Think ahead to what the world will be like when you are an adult. What skills will you need to succeed in life and work in our changing world? A strong background in mathematics and science will prepare you for college or work after graduation and open doors to higher paying jobs and greater opportunity over a lifetime.

I know that good communication between school and home is vital to the success of each student so, please feel free to e-mail me with your questions, comments, or concerns by clicking on the convenient “comments” link right underneath this message.

The students enjoy being haumana here at Kamehameha and as we learn and grow together we know we will be able to…

“Ho`olale i ka`ai a ka u`i!”
Show what youth can do!

Imua e na pua a Pauahi!

Mahalo nui for visiting,

Andrew Chung & Beth Ann Burgess

What are your thoughts about American history after watching Roots?

What do you think of America’s slave past?

Do you have any comments in general?

In a recent survey, fifth-graders in Minnesota spent slightly more than four hours a week on homework–significantly less than the six hours in Sendai, Japan and a vastly smaller amount of time than the thirteen hours in Taipei.

Research in the last decade has begun to focus on the relationship between homework and student achievement and has greatly strengthened the case for homework. Although there are mixed findings about whether homework actually increases students’ academic achievement, many teachers and parents agree that homework develops students’ initiative and responsibility and fulfills the expectations of students, parents, and the public. Studies generally have found homework assignments to be most helpful if they are carefully planned by the teachers and have direct meaning to students.

But, according to Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, there is almost no evidence that homework helps elementary school students achieve academic success and that it helps older students. The nightly burden is taking a serious toll on America’s families. It robs children of the sleep, play, and exercise time they need for proper physical, emotional, and neurological development. And it is a hidden cause of the childhood obesity epidemic, creating a nation of “homework potatoes.”

What do you think? I would also like to know what the parents think as well. There are no right or wrong answers.

This week was your first week of class as a 5th grader.

*How was your week?

*What were your thoughts and impressions?

*What do you expect from this school year?

What do you think of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom? To answer this question well, use what you learned in social studies thus far this year.

If you were Lili’uokalani, what would you have done during this time?

What qualities in Lili’uokalani made her a great leader?

Open House

It was a sincere pleasure meeting all of you at Open House. Your concern and love for your child touched my heart and reinforced my desire to do my best for the students.

While driving to school today, I was thinking of how much I love my job. I look forward to stepping into my classroom every morning, and during the day I never watch the clock to see if it is time to go home. In fact, I wish the day was longer. No matter how carefully I plan, I never know what to expect at the start of each day which makes my job very exciting.

I look forward to another fun week of learning. Personally, I get to relearn all the subjects that I daydreamed through when I was a student.

For parents who would like to more about my thoughts on education, please click on the Andy Chung’s Soapbox page on the right.

How did watching this video change your paradigm about “stuff?”

Why is it difficult to stop this process of “stuff?”

What can you do personally to help this situation?