At Moanalua Elementary School in Honolulu, fourth-grade teacher Katherine Nakamura provides students with an experience rich in diversity, choice and discovery. She aligns instruction with Hawaii Content and Performance Standards, Second Edition (HCPS II), using frequent formative assessments to strengthen teaching and learning. She makes writing enjoyable for students and helps them create their own Living Poetry Anthologies each year. As grade-level chairperson, Mrs. Nakamura serves as a mentor to new fourth-grade teachers. She is also a member of the school's Standards-Based Learning Committee, chair of the Language Arts Committee, and a member of the school's Technology Ad Hoc Committee. Mrs. Nakamura authored the children's book Song of Night, which was recognized as one of 2003's top 10 books for babies and toddlers by Beginning with Books, a Pittsburgh-based literacy organization.
Song of Night: It's Time to Go to Bed
Masters in Teaching; Seattle University
BA in English; Lewis and Clark College
