Henrico's Top Teachers – Charles Cuccherini

Whether they know it or not, students in Charlie Cuccherini's biology classes at Tucker High School will learn nearly as many lessons about life as they will about science.

That's by design.

"I tell them biology is the study of life – so we're not just learning about science, we're learning about life in general," he said.

In pursuit of that goal, Cuccherini incorporates a number of non-scientific elements into his plans.

It's not uncommon for some assignments to involve artwork, which allows creative students to shine in a class in which they might not have expected to stand out – and permits creative thinkers to visualize details in a clearer way.

Other assignments may require students to use animation with a Power Point presentation.

"Once they build that skill set, it gives them some confidence," he said.

Cuccherini splits his time between advanced biology students (who take his IB college-level course) and his collaborative biology students (many of who are taking science because they have to, rather than because they want to).

Because his wife, Julia, teaches English at Tucker, Cuccherini has had the opportunity to witness students who struggled in his class excel in hers. That, he said, reminds him that all students have strengths and weaknesses and that it's his job to help them use their strengths to address their weaknesses.

A student who's a great writer, for instance, might grasp the concept of photosynthesis more effectively by writing a short story about it, he said.

Though his classes and groups of students are different in many ways, Cuccherini has found a number of common bonds, too.

"It's surprising how similar they can be with certain things," he said.

After teaching higher-level concepts to his IB class, Cuccherini sometimes will engage his collaborative class on the same topics and find those students have deep thoughts about them, too.

Still, there are differences.

"Challenging the IB kids is not usually hard – I just think back to college and what frustrated me, and then throw that at them," he said with a laugh. But reaching students in the collaborative class can be difficult at first.

"You do have to convince them that you care," he said.

To do so, Cuccherini shows students how studying biology can help them learn the importance of healthy eating and taking care of their bodies. The study of cells can help demonstrate that they can train their brains to become better learners.

"A hallmark of Mr. C's class is his class assignments that encourage a student to think creatively in order to solve a problem," one student wrote in a nomination. "It is clear that Mr. C thinks of his career in education beyond just a ‘job’ – he makes a clear effort to engage and care for every student he encounters."

Cuccherini hopes that his IB students learn that the value in his course is not determined by getting a good grade, but rather by what they do with their knowledge and achievements later in life. For his collaborative students, success is getting them to buy into education, he said.

"I feel like there's a lot of mistrust out there," he said. "I try to teach them that their education is the best way to better themselves."