Luisa Ochoa
What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoyed the most is building relationships with my students. Getting to know them, knowing what is important for them is my starting point. I try to engage their heart so that learning can happen. Then the magic starts. I love seeing my students grow in confidence, especially in Maths. I love those light bulb moments, they are addictive for a teacher. I also enjoy when I have students who quietly love Maths. Seeing them delight with a Maths problem and their faces when they solve it. It is a joy to witness.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I usually start my days early. I get a cup of coffee and check homework and prepare feedback for my students. The morning is always busy at Avila. It is the time to talk to colleagues about lessons, activities, assessments and prepare materials for class. Then the day starts, and I move from class to class, yard duties and planning periods, etc.
The most rewarding aspect of working at Avila?
Avila is a very special school. I love the Avila community. The staff are incredible people and amazing, dedicated, and experienced teachers. I learn every day from them. Teachers at Avila are always looking how to improve learning, how can things be done better. There is a lot of collegiality and support. Our students are also great to teach. They are kind and generous. I love walking through the corridors and catching up with students.
Why did you choose to work in Catholic education?
I don’t think I would be able to teach without God. God for me is at the centre of my teaching vocation. In fact, I changed careers because I felt God was calling me to become a teacher. In the same way, I started teaching RE because I felt God calling me to do it. One of my biggest faults as a teacher is that I talk too much as sometimes (very often) I go on tangents while teaching. Very often, my faith will come into those stories. For me, an education without God is an incomplete education, like a table without a leg. I went to a Catholic School in Colombia and my faith has been at the front and centre of my life. I believe the seed was the Catholic Education I received, which flourished later in my life when I needed it the most and has given me many blessings. One of those: becoming a teacher.
What makes Avila College a great learning community?
In a nutshell, it is the people. The values of Avila are lived in their people. From the administration staff to maintenance, to the teachers, to the students and their families. The Avila community is a caring community and it is about actions and not only words. We reflect on the small and the big things we do every day.