Amanda McKown is a new teacher who joined the Redhawks this year. However, it is her ninth year in education–she started teaching in Texas in 2011, and in California in 2009. She grew up in California, near Pasadena, in a city called Arcadia. Now, she is a statistics teacher on campus. Wingspan caught up with McKown and sat down for an interview with her.

Wingspan: What inspired you to pursue a career in teaching? It’s your first year on this campus, right…?

McKown: “I chose teaching because it was actually something that was suggested to me most of my life growing up. I always worked really well with other students, so I did a lot of tutoring when I was in middle school and high school. I just really love education. I love learning for learning’s sake and I love helping all my students now enjoy learning too. One of the things I like to do is help the students that are struggling a lot because then it kind of makes them see that learning isn’t just about what grade you get, but it’s more about the process and just understanding and so I’m hopefully encouraging that.”

Wingspan: What is your background–like what college did you go to and what experience do you have?

McKown: “Before I went into teaching, I got my undergrad degree at USC, and then I went and worked in accounting for several years. That was when I decided that I really didn’t like working in an office and sitting at a desk all the time. And so I decided I wanted to go back and get my master’s, and I went to a school called Azusa Pacific University. So it’s a smaller school, but they had this great program where you could earn both a master’s and a teaching credential in two years instead of the usual two for just a credential and then adding years for masters also. So I ended up getting my masters in education while I was in California and I was teaching while I was earning my credential because I did like an alternative program. So that’s kind of how I ended up in education.” 

Wingspan: If you were to compare your teaching style to a type of food or dish, what would it be and why? 

McKown: “That’s a really good question. I’d have to think about that one…it’d probably be…I don’t know, something everybody enjoys. Probably like a sweet breakfast item of some sort just because I try and make my lessons more fun and accessible and something most people like to eat.”

Wingspan: Can you share a creative strategy or technique you use to engage students in learning? 

McKown: “I like to do activities where the students kind of have to think on their own for a little while. I’m not going to give them answers, but they have to kind of draw upon whatever prior knowledge they had. And so they’re little thinking activities usually at the beginning class before the lesson, but it just gives them an opportunity to look at something and truly think about: well how would I attack this without knowing what the teacher’s expecting of me? I like things like that because I think it just brings in that higher level thinking that a lot of times we miss out on.” 

Wingspan: How do you build rapport with students who may be shy or reluctant to participate?

McKown: “So I spend a lot of time walking around the classroom during the entire class. So even while I’m doing notes, I’m still moving around the class, rotating, making sure that students are keeping up with the notes we’re doing, making sure that they’re understanding what we’re doing. And I spend a lot of time just asking kids what they do outside of school. What are you involved in? What do you like to do creatively? Whatever it happens to be. So I like to engage with my students and ask questions of them and kind of just find out more. And I think that helps make them more comfortable in class. And so hopefully they become more engaged and more willing to participate in activities and that kind of thing.” 

Wingspan: So how would your friends or colleagues describe you in three words and why? 

McKown: “Oh, that one’s hard…so probably dedicated, loyal, and–maybe fun? Probably because I work really hard to make sure that my students are learning their best and I try to make class as fun as possible. I teach a statistics class so it’s far more fun than the regular algebra–geometry track because we get to play games and just do interesting things.”

Wingspan: What is one unique or surprising fact about yourself that most people wouldn’t guess?

McKown: “I really love artsy things. So I love painting and writing and crochet and building Legos. Just anything that you can kind of do with your hands and that uses the more creative side of who you are.” 

Wingspan: So, is there any book or movie or podcast you’d recommend that reflects your personality or your values? 

McKown: “So I love to read. I read a lot of books, probably around 50 a year. I love historical fiction and I really love books that are based on true events. Most recently, I read a book called The Art Thief, which was fascinating because it was talking about somebody who was stealing pieces of art from around Europe, but not to sell them. So he wasn’t using it to make money. He was just collecting them because he really liked those art things. And so it was really fascinating to me. I don’t know if that reflects anything more than just my love of art and interest in things that are different and just kind of not wanting things for monetary value, but just for the love of things and art and that sort of thing.”