It’s said that “the best journey takes you home”, and for English teacher Brandon Cunha, home is the place he started his teaching journey: Clover Hill High School.
Cunha has known all throughout his adult life that he wanted to become a teacher, and in college, he jumped between different subjects, finally setting his sights on English. This led him to Kelly Green Lane and Andrew Brown’s English 11 class, his student teaching assignment through the VCU Clinical Faculty program.
“Everything that I know about teaching is from Mr. Brown,” Cunha said. “Nothing about teaching can be learned in a [college] classroom.”
After initially beginning his career at Monacan High School, Cunha made the cross-county move back to Clover Hill at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
“This place feels like somewhere people want to be,” Cunha said.
Finally, back at Clover Hill, Cunha has transformed from a student teacher to a veteran teacher. He gets to make his own lesson plans, assigns the work he thinks is beneficial and has his own classes of students to teach.
“Everything does not feel as new as it did when I student taught,” said Cunha. “I was surprised how quickly I felt like the real teacher.”
Cunha currently teaches both English 9 and 10, though he enjoys the 10th grade curriculum more because it is focused on World Literature.
Helping students see the world from different perspectives is what Cunha appreciates most about teaching.
“I am always happy seeing students grow into the people they become as they get older and become more mature.”
Students have helped him improve his organization and management skills, along with improving his overall teaching skills every school year.
“All of my students help me become a better teacher almost every day.” said Cunha.
Cunha has enjoyed his time on the hill thus far, and cannot wait to see what the future holds.
