KATHRYN FUJITA 2nd Grade Teacher Nominated for Touching the Heart Award

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA Kathy Fujita has been a 2nd grade teacher at Silver Spur Elementary School in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District for the past eight years and recently been nominated for a Touching the Heart Award by her friend Ellen Shinkai.

Fujita¹s classroom includes five "special" students with very special needs including ADD, ADHD, Autism and Downs Syndrome. Ms. Fujita took this class of students and made their self esteem soar, made learning fun, (like rapping math problems and solutions) and like many teachers spent much of her own money making her classroom inviting, accessible and visually stimulating. She¹s also been known to buy each student their own pencil box, for pencils, crayons and erasers.

Fujita implements reward systems, making it possible for all students to win a prize. For example there is a contest for having neat cursive handwriting, being student of the week, etc. She also writes up contracts for students who need extra positive attention. Each contract is specific to the child¹s needs and always has qualifying factors that are attainable. Her "special" students find that she treats them the same as any other student and that they also have the ability to excel.

Much of the year, you will find Fujita at recess, lunch, and after school offering one-on-one help for her students. Her belief for students¹ success is to "keep the expectation high for EVERY child in her class". She has found "special" students will rise to the expectation and in turn, will have a new confidence in their abilities. She is also available to help former students who ask for her help. Her belief "if any child needs help and I am able to help them, staying in at recess, lunch or after school is never considered a sacrifice". She attends various dance performances, piano recitals and sporting events of the children in her classroom and when the children see their teacher in the audience they are so happy.

Last school season, one of her students became very ill and was hospitalized. Fujita went to the hospital taking the class¹ Mother¹s Day project with her so the student could work on it. When he was released from the hospital, she went to his home to help him finish his Mother¹s Day project and work with him so he wouldn¹t be behind the class.

Fujita has been going through a difficult divorce and also helping her children (ages 20 and 17) understand the changes. During this time she has kept her Œupbeat¹ personality, never allowing her personal problems to interfere with her class instruction and expectations or her family obligations and that¹s why she¹s being nominated.