After retiring from teaching Fundamentals of Music and Class V Band at Boston Latin School in 2024, Mr. Christopher Grammer (‘76) currently serves as a substitute teacher at Boston Public Schools.
During his time as a student, Mr. Grammer enjoyed playing the trumpet and trombone, and he was part of the first BLS graduating class to include women. He was on the pre-med track for four years at Boston College, but after graduating, he decided to follow his backup plan of teaching elementary and high school students. He explains, “I believed that I could make a positive impact on the education of children of Boston […] and especially share my knowledge and joy of music and science.”
Mr. Grammer began his career at BPS in 1999, during which he spent 12 years working full-time at BLS. Over the span of his career, he received numerous honors, including BPS’s Educator of the Year in 2008. As a substitute teacher, his schedule varies each week; he waits to be assigned to certain schools through a SubCentral portal. On average, he spends three days a week teaching at both the elementary and high school levels.
Mr. Grammer has always planned to return to BPS and become a substitute teacher. He says, “It’s important for me to stay active. […] Also, the kids make me feel young! At BLS today, many of my former students are still here at the high school level. It is great to catch up with them!”
The flexibility his job calls for makes up a large part of Mr. Grammer’s overall responsibilities. Being a substitute requires one to change roles with just a moment’s notice, as it is common to be reassigned to a different subject or classroom after every period.
One of Mr. Grammer’s favorite aspects of teaching is seeing the growth in musical progression and personal maturity of students as they evolve from beginners to confident performers. Throughout his tenure at BLS, he has inspired many students to continue studying music.
Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band member Andy Yu (I) took Fundamentals of Music and Class V band with Mr. Grammer. Yu remarks, “I think something that [Mr. Grammer] does really nicely is [that] he’s very attentive to his students and the level they’re at and really [tries] to inspire them to continue pursuing music. […] He really cares.”
In his role as Fundamentals of Music and Class V band teacher, Mr. Grammer tried to ensure that all students, no matter their experience level, would enjoy learning about music. For example, he often opened the Band Room and practice rooms early to work with students and give them extra time to practice. Even during remote learning, he remained committed to engaging his students and creating long-lasting bonds with them.
Trumpet player and former Music Theory student Kate Lincecum (I) reflects, “I remember [Mr. Grammer] worked really, really hard to make sure we were all […] learning the best we could over Zoom. […] Mr. Grammer is great.”
Mr. Grammer preserves this dedication in his current work as a substitute teacher, as it allows him to interact with students across a variety of grade levels and subjects. He also looks forward to connecting with his high school classmates during his 50th reunion on May 8 to May 9.
Thinking ahead, Mr. Grammer says, “My health is good these days, and I’m working on making it great! I hope to sub for the foreseeable future and always keep music a part of my life.”