Catherine Beck

Catherine Beck has been teaching for 20 years. Beck believes the most valued part of a learning environment is for everyone to feel welcomed and comfortable. She wants the students to be so engaged in what they are learning that time becomes irrelevant.

What has been your favorite part of teaching?

My favorite part of teaching is meeting the coolest kids ever. I enjoy making connections, finding out all kinds of interesting things about kids’ lives and forming a relationship with them. I look forward to hopefully doing the same at Brookline High School this year with my current students.

What language do you teach at BHS and how did you learn these languages?

This year I’m teaching French, but I also teach Spanish. My mother spoke French at home, I went to a French school for a while, and then I moved to the United States. I took French in high school and continued my studies in college. I also took Spanish and studied in Spain.

What was your high school experience like and how does that affect how you teach now?

I was extremely shy. I was the kid that never participated, so I feel that I’m very aware of kids who have anxiety about being engaged and participating. So I try very hard to make the room as comfortable as possible.

What is your ideal classroom environment?

My ideal classroom environment would be where students are unaware of the time because they are so involved in what they are doing. My goals for this year are to learn the curriculum as much as I can and make my lessons as engaging as possible.

Where have you been in your life?

I spent a lot of time in Montreal growing up. I’ve spent time in France. I went to high school and college in Wisconsin. I love to take hikes in the woods. In fact, I just went yesterday after school. I try to go at least three or four times a week. I go to Collar Park. I love the arboretum and Castle Island.