For most students, seeing Christopher McTamany’s name on their schedules brings a mix of nerves and curiosity.
Known for his high standards and rigorous grading, McTamany has built a reputation as one of the most strict teachers in this school. Beyond this, he has passions that lie outside of teaching, such as his hidden love for sci-fi or fantasy books, such as “The Game of Thrones,” by David Benioff.
His path to becoming a teacher began with a dream far from the classroom and led to a 28-year legacy of teaching, service and passion. Not only was he academically involved, McTamany participated in varsity cross country, wrestling and gymnastics for all three years of high school (which was grades 10-12).
McTamany said that when he was growing up, his original goal was not to be a teacher; rather, he wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot or a part of the Navy Seals. McTamany even went through the required testing, and despite being 98.7% fit, his poor vision and asthma precluded his dream.
Unable to join the U.S. Navy, McTamany ended up studying political science with a business minor in Drexel University, intending a future in the FBI or Secret Service. While he was studying, he realized that his planned future would have been too dangerous, especially when his dream was to raise and support a family. This led McTamany to transfer to Towson, where he majored in history and secondary education to become a teacher.
Transitioning from studying to be an FBI agent to a teacher was a huge jump, but his mom’s encouragement allowed McTamany to recognize his true potential. To him, both careers were forms of public service, which was a pathway he valued. “I always wanted to do something in the sense of service,” McTamany said.
In 1999, McTamany’s first job straight out of college was teaching AP U.S. History and coaching the JV wrestling team in this school. Nearly three decades later, after earning his masters in financial management at UMD, McTamany today teaches honors government and AP Micro/ Macroeconomics. McTamany embraces his reputation for being a strict grader, as he said, “I am a fair grader, but I am strict, so I am strict with everybody. I am very clear with what I expect.”
Staying at the same school for 28 years is no easy feat, but to McTamany, Wootton was the place to be compared to other schools due to its driven academic culture. McTamany has observed shifts in the teacher and student cultures throughout his teaching career, but the most challenging change is the expectations of MCPS. McTamany said, “The county puts so many demands on teachers that it’s very difficult to do the part of your job that you like.”
While McTamany is passionate about ensuring that students participate in academic discourse and interactive activities, the lack of time for the curriculum, especially for AP Economics, forces him to keep his lessons lecture-based and information-packed. This makes his classes much more difficult, especially because, as junior Ashu Khetan said, “He is just the most strict grader ever.”
Teaching difficult classes and being the Elected Faculty Representative gives McTamany countless responsibilities, leaving him with barely any time to enjoy his hobbies. In his rare free moments, McTamany loves reading or listening to books, hiking with his wife and traveling. “Many teachers are finding it very difficult, especially this year, to take care of themselves because we have so many things we are trying to do,” he said.
McTamany said that the lack of work-life balance is one of the biggest struggles of teaching. He said, “If I take the time to have fun, I’m not getting my work done. So if I go hiking, that’s time I could have been grading, which is really horrible. My weekends are supposed to be my own, but they’re not.”
Despite these obstacles, McTamany remains enthusiastic about the classes that he teaches. He always is open before school, advisory and after school to help students with questions, even with his busy schedule. Junior Esha Khosla, who currently takes AP Economics with McTamany, said, “I know he’s really passionate in what he teaches, which is a really good quality to have in a teacher.”
After 28 years, McTamany continues to embody the same sense of service that he was passionate about throughout his childhood. Whether he is a future Navy fighter pilot or a devoted teacher, his commitment to his students and classes is unwavering no matter what.
