Chloe Sato is Kalani’s newest addition to the science department, taking the role of teaching students about marine science and the inner workings of our Earth. While being a new teacher on campus, she has previous experience at Kalani working under fellow science teacher Tyler Cheff.

“I loved it, I wanted to come back, and on the last day of school last semester, I found out there was an opening in the science department, and I jumped on it,” Sato says. 

Sato was a student teacher in Mr. Cheff’s classroom and taught all six periods for several weeks. Cheff describes her as “enthusiastic.”

“Ms. Sato is very student-oriented,” Cheff says. “She actively engages her students each day and really wants to hear their thoughts and opinions. She has a true enthusiasm for teaching and consistently maintains a positive attitude.”

The subject of marine science encompasses not only marine species and biology but the ocean itself, including its ecosystems, plate tectonics, and ocean navigation. Sato hopes to “make [the classroom] equally educational as enjoyable” for her students and herself as they all navigate the mysteries of the vast ocean together. 

Sato has made it clear that her classroom is heavily built upon project-based learning and collaborative work between students. She draws inspiration from Mr. Cheff’s teaching style and points out how they have a “similar energy” when it comes to teaching. 

“A teaching philosophy grounded in a lot of relationship building amongst the students, and that communicating and collaborating is one of the best ways to learn,” she explains. 

Current marine science student Aidan Hart (12) is impressed with Sato’s teaching thus far, and thinks that the first few weeks have gone by “smoothly.” 

Hart also commends her for her willingness to go right into labs and projects instead of lectures and presentations at the start of the year, as many of his other teachers do. 

“She gets straight to the point, and we’re doing on-hand sort of stuff, we’re doing group work, and it’s more engaging in my opinion, because you’re not just looking at a piece of paper and writing down notes,” he describes. “If you want to go straight into the on-hand sort of stuff, I think Ms. Sato’s class is the one you want to go to.” 

While teaching at Kalani, Sato strives to “bring a lot of joy into science” and push her students to do their best, both inside and outside her class. 

Chase Sumida, a Chemistry and Marine Science teacher at Kalani described Sato as a very “optimistic” person who always looks for the positive in any situation. 

“She is always looking for the positive in any situation. I’m excited to collaborate and work with Ms. Sato this year,” Sumida expresses. “She has a bright personality, confident demeanor, and is very intelligent.”

Sato emphasizes that putting in effort is crucial to succeeding in her class, hoping to create a challenging but enjoyable classroom environment this year.

“I expect great things from every single one of my students, which I think can feel pressuring if you don’t have the support to reach those expectations, but that’s why I’m here,” she says. “I’m going to provide that support so that you can reach my own, but also your own, expectations.”