McCartney named Teacher of the Year semifinalist
LIMESTONE, Maine — 2016 Aroostook County Teacher of the Year Mike McCartney has recently been selected as a semifinalist for Maine Teacher of the Year. McCartney and his colleagues at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics are excited about the selection.
“I can’t really say I was surprised,” said Dean of Faculty Deborah McGann. “I know what an incredible educator he is. I’m thrilled and think it’s very much deserved.”
“I was delighted,” said Luke Shorty, executive director of MSSM. “It affirms the confidence and knowledge I have in the skill and craft that Mike brings to the classroom. It’s a level of mastery that I’m really glad the state is acknowledging.”
McCartney said he has mostly felt humility and gratitude to be ranked among Maine’s top teachers.
“When I went down to meet the other teachers,” McCartney said. “I thought every one of them was one of the greatest educators I’d ever met. I thought that if I hadn’t moved on from [Aroostook County Teacher of the Year], I would be completely content to be in their company. I thought the same thing when I was selected as a semifinalist. Each step has defied my expectations and I’ve felt an ever-increasing sense of humility rather than simply excitement.”
According to McCartney, the other finalists share his sense of humility towards their work.
“One of the things we talked about on that first night we were together is that teachers are bad at shining a light on their own work,” said McCartney, “maybe their students, but not necessarily themselves.”
Only three Maine teachers will make it to the final round. Currently, the eight semifinalists are all working on portfolios and preparing for oral presentations in August. The three finalists then have a group visit their schools to conduct an in-depth analysis of their work.
Though only eight teachers remain in the statewide competition, all are members of a Basecamp message board in which they communicate on a daily basis.
“It’s not just people panicking about getting our portfolios together,” McCartney explained. “Sometimes we just talk about what’s going on and exchange ideas. It has been the most valuable professional development I have ever been involved in, short of actually getting my advanced degree.”
As far as what sets McCartney apart from other educators, McGann believes it is his prioritizing of community and making an impact on students above all else.
“Mike’s most defining characteristic is his commitment to community,” McGann said. “He values interpersonal relationships, and sees that that needs to be at the forefront of his teaching. If he is not making a connection with students, then it doesn’t matter what he does in the classroom. If they’re not relating to him, then he’s not going to be able to take them to the level he wants to take them.”
“I would agree,” McCartney added. “The most important responsibility I have as a teacher is to help students grow up. English and History are great avenues for that. I think all the skills and information I teach are valuable in their own right, but if students can’t learn to apply what they’re being taught to help them grow as individuals, then it’s only going to take them so far. The thing that is going to help people become successful, whether they go into academia or anything else, is their ability to add something unique. These students are already unique, but because of the external pressures we all feel, we tend to go away from that uniqueness instead of embracing it. So I try to help students figure out who they are and what unique contribution they have to make, and then help them figure out how to do it.”
