Sean McComb

Teacher

Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts

Baltimore, MD USA

“I saw my door of opportunity closing, but a teacher put his hand out and held it open for me. So to know that I could spend my life doing that for other kids became my highest calling.”

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Sean McComb

Milestones

My road in life has been direct.

Awarded "National Teacher of the Year" in 2014; at age 30, he was one of the youngest winners ever.

Grew up with an alcoholic mother; says his home life started to affect his self-esteem, his desire to learn.

In eleventh grade, he had an AP English teacher who was "on fire for literature," made him want to start excelling again.

Suddenly, Sean was staying up late, working his hardest to impress this teacher; says that by making him feel valued, his teacher turned his life around.

Found he had a "gnawing discontent" with the lack of opportunities afforded to students; decided he could be the person to change that.

Saw kids who had a ton of potential and just needed someone to push them, so he became that person.

Says the teachers who left an impression on him were unique and authentic, so he puts forth an effort to be honest and open in the classroom.

Believes you need to find something that makes you come alive, or find something that bothers you and work to change it.

Keep following my journey

Education

High School

Bachelor
English Language and Literature, General
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Graduate
Education, General
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Certification/License
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Goucher College

Career

Teacher

I help students and teachers make the most of their potential.

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

Education

Writing

Teaching / Mentoring

Day to Day

My English courses are deep dives into the exploration of humanity through literature and building communication skills. I build my lesson plans around achieving this every week. I also oversee the AVID college-preparatory program on campus, working with students to ensure they are college ready. My goal every day is to engage students and inspire them to excel.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for high school students

Take small steps. Every little thing matters. Be a "yes" person. Take advantage of opportunities and constantly be reflective about the things that are making an impact on you.