Animals of the Amazon!

Aloha! My name is Jen, and I live in the beautiful state of Hawaii! I believe that all students should "Learn with Aloha" - my hope is that your children feel supported in the classroom, and have fun while learning in a friendly environment! I have a BA in Diversified Liberal Arts, with minors in English, History and Philosophy. I absolutely love teaching, and there is nothing better than seeing a child's eyes light up when they grasp a concept or realize they have creative talent!

My classes entail a combination of lecture and demonstration, depending on the class. In most classes, I use a combination of visual learning using Powerpoint slides, videos and photos, as well as auditory learning by accompanying the slides with a lecture. Students have the option of actively interacting or just listening – no pressure, as I believe every student learns differently. 

For my art classes, I teach beginner and intermediate painting using acrylics, canvas, rocks and other media. I believe in flexibility and encourage each child to choose the colors that speak to them - there is no right or wrong in creating art!

For my Wilderness Survival classes, having been exposed to camping and wilderness since I could walk, I have a passion for teaching others the skills for surviving in the wilderness. My life experience, as well as recent coursework thru Alderleaf Wilderness College give me the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to pass this important information on to your learner on a level that they can understand!

On a personal note, I have lived in Hawaii since 2004, I am passionate about travel and absolutely obsessed with animals - - I teach what I love and hope to pass that passion on to my students. If you're looking for a certain class and don't see a time that works for your child, feel free to contact me and I can try to accommodate your schedule. For my updated class policies, please see below! I look forward to teaching your child more about the subjects that interest them!

Hop on over to Facebook and follow me! https://www.facebook.com/LearnwithALOHA/

•  •  •  Class Policies •  •  •  
(updated December 30, 2021)

With the huge influx of families using Outschool in 2020, I have compiled all of my class policies into one location - please be aware of these policies before enrolling your learner. These policies have supported over 6,200 happy and successful students in the 1,550+ classes I have taught on Outschool!



*ENROLLMENT & SIBLING DISCOUNT:  All students, including siblings and/or co-learners MUST be enrolled to attend and participate in the class, per Outschool policy.  I am willing to offer sibling discounts if you contact me once you have enrolled your learners. Students who show up to class with siblings who are NOT enrolled will be removed from the classroom.


*LATE TO CLASS/MISSED CLASS: All courses will begin on time as long as one learner is in the classroom. If a student misses a class, they will have access to the class presentation, and the class recording will be available upon request. Missed classes are not entitled to a refund or transfer to a future class. In the event that no students are in the classroom at ten minutes past the start time, I will end the class, and will then upload the class presentation to the classroom. 

*AGE RANGE: While there are many very gifted young learners, age ranges are set for a reason. Students below the age range listed for a class should consult with me before enrolling to ensure readiness. Under age students may be removed and refunded if this step is not taken. Many parents and older students in class do not appreciate students who are younger than the listed range being in the same class.

*REFUNDS: All of my live classes follow the limited refund policy set by Outschool.  My FLEX classes follow the flexible refund policy.   You can find more info here:  https://support.outschool.com/en/articles/16379-refund-policies-and-happiness-guarantee

*CLASS TRANSFERS:  I am happy to process transfers if requested 7 or more days in advance of the original class (when we are still outside of the limited refund period).  Transfer requests received after the refund period has lapsed will be referred to the class recordings. 

*CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT & STUDENT BEHAVIOR: My goal is to ensure all students feel safe and comfortable in the classroom environment.  I do not tolerate discrimination, prejudices, or hate-speech. Any student displaying these behaviors will be removed from the class. Similarly, any student displaying distracting or inappropriate behavior will have their video screens turned off, and may be removed from class.

*VIDEO/AUDIO REQUIREMENT:  For safety reasons and per Outschool policy, I require a visual check-in at the beginning of classes.  After visual confirmation of the enrolled student, students are then welcome to use video/audio at their comfort level.  

*MUTE/UNMUTE: During class, students should keep microphones muted in order to reduce background noise. Students should be familiar with muting/unmuting if they choose to participate in class discussion, and parents of younger learners should be nearby if the younger learner cannot manage the mute button.

*CLASS LENGTH: Class length varies based on student interaction and number of enrolled learners. Classes are designed so that they will very rarely run longer than the time allotted, but may end 5 to 7 minutes earlier than the listed end time if there are fewer learners and/or students choose not to interact and engage.

*CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT:  Students are welcome and encouraged to ask on-topic questions during class! I will not call on a student unless they have raised their hand. Since my classes are electives, I don’t want students feeling pressured to engage… instead, I want them to thoroughly enjoy their time in class. :)

*VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS: Students should keep virtual backgrounds simple and not distracting.

*CHAT/ANNOTATE: In my classes, we do not use the Chat or Annotate features. Past experience has taught me that these features can lead to extreme distractions and abuse during class, and addressing those issues takes up valuable class time.

*PHEW! You made it to the end! Although that seems like a lot of “rules”, these policies ensure we all have an enjoyable time learning together in class! I look forward to meeting your learner in the coming weeks and months! :)