Check out our Specialist Teachers’ Blog!

Where are you from?

I never quite know how to answer that question. My father was in the Navy when I was a young girl, so we moved a lot. I spent most of my youth in Southern California and moved to the Boston area in the middle of high school. I went to college in New York State and moved back to Boston after graduation. So, at this point I consider myself half Californian and half Bostonian, whatever that is!

When did you first start teaching at the Bates?

This is my 7^th year at the Bates. I started teaching here while my two boys were students here at the Bates. My youngest son is now in 5^th grade and will be graduating from the Bates this year.

What do you like about teaching your grade?

I teach visual art to all the students in the building and that is probably one of the things I like most about my job. I have the privilege to see students year after year as they grow up here at the Bates. I love seeing students grow as artists and really expand their ability to make and think about art.

What do you prioritize in your classroom or what are your goals in the classroom?

I hope that when my students leave the Bates they come away accepting that we are all students of art, learning at our own pace with different strengths and talents. I always stress that mistakes are ok and can sometimes lead us to an idea we would have never had if we hadn’t made that mistake.

Any additional information you’d like parents/families to know about you? (Hobbies? Family? Favorite music, food, etc?)

I am very inspired by nature and the world around me. Many of our art projects here at the Bates reflect that point of view. I love to swim in the ocean. My favorite food is tacos.

Andrea Drakes, Art Teacher | anordlanddrakes@bostonpublicschools.org

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• Woodbridge, VA

• This will be my third year at the Bates.

• I love teaching PE because I love introducing kids to new activities they can use to get their bodies moving.

• My goal is to introduce our students to different activities/sports. My hope is that they will find something that they enjoy to take with them into their personal lives.

• I. Love. Beyonce.

Mr. Hern’s Science Blog

I love teaching at the Bates, even though I took a roundabout route to get here!  I grew up in West Roxbury, one of seven children, and went to high school, college, and law school in and around Boston.  After a law fellowship in Germany, I practiced law in Boston for a while before going into teaching.  I’ve been at the Bates since 2006. One thing very special about the Bates is that our staff genuinely like to work with each other. I love teaching Science because I am curious about so many things, and I always want to understand better how the world “works”.

My expectation for each of my students is for him or her to be curious and to learn about the world as scientists do:  by hands-on investigations and experiments, by modeling, by reading, by discussing and listening, by writing, and, above all, by always wanting to understand more deeply.  Children are naturally curious; Science just gives their curiosity a structure and a method.

Outside of school, I still live in West Roxbury, and I stay close with my siblings.  My wife and I have two daughters, one in elementary school and one in high school.  My family is my first love, but my other loves include music (especially classical, and most especially J.S. Bach!), reading, riding my bike, hiking, and “simply messing about in boats.”

Chris Hern, Science (K0/K1 and 3-5) | chern@bostonpublicschools.org

My name is Eva Gerena Rivera, I am the Spanish Teacher at Bates Elementary School. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I began teaching at the Bates as an ESL Teacher from 2013-2015. I returned, as a PT Spanish Teacher in 2018. I greatly enjoy teaching students about my native language, culture, perspective and exploring with them some of the traditions and cultures from Latin America.

I live in Roslindale with my husband and a teenage daughter. I have one son in college. As a family we enjoy traveling, visiting farmer’s markets, playing tennis, board and video games and watching movies.