Heath, Cassandra

History teacher Cassandra Heath says she couldn't have been luckier, "coming to Blair". Heath now enjoys her fourth year at Montgomery Blair High School, teaching Modern World History and hosting Forensics club, a public speaking extracurricular activity. "The school itself is just amazing," she says. "All the different races and cultures bring a whole new experience to teaching."

Heath grew up in Montgomery County and attended Magruder High School. She then attended Spellman College in Alabama, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in both Political Science and Sociology. "History in general was always appealing to me," she explains.

After college, Heath took a job teaching 6th grade, but "didn't enjoy the kids." She decided to give high school a try and came to Blair. She first taught 9th grade US History and then switched to Modern World History a year later. "I'm much more comfortable with older kids," she says, "especially the juniors."

Even though Heath's teaching schedule is very busy, she makes sure there is time for leisure and relaxation. Heath's hobbies include playing tennis and visiting art and history museums. She also likes to watch classic plays in her spare time, especially Shakespeare. Heath is also very interested in learning more about cultures and the past history of different civilizations. "It's just amazing to me, the many different aspects of cultures all over the world," she says.

Despite her love for teaching, Heath will never forget how strenuous her first day was. "I was very nervous," she says. "I wasn't sure how to present myself." After the few years of experience Heath has, however, she now firmly believes that there is no way to convey your knowledge to a student unless you find out how that student learns. She advises, "If you don't adapt to the way the students learn, you will never succeed, and to do it properly is something to strive for."