I choose to teach because I want to encourage students to become independent thinkers, lifelong learners, and valued members of their community. My perennial goal is to ensure that when all students exit my class, they are self-assured, able to reflect on their own knowledge, and aware of and appreciative of diversity. In my experience, I have found that teaching must be multi-faceted, including a curriculum that encompasses multiple and integrated disciplines, and that students learn best through exploration, discovery, and inquiry. While in Hawaii, I have had the honor to work with some of the best public and private schools, supported by caring administration. Each of these administrators has trusted me to serve in a variety of teaching assignments, including math, science, English language arts, foreign languages, social studies, technical education, robotics, drama, and art. I am continually looking to learn something new and I encourage each of my students to do the same.