Top Teachers
Saturday, February 28, 1998
Name: Pat Kent
Age: 46
Position: Kailua Intermediate math teacher
Education: UH-Manoa
Pastimes: Surfing, biking, exercising, family
Slam dunking wads of crushed paper into trash cans is not only allowed in Pat Kent's classroom, it's encouraged. A method to his mathness
Shocked? Don't be. What the kids are doing is engaging in math basketball, which allows teams to take shots and accumulate points after answering math questions correctly, and perhaps get a reward later.
"It's cooperative learning where students get to ... have fun," said the Kailua Intermediate School math teacher. Kent designed the game to make students less fearful of doing math problems on the blackboard. So far, everyone's having a good time, he said.
School Principal Lorraine Henderson said Kent is much appreciated for innovative teaching methods such as math basketball, as well as his dedication to students.
"He's fabulous," she said. "He has been very good at using his educational expertise to teach a wide variety of students," including those at pre-algebra level and others learning basic math. "His heart and soul are into his students."
Kent was nominated to represent the school for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Math last year, and chosen to participate as one of six focus group members to the National Council Teachers of Math in Boston. But he doesn't see himself as special.
"I consider myself a dedicated teacher who's learning every day that I teach," he said.
Kimberly K. Fu, Star-Bulletin
