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Cristina Lopez, Science Teacher
Q: How many years have you been at BCCS? What different roles have you played for the school since you joined the team?
A: This is my second year at the school as the seventh grade science teacher.
Q: How and why did you first enter the education world? Did you always know that you would be in education?
A: I didn't always know. I have a background in science. When I did lab work, though, I missed contact with people, so I joined Teach For America to be a science teacher. I fell in love with it. I really liked seeing kids exploring these new concepts having to do with science.
Q: Why did you join BCCS?
A: I was applying to charter schools to come back to Boston from Phoenix, where I was a Teach For America corps member. I toured and interviewed with a lot of schools. BCCS had a great reputation and high academic standards, so it was high on my list. It had a very strong mission. When I interviewed, I realized that there was such a strong balance between community and joy and that that push for college. It was very warm and welcoming, and the kids really looked like they were enjoying learning.
Q: How does BCCS compare to other work experiences you have had?
A: As a charter, BCCS is a little different. There's that strong mission to have the kids go to college after graduation. There are very high academic and behavioral expectations. Also, this is a very warm community where everyone is working 100% to reach the mission. The kids pitch in, and the teachers pitch in.
Q: You have seen the school change during your time here. What have been the most important changes?
A: I've seen a lot of important changes, and that's the great thing about working at this school. When there's something identified as a gap or a problem, it's fixed immediately. I've seen the tutoring program changed to be more targeted and more standards-aligned so that our students can be more specifically pushed on skills. I've seen changes in the discipline system to help it work for specific grades and age levels. I've also seen a large switch in my particular curriculum because, as a department, we reflected and came up with a better way to present the middle school science curriculum. All of the changes were made as a team, and now they're currently being reflected on to make sure they're still the best choice.
Q: What has not changed?
A: The high expectations have remained consistent. A lot of the people on the team haven't changed, which is great. People really enjoy working here, and they stay here. Strong leadership has stayed the same. I can expect that the leadership team will support me on a day-to-day basis with whatever I need. And the general enthusiasm of both the teachers and the students has been constant.
Q: What are the most important lessons you try to teach your students as a science teacher?
A: The general facts and skills are very important, but I try to instill a sense of curiosity about the world around them in my Earth Science course, teaching them how to ask questions themselves and search for the answers themselves. We also learn a lot of problem-solving techniques that are applicable across the curriculum.
Q: What has kept you at BCCS?
A: I love it here. I love the seventh grade team that I work with every day. They're some of the most intellectual people I've ever met and they push me on a daily basis to be better. I respect and admire the leadership team. I want to incorporate their feedback, and I trust their judgment. The students here work their hardest and are excited to come to school every day. The community here rivals anything I've ever seen.
Q: What makes your work meaningful?
A: The students. Seeing their achievements, and seeing them make connections between what they learned in class and the outside world. We took a trip last year after we'd learned about rocks and minerals, and students kept finding pieces of granite and bringing them to me. I had pockets full of granite by the end of the day! Seeing them get so excited about learning and connecting to the outside world is priceless.
Q: 20 years from now, how do you think you'll describe your experience teaching at BCCS?
A: I think I would describe this experience as being part of a great movement to improve education. I think I can reflect upon the people I work with now and always remember them as very dedicated individuals. I will know that I was part of something very important, not only for each individual student but also for education as a whole. Boston Collegiate is doing great things.
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