About Ms. Haines

Heather Haines comes from a family of educators.

Three grandparents, an aunt, a cousin, and her mother are all teachers.

“I have always admired the work they do,” says Ms. Haines, who grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and went to Wellesley College before earning a master’s in education, specializing in chemistry, from Boston College.

“My favorite high school teacher was Don Dosch,” she says. “He was one of the first teachers to help me understand that science isn’t about memorizing facts from a book; science is about being curious, thinking creatively, and working with other people to solve problems.  I always knew I liked science, but it wasn’t until his class that I decided I wanted to make science a career. “

Now in her second year at CCSC, Ms. Haines says she really enjoys teaching eleventh grade. “It’s a year when students start to develop more critical thinking skills but college isn’t close enough that they lose sight of how important high school is.”

Ms. Haines, who is a 2008 Knowles Science Teaching Fellow, really enjoys teaching at CCSC.

“CCSC has a great culture around teaching and learning.  While it’s challenging for both teachers and students, the thought, love, and care that goes into planning and revising curriculum is truly remarkable.  I feel lucky to be at a place that is so committed to good teaching and helping ALL teachers and students improve. “