With three decades of teaching experience in various locations and types of schools, Ms. Kathy Chavez joins the school this year as an Instructor in Mathematics. She is excited to get to know the school, familiarize herself with its traditions, and cheer for its athletic teams. 

What has been the highlight of your opening weeks? 

The highlight of this week was watching the V.S. girls get ready for the Voice. Tell us about some of your prior teaching experience. I started my teaching career in Chicago public schools. I then went on to teach at a charter school in Chicago, but the other math teacher quit midyear, so I was teaching every class with a couple of volunteers. Then I ended up at a school called Francis Parker, which I loved. After that, I moved to Atlanta and worked at a school called Paideia before moving to the northeast to work at Hopkins. I taught there for seven years before coming to Hotchkiss. 

What is your teaching style? 

I’m super-organized, but I like organized chaos in the classroom. I really love a lively classroom where students are talking to each other and asking questions. One of my most effective teaching strategies is employing things like group work and using students to teach other students.