ACCENT ON EDUCATORS
Teaching tough science concepts? Bring it on!
doable for 7th- and 8th-graders is fun to take on. Michio Kaku), The Killer Angels (by TPM: What are the most important attributes Michael Shaara), various nonfiction for an educator? science books FOR SOME PEOPLE, the task of teaching McKenna: Patience and understanding are Favorite TV shows: Breaking Bad, middle school students about difficult the two biggest for me. Students come from Impractical Jokers, Friends + scientific topics isn’t high on the list of different backgrounds and possess different agreeable activities. But for Chris McKenna, tools, so not every student is going to be at the this very task is right in his wheelhouse. same place at the same time or do it the same A Simsbury resident, McKenna is a way. It’s important for an educator to realize that science teacher at Canton Middle School. in a class of 22, you have 22 different stories, and He began his role as Team Hybrid Science sometimes school isn’t the most important thing Teacher in August 2016. Before arriving in on a student’s mind that day. Canton, he served as a substitute teacher in TPM: What is the greatest challenge facing the Torrington Public Schools from 2013-15. students today, and how can educators help McKenna, 28, was born students meet that challenge? in Torrington and raised in McKenna: The external pressures on Harwinton. He lived in Harwinton students have to be very hard. They’re (with his mother Delfina, father growing up in a world that’s heavily Chris Sr. and brother Brian) from influenced by social media, technology age 4 through his college years. and more exposure of the world than McKenna moved to Simsbury ever before. I think this must be very in May 2017. His favorite difficult. It’s important for educators, restaurants include DaCapo of especially counselors and guidance Avon and Table 570 Asian Fusion staff, to provide the tools necessary for in Simsbury. students to maintain a healthy mental McKenna He enjoys hiking up Talcott state in these times. Mountain to Heublein Tower in Simsbury. TPM: What is your take on the smartphone Talcott Mountain State Park straddles Avon revolution and its impact on education? and Simsbury as well as Bloomfield. McKenna: Like anything else, there’s a right By the way, McKenna knows something and a wrong way to utilize technology. I think about another mountain pastime — he the smartphone can might be able to give you a few tips about be an incredibly skiing ... and the physics thereof. From powerful tool if used 2006-16, he worked at Ski Sundown in right. ... However, the New Hartford as a lift attendant and temptation is there parking supervisor. McKenna addressed an (in any human being, assortment of topics in his Q-and-A with not just students) Today Publishing: to use technology Today Publishing Magazines: Why did inappropriately or at you decide to become an educator? inappropriate times, Chris McKenna: I enjoy teaching, and and I think that’s a with our SAT or ACT prep programs the satisfaction for both the students and balance that is going myself when something “clicks” is extremely to be an issue ... for a Huntington has the best SAT rewarding. I teach what I deem to be while to come. $ or ACT prep programs for WHEN YOU CALL BEFORE 06/30/19* students seeking improved test difficult concepts in terms of difficulty and Favorite books: Personalized Attention. Proven Results. scores and better college choices. workload, so the personal challenge that Physics of the Our Premier, 32-Hour, and 14I deal with in packaging it into something Impossible (by Dr. By Bruce Deckert Today Publishing Editor-in-Chief
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