Top Teachers
Saturday, March 6, 1999
Name: Michelle Tuzon
Age: 51
Position: Sacred Hearts Academy teacher
Education: UH
Pastimes: Spending time with family, riding bike
Michelle Tuzon constantly seeks to improve herself as a teacher, trying to make learning fun for students. Teaching sense of community
Five years ago, Tuzon went to her first Teachers Teaching Teachers summer session program, sponsored by Hanahauoli School in Makiki. After spending four summers there, Tuzon learned how to teach subjects -- like language arts, math, social studies and religion -- based on a topic or theme.
"That really changed my way of looking at teaching," said Tuzon, a second-grade teacher at Sacred Hearts Academy.
Last semester, for instance, she got students to learn about communities. Students first learned about Hawaii and then about America's pioneers during the 1800s, how they lived and met their needs.
Such assignments help students to recognize how people worked together to achieve a sense of community, she said.
Tuzon is also the school's May Day coordinator and division chairwoman for grades 1 to 3.
"She has shown outstanding leadership and dedication that has earned her the respect of her colleagues and the administration," said Remee Bolante, vice principal of the Lower School.
Bolante said she expects Tuzon to stay at Sacred Hearts until retirement. "She knows she's established. She has her roots here, and that's the kind of teacher you want to keep."
Shirley Iida, Star-Bulletin
