Meet New Educators at Our Schools

Patch gets to know the newest teachers in the area. Today we introduce you to Rob McLear, a math instructor at Lisle Junior High School.

Name: Rob McLear

Position: Sixth grade Math

Would you ever teach any other subject? Which ones and why? No, mainly because I'm only Math certified, but it's also the main subject that I enjoy.

Total number of years teaching (and where, if preferred): This is my fifth year. The first four were at Tefft Middle School in Streamwood, IL.

Where did you complete your undergrad, and why? Illinois State University.  They had the best education program and I really loved the campus when I visited.

Have you participated in any field or laboratory research throughout your career? It wasn't really "research" but as an undergrad I was part of a program called the PRISM (Partnerships in Research in Science and Mathematics) program where we went into area schools and created lesson plans that got teachers away from the rut of certain lesson topics.

Who was your favorite teacher when you were a student? Why? One of my favorite teachers was Mr. Russo, who taught Honors Geometry. He made lessons fun and sometimes interactive.  My other was Mr. Sindewald (Physics), because he did very impressive things during our activities in class that have always stuck with me.

Favorite school-centered TV show or movie: Teachers, a show that aired for a short time around the Spring of 2006.

What's your most prized possession on your desk, in your office or workspace? Aside from family pictures, at home I have a statue of a dragon around a crystal that I got from Busch Gardens about 10 years ago.

What do you think is the most effective teaching method? One-on-one interacting with students and showing and proving that you care about them and their learning.

Any interesting class moments so far?  There are oh-so-many to choose from…

How much out-of-class work do you assign? I like to think of math as a sport or instrument: If you don't practice before the big game, you don't do well during that game.  I tend to assign homework at least 3 nights a week in order to get in that consistent practice.

What can the State of Illinois do to improve conditions and employment for teachers? While it would be a tough sell, I think the best thing would be to increase taxes a bit and make the increase go towards only education, nothing else.

What are your outside interests? I love paying attention to practically all sports; playing basketball, football, Frisbee, etc but my main one is baseball.  I love all the intricacies of the game and how it is played, including the "chess" mentality it provides.

How political are you? Not very, but I'm working on it slowly.

Do you participate in any volunteer efforts? Not too much at the moment, I like to get my feet wet before jumping in head-first.

Do you frequent any Lisle restaurants for coffee/lunch/snacks? If so, which ones? Not yet at this time, but I'm looking for suggestions!