Dr. Weech is a biology teacher who began her interest in teaching in college. She originally started tutoring foster kids for money. It was rewarding for her when she “saw the lightbulb go off in their heads.” Then in grad school, she had to help teach dental students. Although reluctant at first, she realized she missed it when she was finished. 

Dr. Weech loves science, and teaching it especially. “Biology literally means life. It’s so amazing how little these students know about. As you expose them to different aspects of it, you can see them seeing themselves in a different light,” she said. She also loves all the experiments and how hands on it is.

Because of her dedication to the subject, she recently got her PhD in Chemistry. “It was similar to something I had already been doing, and the opportunity presented itself for free, so I had to take it.”  

She previously taught at a small private Catholic school, which has made her appreciate the freedom and diversity at West Potomac. “It was very small and religious. What you could wear was very restricted.” She feels that at West Po, “everyone finds someone that they match with.” 

If Dr. Weech could give a new teacher a word of advice, she would tell them to pick 1-2 things to focus on rather than trying to perfect every aspect. Teaching is not something you get in a year. Even if you’ve been teaching for years, there’s still things that you can work on and improve.”

“You’re gonna make mistakes. Every class is different. It’s in the moment. It’s all about change.