Sam Weiner, MAT'25, has been named “Teacher of the Year” at City Arts and Leadership Academy in San Francisco, where she teaches AP U.S. Government to twelfth graders. Nominated by fellow teachers and staff members, Sam earned the honor in just her first year in the classroom. Before arriving in San Francisco, Sam served as principal of Brown Summer High School.
Mentors Who Shaped a Teaching Philosophy
For Sam, the path to this recognition runs directly through the mentors and experiences that defined her time at Brown. “A particularly impactful part of my experience at Brown was working with Dr. David Upegui as my site leader because he showed us through his connections with students that relationship-building is as critical as mastery of content and instruction,” Sam said. She also credits John Palella, Assistant Teaching Professor of Education, for the joy he brought to their cohort. Serving as principal of Brown Summer High School, Sam added, solidified her desire to make schools a place where students feel belonging and camaraderie.
From Lesson Design to Live Classroom
One MAT experience in particular has stayed with Sam: a lesson on the Lowell Mill Girls Strike, designed for an observation by Dr. Palella, in which students created and simulated conversations between the mill girls themselves. “In my position this year, I have used project-based learning to curate an AP U.S. Government curriculum that balances creativity and rigor,” Sam said. “As Dr. Upegui taught me, when students see themselves as facilitators of their own learning and agents in the classroom, they inevitably construct knowledge.”
Learning to Lead a Classroom of Her Own
Moving from student teaching to a classroom of her own brought its own surprises. “What has surprised me most about the transition into full-time teaching is how fast you get comfortable, and how fast the year is over, when you are creating your own class and working so diligently to build relationships,” Sam said. During the MAT program, she relied on mentors and fellow MAT students as thought partners in every decision; in her own classroom, those calls are now hers alone to make. “As a first-year teacher, I had to balance longing for the structure of student-teaching with gaining the invaluable skill of being a leader,” she said.
Sam plans to keep growing using the same model the MAT instilled in her: observing more experienced teachers, collaborating with colleagues, and seeking out professional development. This summer, that means teaching at UC Berkeley's Advanced Talent Development Program and attending Northwestern University's AP Summer Institute; this fall, it means completing induction training and stepping into the role of 12th Grade Level Lead.
What the Award Means
Winning Teacher of the Year carries particular weight for Sam as a first-year educator who moved to a new city to start an entirely new career. “However, with the knowledge I received from John Palella and the MAT program, I was able to seamlessly create engaging lessons and build a vibrant classroom,” Sam said. “The kids appreciated my scaffolds and project-based lessons that allowed us to explore government through a critical lens.” Earning the award, she said, only makes her want to strive to uphold the MAT's legacy, and keep learning how to be the best teacher she can be.