Alison Tanaka, fourth-grade teacher and curriculum coordinator at Kanoelani Elementary School in Waipahu, challenges her students to exceed their own expectations. Using national and state standards to develop her curriculum, Mrs. Tanaka develops integrated project-based lessons that spark her students' curiosity and foster their lifelong learning habits, whether they are mixing chemicals for a unit on volcanoes or researching their families for a family tree project. An avid learner, who frequently attends workshops to improve her knowledge and instruction, Mrs. Tanaka turns these experiences into a springboard for better classroom practice and student achievement. She regularly shares these innovations with her colleagues and is a presenter at numerous educational conferences.
1981 University of Hawaii - Hilo, B.A.
