EMMETT KELLY, Math Department

Q: What made you decide to teach math? 

A: I have loved math since I was in second grade and I always knew I wanted to do something with math. I had a couple amazing teachers in high school and a few not so great teachers that really inspired me to be the best that I could be.  

Q: What does your typical workday look like? 

A: [It] usually starts at about 6:15 in the morning, I try to get up early and then have some coffee. I spend the first half hour of my day answering emails and grading. [Then] I finish preparation for my first period, teach that class, usually meet with some students a half hour before class. After third period I have my prep period so I usually answer more emails, do some more grading, and after the school day ends at 2:18 I answer more emails, make parent phone calls, write parent emails, and I will usually have a meeting. 

Q: How has virtual learning impacted your job?

A: As a teacher you have all these ideas and plans for what your classroom is going to feel like, let alone the stuff you’re going to teach, what each day is going to feel like, what you’re going to do. That all changes because of where we are. Some kids don’t feel comfortable turning on their cameras, and some kids do and then it’s distracting. It’s harder to find that sense of community that you normally would in a classroom. 

Q: Tell me about your educational background.

A: I went to high school in Illinois, I have two bachelor’s degrees from Loyola University [in] Chicago, one in math and one in teaching. I student taught at a high school there called Loyola Academy and I have taught at four other high schools in the Chicago area. 

Q: What brought you to Wakefield?

A: I’m originally from Chicago, and so I wanted to get out of Illinois and we were looking at North Carolina. I applied to a bunch of Wake County high schools. Of all the schools I interviewed with I had the most fun [at Wakefield] with the several math teachers that interviewed me, the principal was very nice, and from the first time I started talking to people I felt welcome.  

Q: What do you like most about Wakefield so far? 

A: I would say all the teachers I work with are creating stronger bonds than we would have if we were there day to day, especially because we are working so hard together to make sure everything lines up. All of my students are very respectful and very nice, [and] most of them are pretty funny. The people – that’s my favorite part.  

Q: What do you like to do outside of school?

A: I like to hike, [and] when I lived in Chicago I performed on an improv team every week. I like to build things, cook, and play with my dog. 

Q: Do you have any crazy teaching stories? 

A: Not so far, nothing crazy. Some of the other teachers had some crazy things happen in a negative direction, [but] I don’t really have too many crazy stories. I [do] have one student who likes to wait until the beginning of class and announces that he is here. He likes to make an entrance, which I’m assuming he would do if we were in person, but he wants to make sure that happens every day. That is one of my most fun parts of my day. 

Q: What is your advice for students taking your class(es)? 

A: Keep a running tally of assignments you have to do every day. I think it’s more important now than ever when a teacher gives you an assignment, to write it down [and] to have that calendar up. I think the most important skill that students are learning this year is to be an advocate for yourself because we as teachers can normally see that “deer in the headlights” look in class if you’re lost, but we cannot see that anymore. We’re doing our best to meet students where they’re at, but we cannot see your faces which is usually our biggest tool when we’re in class.