National Teacher of the Year to Visit UM April 14

National Teacher of the Year Sean McComb will visit the University of Mississippi on Tuesday (April 14) to address students, faculty and staff during a public forum at 11:30 a.m. at the Jackson Avenue Center.

An English teacher from Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore County, Maryland, McComb was named the 64th National Teacher of the Year by President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony last May. McComb has spent the last year traveling the nation as a public advocate for the teaching profession.

“My teaching is built on the belief that relationships and engagement can turn challenges into opportunities for students,” McComb said. “As we embrace that truth, we help awaken students to their full potential and the possibility to live out the American Dream.”

This is the fifth consecutive year that the School of Education has hosted the nation’s top teacher, making UM an established stop on the national teacher’s annual tour coordinated by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

“Hosting the National Teacher of the Year is a signature School of Education event that allows our students to interact with the best,” said David Rock, UM education dean. “Each national teacher brings a valuable perspective to share with our students, community members and educators across the region. We are excited to meet Mr. McComb and learn from his experiences.”

Members of the council tapped McComb, who was also the 2014 Maryland Teacher of the Year, for the national honor out of 54 state and territorial teachers of the year.

At his home school in Baltimore County, he established the Advancement via Individual Determination, or AVID, Program, which is a mentor-based college prepatory program for students at risk of falling behind in their achievement. In the last two years, 98 percent of AVID students at Patapsco were admitted into four-year colleges or universities, bringing positive national attention to the school from the Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report.

McComb is also an adjunct professor at Towson University, where he teaches courses in education and in writing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in English education from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a graduate certificate in school improvement leadership from Goucher College in Baltimore County.