Top Teachers
Saturday, January 9, 1999
Name: Mark Woolsey
Age: 39
Position: Japanese teacher, Kahuku High and Intermediate School
Education: BYU-Hawaii
Pastimes: Music, astronomy
When Mark Woolsey took students on a trip to Japan three years ago, he had hoped they'd get lost. His cup is always half full
"That may sound strange to parents, but when they get lost, then they're dependent upon what they've learned in class," said Woolsey, who is in his 13th year teaching Japanese at Kahuku High and Intermediate School. Every three years, he takes students on a journey from Tokyo to southern Japan.
The purpose is not actually to get them lost, but give them an opportunity to speak the language on their own. Woolsey concentrates 60 percent to 70 percent of his classes on pronunciation and speaking skills.
Woolsey said he loves helping students learn to read, write and speak Japanese, which is considered the third or fourth most difficult language to learn in the world.
Aside from teaching, Woolsey is chairman for the school's appeals board and standards committee. He is also a unit commissioner and merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America.
Principal Lea Albert said Woolsey was nominated Teacher of the Year at least 10 times.
"If you ever want to see a truly superb teacher, you should go into his classroom," she said. "He's an extremely dynamic teacher" -- so full of life that Woolsey often reminds her of actor/comedian Robin Williams.
"He's always up, never down or discouraged," Albert said. "The world to him is a cup half full."
By Shirley Iida, Star-Bulletin
