IVA Faculty

Claudia Smith

Screen_Shot_2021-09-17_at_110309_AM.pngScience Teacher

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Claudia is Salvadorian American and grew up in Southeast Los Angeles. She is married and has a little baby named Emily who was born on a very snowy Colorado day. She loves hanging out with family, going to Farmer’s Markets and trying new foods. She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Loyola Marymount University and M.A. in Education from Alliant International University. She taught high school and middle school chemistry early in her teaching career, then joined IVA where she taught middle school science and a year of Spanish. She was with IVA for three years before moving to Colorado where she continued to teach middle school science at Shaw Heights Middle School. She has now returned to IVA and we are so grateful!

"IVA has a personal and meaningful way of naming how we think and learn. Teaching students using intellectual virtues teaches students how to be meta cognitive, which empowers students. This is something that sticks with students and truly helps them become lifelong learners. I’m glad I get to be a part of a team that works to empower students in such a meaningful way."