This week’s guest is the extraordinary Mrs. Krista McCourtie, 6th grade math teacher at Tallmadge Middle School. I loved this conversation. We went a bit longer, and here is the thing...we could have gone EVEN LONGER! You will pick up immediately the passion and heart that this young lady has. You will get a small glimpse of the energy she brings daily to the classroom. Mrs. McCourtie is happily married to her “sort of high school sweetheart,” Jeff. They have two sons, James who is 7, and Colt, who is 4.
Mrs. McCourtie, and her husband are both Tallmadge graduates! They currently live in Tallmadge, and their boys both attend Tallmadge City Schools. They bleed blue and gold.
Mrs. McCourtie’s favorite pastime is to run the CVNP trails with her dog, and then maybe follow up the workout with her favorite food...sushi.
When not teaching, raising her boys, hanging out with her husband, and not running her dog you might find her reading a book, especially one about special forces and their training. Her favorite book is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. Here is her reason why this book is her favorite.
“This book is all about how easily we as humans can become weak and complacent. This book challenges people to do hard things to stay mentally tough so that we can conquer the unavoidable challenges that life will give us. The main idea is about mental toughness. This concept and the examples in this book helped me as both a teacher (when things get hard, and I face challenges here at school) but also in my personal life and as a runner seeking to be an ultra marathon runner. I also have great respect for our men and women in our Armed Forces, and particularly am drawn to the physical and mental strength it takes to become a Navy Seal. I’ve always admired this branch of the military and I read a lot of books by former SEALS.”
One can see the influence of these challenging books in the one piece of advice she recommends to all of her students, and that she recommends to all of #B2BD listeners: “Do something hard everyday to stay mentally sharp.”
Mrs. McCourtie knew she wanted to become a teacher at a young age. Her desire to enter the world of education came as a result of being inspired by so many of her amazing teachers that she had in TCS!
“I chose to become a teacher because of the amazing teachers I had. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I enjoyed watching my dynamic teachers and the relationships they had with their students, and I wanted to show that same passion and energy to my future students.”
What makes this amazing teacher feel satisfied and accomplished at the end of the year? No, it isn’t test scores, nor is it the number of A’s earned in her class. Rather, it is watching students transform within her classroom because of her relationship with them, and their relationship with their classmates. In her own words:
“Seeing students who at the beginning of a year are timid and afraid to use their voice, transform into confident thinkers who are not afraid to make mistakes and take on challenges.”
Mrs. McCourtie is in her 12th year as an educator. The classroom is tough, and the world of education is ever changing. Clearly this young educator takes her life quote to heart and embraces the challenge:
“I seek out hardship. I do not run from pain but embrace it, because I derive strength from my suffering.”
-Dan Crenshaw, US Congressman and former Navy Seal
Take a step into her classroom, of which she describes as “light, positive, and challenging,” and take a step into her life and enjoy this interview. I know I did.
Follow Mrs. Krista McCourtie on Twitter: @TMSMcCourtie
