I want my students to remember the fun parts of class but also the difficult parts. I want them to be able to look back and remember how they worked through tough questions and how they were able to use scientific thinking to draw their own conclusions.
Camila’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Biology
Why Biology
I began college as a physics major but eventually realized that my interest in science was better explored through biology, particularly in the evolution of species. I chose to teach high school biology because it is a discipline that focuses on life and allows students to view their lives in a different way. From understanding what parts make your body to understanding medicine, or knowing the parts of the ecosystems around you — biology enriches how you look at the world inside and around you, and I wanted to share that with students.
Professional Experience
While in school, Camila was able to gain a variety of teaching experiences. She worked as an after school leader at Girlstart, an educational non-profit, where she taught fourth and fifth grade girls at high need school STEM lessons, focused on STEM careers. During the summer of 2020, she was an instructor at the Tapia STEM camps based at Rice University, where she led an online camp with high school students building their own heatsink. Camila taught Biology and Pre-IB Biology at Sharpstown International School in Houston for two years. During the summer of 2022 and 2023, Camila was a summer camp teacher at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, teaching students ages 6-12 ecology, greek/roman mythology, spy camp, magic, archaeology, paleontology, and veterinary science. During the school year, Camila volunteers her time to help students with their college applications.
Camila will start her third year teaching Biology and Earth Science at Durham School of the Arts in Durham, NC in the 2024-2025 school year.
Hobbies
In her free time, Camila enjoys reading, baking, birdwatching, and spending time with her cat, Darcy.
Academic Background
- Rice University (Bachelor of Science in Bioscience, Minor in Anthropology)
- Rice University (M.A.T. Education)