and visitors with a smile.  

 Meet my third graders - the cafeteria has a full time support staff which allows teachers a break.

The school population consists of about 35% military where often it is one parent raising the child if the other is deployed. There is a sense of 'o'hana' in the school where you hear of students being raised by a grandparent or aunt, and even in some cases high school children move from one host family to another when parents are unable to provide the necessary support.

Meet the school's Director, Dale Castro who is showing a brave face as he puts his calf into a bucket of ice water after tearing his tendon. He later received surgery and a cast for several weeks.

Dale makes a point of having ongoing collaborative conferences with each and every one of his teaching staff to know where they're at (using his iPad as a handy way of assessing when observing) and where they are going.  Dale believes that these conferences and the 80 minute meetings every three days that focus on content/core and are broken into grade level teams are the direct correlation to the student achievement that the school has made. 

Here I am pictured reading with one of my special ed students (school permission granted) in one of the grade 3 classrooms (there are 4 grade 3 classes in total).

Each building on the school campus has an open floor plan which means that only partial partitions of book shelves divide four classrooms. (Image below)  I find the noise level to be a constant contender for one's ability to focus.  Not only that but what is going on in the parallel third grade can be heard by the other classes.  If one teacher is angry the other three classes can hear them.  I was later to be challenged myself by this open air concept when I received permission from the director to invite all grade 3 classes to enter a local Kokua Care for Hawaií calender contest.  Only one grade accepted and so I ended up teaching in a very quiet voice since we could not leave the class. The reason for only one class participating in this worthy cause was due to the lack of time I was told, what a pity I thought since the kids never get to experience Art. I found out that Music and P.E. is 
 

 taught once bi-weekly. The reason is not monetary but academic-based.  The primary focus behind this school's state wide ratings success is their constant drive for academic achievement, and I mean constant. As I worked beside my two partner teachers and visited other grades, I noticed a lot of testing and assessment going on in every class from Kindergarten up.  The official Hawai'ian State Assessment is performed three times a year and is 100% multiple choice and conducted online in the technology lab under specific supervision. From what I gather a school's reputation rests on these results.  Students are required to line up a lot I think, lining up before and after recess, including lunch. Bathroom breaks are provided before recess. Students then line up outside class after going to the bathroom. Once everyone is in line they can then go to lunch/recess.  There is something to be said about having recess outside all year round!
                                                               
                                                                             

Assembly under the lanai.  Below you can see the whole school broken up into houses (numbered floor flags) representing Mililani Waena's Six Core Ethical Values which spell out TRRFCC:  Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. 

What I have appreciated learning more about is how to use the Promethean Interactive board, in fact I prefer it to the Smartboard. Returning to Calgary I realize I may be at a disadvantage since I'm only familiar of one private school (my first practicum) near U.C. that uses the Promethean. I find it easier, friendlier and the tool bar is much like what you find in Photoshop. You use one pen and can select your colours from a palette, write directly over an imported image, include a side bar to add notes as you surf the net and the best part is, the kids find it super fun and easy to work with. You can add multiple pens so that the teacher and students can be working side-by-side at the same time, for example on a math  as  I was doing while tutoring after-school. Tutoring is made mandatory twice a week for an hour after-school for students who did not pass their state wide assessments. On Wednesdays school finishes an hour early for all staff to participate in professional development, including discussing curricula and specifically reading and math assessment.

Staff professional development- learning more-indepth about the Promethean interactive board and the clickers - here I am below learning alongside them.

 

Each year the school has a general learning outcome theme that enforces progression with discipline. This year it is Ethical and Effective Technology - focus, foster and fulfill.  Dale aims for authentic learning which incorporates learning by design (sound familiar?) He emphasizes the importance of active learning and inclusion in all classrooms, which also focus heavily on thinking maps and student and teacher driven rubrics.  

Overall in my seven weeks at my practicum school I have learned a lot about special education literacy and assessment in both language arts and math (I will address this further in Inquiry Part III), adapting to using the Promethean board (and not being afraid of making a mistake in front of the class) has been a good learning experience as I found the students eager and kind to help out.  I am further reminded of my passion not only towards working with children but also educating about conservation.  If I was to add anything that I wonder about it would be that teachers are very busy adhering to the school and curriculum guidelines so much so that at times I feel there isn't enough attention given to actual character development and even the fun exploration of dappling in the wonderful creative world of art, music and (enough P.E.).  I would also like to see the school recycle paper with the support of the local Kokua Recycling Foundation because children (keiki) would gain so much from this, as would the environment. Of course I can write and write but will stop here considering I've likely answered a fair bit of what is expected of us in Part III, our final TAB chapter. 


                                                                                                                                          

"Ahh, the beach...this is a dog's life..."

Dog image: http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/pets/slideshow/funnyface.html

Enjoying a favourite past-time, shooting pictures! Here I am in the front row (brown pants) and one over is my friend Kyle. The Honolulu photography group is called 'Wanna Shoot So Badly' and we'd met up for a 6 a.m. sunrise shoot.  

Afterwards I had the privilege shall we say, of playing photographers' assistant with a modelling shoot! I tried to squeeze a fee out of the gang but no such luck : )

Naturally a part of my TAB placement is getting out and experiencing what the island has to offer! I am very fortunate to have a supportive friend as my personal guide and chauffeur. Kyle has lived on O'ahu his entire life and loves to hike and join his photography group on photo shoots which can be catching some of Hawai'i's spectacular scenery, be it rainforests or soft sandy beaches and aquamarine sea. I am a tropical nut at heart and so feel quite in my element in this lush, humid environment. While others may cringe at too much heat, I'm thinking, "bring it on!" as I thaw my otherwise cold Calgarian hands and feet. Since right now it's Hawai'i's winter there's been a fair bit of cool nights and a lot of rain. Here's a picture of Kanoehe's Hawai'ian Memorial, where fallen soldiers also rest.

Below please enjoy some photos of my time here on O'ahu:

What about a little sunset yoga on the beach at the end of a productive day of teaching?!

Hawai'ians absolutely adore their orchids which come in stunning shapes and colours.  Did you know.....Orchids flower twice a year and the blooming period lasts about a month. They can outlive you apparently, if well cared for. Water once a week and no direct sunlight and keep plant in a small pot, it feels more secure that way - kind of like the boundaries children need to feel safe and comfortable in a classroom.

Protected Greenback sea turtles taking a nap - the beach is always roped off around them when they land.

Fancy Lychee soda in a see-through plastic container? I found lots of imported interesting items from Asia available in China Town. Tune into my final paper to read about an experiment I participated in..complete with images.

With the large Asian influence in Honolulu (China Town) you can enjoy a Vietnamese coffee comprised of condensed milk and espresso coffee. Did I sleep that night? Eventually - but it was well worth it!

Madison came to school with not your usual headband - hers is made from the Ti leaf.

Know anyone in jail? Give them this number and they can call you for free..??.

A little bit of Hollywood Honolulu style - the Queens Hospital entrance seen in the movie, The Descendants. 

A little ukulele music by...car lights anyone?

I had to blow up this image so you could appreciate the size of this monster wave I captured on the north western shoreline of O'ahu. The riptide was impressive, so much so that a few minutes after I took this picture a swimmer was rescued by a lifeguard and an ambulance took him away. I had swum there earlier and was blown away by the undertow and decided to get out... looks like it was a good decision. During my TAB travels  I have learned to play closer attention to my gut instinct (a.k.a sixth sense or intuition), much as I try to do when I'm in a classroom.

What's a day at the beach without loved ones (your o'hana) to share it with?