Faculty in Focus: Claire Arcenas, Grade 2 Teacher

 

Claire Arcenas is a force to be reckoned with. The Canadian native and intrepid traveler holds four undergraduate degrees—a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, a Bachelor of Science in life sciences, and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education from Queen's University, as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto. 

After a 16-year teaching career and with a master's in education under her belt, Claire pursued a new professional challenge at Geekie, an online educational platform. Keen to apply the research-based teaching practices she developed at Geekie, Claire was itching to return to the classroom. 

In this issue of the Graded Gazette, Claire shares her adventures as a touch rugby player in Zambia, her passion for running and swimming, and her favorite place in São Paulo!
 

You’ve lived in São Paulo for more than 10 years; what’s your favorite hidden treasure in the city?

l love my neighborhood, Vila Madalena! It’s eclectic, vibrant, and caters to diverse tastes and lifestyles. From cafés, restaurants, and botecos to clothing boutiques, antique stores, and the colorful graffiti murals in Batman Alley, Vila Madalena is far from boring. I’ve made meaningful relationships with the various small business owners and employees who help create and nurture the community. It’s extremely walkable (though quite hilly, so it’s a great leg workout) and close to Vila Madalena metro station, which has allowed me to explore and enjoy the city, turning me into a true Paulista! Although it’s far from Graded, I appreciate the separation between work and home.
 

When did you realize you wanted to become a teacher, and what inspired you to teach abroad?

My love for travel, cultures, and languages led me to international teaching. Teaching in Guatemala, Zambia, and Brazil has opened the door to new experiences and people. Each role has shaped me as both an educator and an individual. The relationships I build as a teacher are unique and special. Knowing that I have positively impacted the lives of my students, colleagues, and the parent community reinforces my passion for teaching and validates the effort I put in each day in the classroom. 

 

What are some of the lessons you've learned from each of these international experiences?

Teaching and living abroad have taught me resilience. Each country has presented both unique challenges and wonderful opportunities for personal and professional growth. Communication has been one of the biggest hurdles living abroad. The ability to express oneself clearly and effectively is key when building relationships—no matter where you are in the world. Doing so in another language adds an additional layer of complexity! Language learning has taught me to be vulnerable, make mistakes, laugh at myself, and develop empathy for those who are also learning another language. It has enabled me to create meaningful relationships with the local community, both inside and outside of the school community, which, in turn, has enhanced my appreciation of multiple perspectives. Learning a language is a journey that requires perseverance, but once you embrace the process, it gets easier. It truly embodies lifelong learning.
 

At Geekie, you studied cultural forces and cultures of thinking in the classroom. Can you explain what these are and elaborate on your research and its impact on your approach to teaching?

I am passionate about making my students’ thinking visible. Over the years, I’ve integrated research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, particularly the work of Ron Ritchhart on cultures of thinking, into my teaching and learning practices. 

According to Richhart, there is an opportunity to create a culture of thinking whenever a group of people comes together and identifies learning and intellectual growth as part of their mission. A culture of thinking goes beyond just memorizing facts for a test. It motivates learners to deepen their understanding of various concepts by encouraging them to think critically by asking questions, making connections, comparing, analyzing, and making thoughtful observations. I’ve witnessed this approach impact both students and teachers. The specific practices, structures, and tools, when used consistently and with purpose, foster more metacognitive and motivated learners. There are eight cultural forces—language, time, physical environment, opportunities, routine, modeling, interactions, and expectations—identified by this research that help teachers set the stage for thinking and learning to take place. 

I have grown tremendously as an educator since my time at Geekie. My role as a pedagogical designer was similar to that of a teaching and learning coach or curriculum designer. I am grateful to Geekie co-founder and Graded parent Claudio Sassaki for the opportunity to share my knowledge and understanding of the cultural forces in order to advance Geekie’s educational solution and its relationships with its partner schools across Brazil. It has been incredible to see both teachers and Geekie embrace research that many American and international schools, including Graded, have implemented over the years. 

To share the importance of applying these research-based practices in Brazilian schools, I contributed to a Brazilian education book, Aprendizagens Visíveis: Experiências teórico-práticas em sala de aula. My chapter discusses the importance of creating cultures of thinking in professional learning opportunities. Moreover, I have led workshops based on this research for the IB PYP (Primary Years Programme), American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA), the Innovate Conference, and during in-service for teachers at Graded. 

 

After almost four years at Geekie, what inspired you to return to Graded?

Toward the end of my time at Geekie, I was working with my team to expand our digital educational solution in Brazilian elementary schools. Translating and communicating the research into Portuguese was challenging but completely worth the effort! Empowering Brazilian teachers to develop their practices and encouraging them to change their mindsets about education in Brazil was incredibly rewarding.

However, I missed the classroom! After nearly four years at a start-up, working on that last project at Geekie was the catalyst that inspired my return to Graded. I was looking forward to the opportunity to share and apply my new skills, knowledge, and understanding in the elementary classroom while once again creating meaningful connections with my students, their families, and the Graded community.
 

Tell us about your experience as a touch rugby player. 

During my first year in Lusaka, Zambia, my teaching colleague invited me to join her touch rugby league. I was looking for an athletics activity and a chance to meet new people outside of school. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous playing a sport I hadn’t practiced since high school! Over my seven years in Lusaka, I learned how to play really well. The experience taught me perseverance and that I could confidently hold my own alongside men, often as the only female player. 

The game of touch rugby is similar to rugby but without the tackling. Play involved a lot of passing and sprinting down the field. I enjoyed being challenged physically and learning the strategy behind the sport. Many players were from southern Africa and had high school and/or collegiate-level rugby experience. 

Rugby culture is social and often involves post-game gatherings. The friendships I made defined my time in Lusaka. Through these relationships, I learned to appreciate new perspectives and embrace southern African culture and traditions.
 

What do you enjoy most about running and swimming?

I took up long-distance running when I moved to Guatemala. In Zambia, I trained for my first half marathon—a 21-kilometer race where Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and Livingstone, Zambia meet. Running across the Victoria Falls Bridge and taking in the magnificent Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is an experience I will never forget. A large section of the race took place in Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe, offering the opportunity to see wildlife along the way. Unfortunately, one training run ended with a van collision. Thankfully, I was not critically injured, but it did take some time to recover and rebuild my confidence to run again. Since then, I have completed half marathons in Cape Town and São Paulo. The post-race sense of accomplishment and pride is what I enjoy the most.

I also took up swimming in Guatemala. What I love about swimming is the ability to see and feel improvement over time in my breathing, my endurance, and my execution of different strokes. I even completed a challenge to swim 36 kilometers in one month at my gym in São Paulo!