I have not done this on my own! My journey began with my parents (who are both math teachers) and many, many others who have invested their time and talents to mentor me. This award will serve as a catalyst to give me new opportunities to share what I have learned with others. Even the process of applying helped me reflect on my teaching practices. It will be an inspiration for my students to work hard, so they, too, can accomplish more than they ever imagined!
Jeffrey McCalla currently teaches Algebra II to 10th graders at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. For the previous 7 years, he taught various levels of mathematics at Bolton High School in Arlington, TN. When algebra test scores dropped, the administration turned to him for help. He was asked to teach gateway algebra classes to the lowest-performing students. During a 4-year period, 100 percent of his students passed the State-mandated exam (and 70 percent passed at the advanced level).
Jeffrey incorporates the use of technology to make mathematics more relevant and engaging for his students. As a regional instructor for Texas Instruments, Jeffrey has presented sessions at conferences all over the country. He was on the authoring team (writing TI-Nspire documents) for the 2011 edition of the Pearson Algebra II textbook.
Jeffrey has a B.A. in Christian Education with a minor in Mathematics from Wheaton College and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Memphis. He is a recipient of the David Pickler Distinguished Technology Educator Award, and he is a certified secondary education teacher with an endorsement in mathematics.
- High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
- Awardee holding Presidential citation between the Director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Subra Suresh and the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. John P. Holdren
- High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph
