Christine Colli McCallister
I am an AACPS: Science Teacher, Magothy River Middle | 2023 Teacher of the Year Finalist
We are excited to spotlight Christine Colli McCallister. Christine Colli McCallister is a 2023 Teacher of the Year finalist
Ms. McCallister was nominated by the school’s principal, John Noon.
The Magothy Middle School science teacher is a Loyola University alum who brings creativity, enthusiasm, and leadership to her students and peers.
We had an opportunity to talk with Christine about her year as a Teacher of the Year finalist. The full video conversation will be posted in this space after the 2023 Excellence in Education awards dinner.
Here are a few highlights of the conversation:
Describe who you are in 5 words or less.
A mother and a teacher. Creative. Caring. Hardworking and reliable.
Tell me one thing you remember about your first year teaching.
I started as a 1st grade teacher. The students were adorable, but it was exhausting because I wanted to be good at it. We did a lot of creative activities and I loved every moment of it.
Looking back, what would you tell your former self about your potential as an educator?
The first thing would be to tell myself, You’ve Got This! Have fun and if you aren’t enjoying your lessons, neither are the students. Be creative and make changes. The kids like to know you are human, so if you make a mistake, it’s ok. It is rewarding to see the kids grow. Most of all, remember to eat lunch with your friends.
What one thing do you love about working in your school? with the students? and with the community?
At Magothy we have good comradery. We often do things to make days special. The kids are very talented and engaged in the school community as well. Parents asked for more activities and they helped me start the Terrapin Club, where we compete in science competitions.
What is your favorite memory of your family and friends supporting you on your journey as an educator?
I wanted to be an FBI agent. My dad talked to me and told me I had the key qualities to be a teacher. He thought I would love it. He reminded me how I started and led lots of community events as a kid. I always loved working with children and I remember a time when I used to babysit as a teen that families used to fight over my time to babysit their kids. They saw my potential.
COVID really challenged teachers, students, families, and schools on a level beyond imagination. How has the experience of working through COVID and then returning to “normal” instruction made you a better teacher and person?
I remember transforming all my in person lessons to Google slides. It was an opportunity to reflect and help create a flow of learning. I know more now that in person teaching is powerful and I appreciate it more now than ever before.
Thinking about the future of education, what are you most excited about for educators? for students? and for schools?
Post COVID we have learned more that supporting kids’ mental and emotional growth is a huge opportunity for teachers to better educate students and prepare them for the new challenges in the world. I believe we will find more ways to help the whole student going forward.
What is one hidden talent you have that no one, or few people, knows about and would surprise them?
I am a very good party planner. I’ve done several events with the Girl Scouts. In addition I’ve done carnivals. My favorite was a luau at Chesapeake beach with hidden treasures and a lot of fun activities on the beach.
If you had to make a time capsule about this year as a teacher of the year finalist and you had to include an item, an image, a quote and a song/melody, what would you include?
The item has to be my white lab coat. My students know when they see me in my lab coat, they are going to have a special class experience. My photo would be with the superintendent when he came to surprise me with the finalist announcement. The song is Sardines by the Junkyard Band, I know it is strange but my advisory group did a PSA for Harvest for the Hungry with that song to raise money for the cause. The quote, “You’re braver than you believe. You are stronger than you seem and you are smarter than you think” by Christopher Robin
For the last question, what is one reason why someone should choose to become a teacher?
You never know who you are making an impact on. I think back to my school days, I went to middle school with Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Our teacher was an important part of developing a best selling author as well as a part of my path to become a teacher. You are making a difference. A parent of a student I taught several years ago reached out and told me her daughter made it to the science honor society. She thanked me for helping her daughter develop a love for science. What we do as teachers matters.
Louis Nesbitt, PDM Department
The journey of an educator is a lifetime. We are thankful to those who have chosen to embark on this path. As a community, one of our greatest capacities is availability, so when the opportunities arise, find your own way to support education
