Beta's Stellar Social Studies teacher, Annie Oppenheim!

Annie Oppenheim is committed to exploring non-dominant narratives in U.S. history with her 8th grade students at Caliber Beta Academy. She originally grew up on the East Coast but moved to California after graduating from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. She studied history and education policy which fueled her desire to teach history from diverse, non-traditional perspectives. After graduation, she began her teaching career at an all boys private school in San Francisco while simultaneously completing a two-year training program to earn her teaching credential. She joined Caliber this year because she was inspired by the innovative and creative approaches to meet the needs of students and families from all backgrounds. In her free time, she loves being active in the outdoors with friends and family, especially running, hiking or rock climbing! 

From her team:

"Annie puts student learning first. Walk into her class and you'll see students analyzing historical documents and discussing important ideas all while exploring their own. She believes in her students and her passion for history comes through in her storytelling. We're so excited to welcome her to team!"

"Annie is new to the team this year in 8th grade but has definitely hit the ground running. She is constantly working to hold her students to high expectations in Social Studies class through rigorous texts while also making sure they feel supported and engaged. Additionally, I have seen Annie push our team to make sure no kid falls through the cracks or has needs that go unnoticed. Lastly, I know I can trust Annie to be supportive and thoughtful as a team member when it comes to day to day logistics. She often volunteers to take on an extra task so that the team doesn't have to worry about it. We are lucky to have her with us this year!"

"Annie is dedicated, positive, and hard working. She brings such joy to our campus."

More about Annie!
What is your favorite thing about working at Caliber? 
One of my favorite things about working at Caliber is the supportive staff community. Be it administrators or teachers, I feel like I am constantly being heard, encouraged and offered a helping hand when needed. The combination of both autonomy and support that I have been given as a new teacher has made for a smooth transition this school year, and I am so appreciative of "the village" that has supported me thus far.

What was your favorite subject in school? 
Growing up I really loved math, but I never took a math class again after finishing calculus! When I was in college, I realized how history can help us make sense of the world we live in today... I find it fascinating! My goal as a history teacher here at Caliber is to help students realize not only how cool history is (nerd moment), but also the pivotal role students play in their own histories. 

What is your favorite memory associated with music? 
My first concert was the Spice Girls Reunion Tour when I was in 5th grade, which makes for a pretty special musical memory. More recently I had the opportunity to see a show at Red Rocks in Colorado. The beauty of the venue combined with the music I heard made it truly unforgettable! 

If you could go on a dream vacation, where would you go? 
If I could go on a dream vacation, I would spend time traveling throughout South America. From the mountains to the cities, I am eager to explore, not to mention the fact that it would give me an opportunity to finally become fluent in Spanish :)

What is your favorite part about living in the Bay Area? 
As an East Coast native, my favorite thing about the Bay Area is it's geographic diversity. The fact that I can wake up in a the middle of a city and 30 minutes later be on the Pacific Ocean or hiking on the trails of Marin or the East Bay still blows my mind!

What's something surprising that most people wouldn't know about you? 
One thing most people don't know about me is that I am the 4th out of 5 kids in my family. While that isn't that interesting, what is interesting is that 6 out of 7 of us (parents included) are left handed!  Though lefties make up only 10% of the world, we make up 87% of my immediate family! 

We deeply appreciate your perspective and contribution to the Caliber team, Annie! Keep it up!