About Me
Aloha! 🌺
My name is Esther Kwon and I am the fifth grade teacher at Pineapple Academy. The 2021-2022 school year marks my tenth year of teaching in Hawaiʻi! In addition to teaching fifth grade, I have led various programs throughout my time at DKIES such as Gifted and Talented Enrichment, World Language (Korean), Student Council, and New Teacher Mentoring. My work continues to focus on inspiring and developing curious, creative, and compassionate thinkers in our Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua community.
I call the following places home: Seoul, Toronto, Virginia, and now O‘ahu. I was born in South Korea but moved to Canada when I was in third grade and then to the United States in seventh grade. I graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in Foreign Affairs and obtained my master's degree in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins University. I moved to Hawaiʻi in 2012 as a Teach For America corps member and decided to stay in the islands. My husband Andrew and I currently live in Honolulu.
Having attended 10 different schools in three countries, I believe my experiences position me to better relate to my military dependent students and their families. From struggling to speak English as an immigrant child to thriving in the honors and advanced placement track, my personal journey as a learner shapes the way I envision a successful classroom. It is important to me that all students 1) feel seen and valued for who they are, 2) believe in their own growth potential as well as in others, and 3) feel empowered to create positive change by leveraging their strengths, passions, and interests.
I look forward to partnering with you and creating meaningful learning experiences together. Cheers to a new school year filled with opportunities to explore, discover, create, and share! Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions and I will respond within 48 hours. 🍍
Take care,
Mrs. Kwon
Visit our class website: https://bit.ly/5thpa
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