Art of thinking brings teacher state's top honor
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser North Shore Bureau
There's critical thinking going on in Jill Hirota's second-grade class at Waialua Elementary School, where knowing the correct answer to a math problem isn't enough.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
The second-graders must be able to come up with the answer in a variety of ways, explain their methods and be prepared to summarize another student's explanation. If someone is having trouble, the rest of the class does not blurt out the solution, but asks questions to help the student think the problem through.
Jill Hirota, Hawai'i State Teacher of the Year, checks on the math solutions of second-grader Devan Young Toledo at Waialua Elementary School.
Jacob Unger-Apilando got that kind of help Tuesday when he had to represent the quantity 51 in coins. Standing at the front of the class, with everyone else seated in a circle on the floor, he set out three toy quarters. A classmate asked Jacob to total the quarters. Realizing his error, Jacob replaced one quarter with a penny.
Constructive exchanges among students exemplify the kind of progressive atmosphere found in the classroom of Hawai'i's Teacher of the Year. Hirota received the Teacher of the Year honor in ceremonies last week. She is one of the state's first public school teachers to join the ranks of nationally certified teachers and has taught at Waialua for 12 years.
Six years ago, James Richardson and Lorenn Walker recognized the impact she was having on their third-grader. Hirota "was primarily responsible for our formerly shy boy transforming into the confident ninth-grader that he is today," the couple said in a letter of recommendation.
"A great educator can create an environment where you can learn things on your own," Walker said yesterday, adding that the whole school operated under this principle and Hirota was "great" at it.
In class, Hirota, 35, encourages students to invent their own strategies and approaches to problem solving.
"When they share it, then it adds to the class repertoire," Hirota said. "And because they're developing their own style, they have confidence."
Using multiplication, addition, subtraction and pictures, the class came up with a half-dozen ways to represent 51, the number of days they have been in school this year. Some were quick to recognize patterns, and Hirota said she would adapt to the children's skill level to help those who could not.
Her classroom, on the second floor of A Building, has all the tools for learning: computers, a television set from which the children get a daily school report produced by students, maps, a set of encyclopedias, reading books and educational equipment.
Artwork decorates the room, including self-portraits by the students with titles such as Special Michele, Angelic Ayano, Fuzzy Kaimana and Outrageous Austin. Posters remind students about adjectives, good writing and the Sept. 11 tragedy. The classroom rules are prominently displayed.
"Rule number three," was all Hirota had to say to quiet down the chattering students, who were about to learn a new game. She asked for their attention and crossed her fingers, and everyone responded by crossing their legs and adjusting their circle so she could continue the lesson about helping others to solve problems.
She thanked Karl for raising his hand before speaking and complimented Kaimana for being a good listener. But she was quick to fine one boy 10 community dollars for playing in class. The dollars are not easy to come by and can be used for fun on Market Day or to pay fines for misbehavior.
Hirota's students say her class is fun. She will tell you she isn't doing anything different from other teachers.
Giorgi Bengston, who was asked what made their teacher special enough to earn the top award, said, "It's too hard to explain because she's always special and always nice."
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
