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Ms. McGowan draws on her love of math, logic and teaching to inspire her students. She shares her story here.

I knew that I wanted to be a teacher in 6th grade. I’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of really great teachers in my life. I developed close connections with most of them, and they inspired me to pursue things that I was interested in. At the time, what I was interested in was English; I used all of my free time for writing – poems, short stories, plays. The dream was to teach English and continue writing in my free time.

Fast forward to grades 11 and 12, two years that truly changed my world. In grade 11, I took Physics, and it was the single greatest class of my life. In grade 12, I took two AP English classes, and that taught me that, though I enjoyed the subject, I didn’t want teaching it to be my life’s work. So, though I didn’t waver from teaching, I did shift subjects, from English to Science.

I went to university at The University of Maine, about an hour away from where my parents lived at the time. I studied secondary education with a focus in physical science. Even before I started university, I knew that I wanted to teach outside of the United States, and so, leading up to my final year, I applied for internships that would allow me to complete my teaching practicum abroad which is how I found myself teaching physics, chemistry, and biology for a couple of months in Shanghai, China.

The world opened up for me after that experience. Soon after graduation, I interviewed for a job in the Philippines, where I spent a year teaching math. After a roller-coaster of a year, I knew that I needed to leave the school. However, I didn’t want to go far – South-East Asia had grown on me, and I wasn’t done with the region. So I began my research. Jay Pritzker Academy is a unique school, and it stuck out instantly from most of the other schools that I was looking at. I made a choice, and over four years later, I’m still happy with that choice.

Beyond the amazing resources and facilities that JPA offers, what makes the school truly special is the students. The students made transitioning to JPA easy – I’ve never entered a class and encountered students that are so willing and eager to learn. They’ve allowed me to explore and experiment with my teaching style over the years because, no matter what, they’re willing to try every challenge I give them and give honest feedback in return. Seeing how determined the students are in the classes I have had with them, it comes as no surprise to see the success that many of JPA students, past and present, have achieved over the years.

I love order and logic. I love being faced with a problem and having to think my way through it in an organized, rational manner. I love math, and I love applied mathematics (physics, chemistry, etc.). It’s so satisfying to be able to explain phenomena in the world around me using some kind of mathematical or scientific principle.

I went into teaching rather than research or engineering for the human element. I enjoy working with students and sharing something that I love with them. Having taught at JPA for over four years now, I’ve been able to see students change and grow over time. It’s so exciting to see young people grow into their potential, figure out what is important to them, and flesh out their own identity in this world. Just because a person becomes an adult doesn’t mean they know everything about themselves. It doesn’t mean that they always know exactly what they want or need. However, thinking about their strengths and their interests can lead them to somewhere they hadn’t considered. Though thoughts of teaching have been a constant throughout most of my life, it wasn’t until my early twenties that I started teaching math, started teaching computer science, and realized that it was exactly what I wanted to do.

Thanks to Ms. McGowan for sharing your story and for the amazing work you do.