All About Me

My name is Martin West and this is my 28th year teaching. I started my teaching career in 1998 at Northside Elementary in Cedartown and enjoyed 10 years there before going to Westside in the fall of 2008. After 12 years at Westside, I made the move to Cedartown Middle School. This year I will be teaching 7th grade mathematics and mathematics connections. I am SO very excited about this new adventure!

I have been married to Kim Hackney West for 21 years. Kim taught in Polk School District for 29 years but is currently retired after being diagnosed with pancreatitis in September of 2014. She is the site manager at the Cedartown Senior Center. We have a big family! My stepson Josh Kirkpatrick is married to Tara Kirkpatrick, a special eduation teacher at Cedartown MIddle School. I have two grandsons- Koby is 13 and an 8th grader at CMS and Weston will be 2 in December. Kim and I have adopted three amazing children who keep us feeling young and on our toes! Betenia Faith turned 20 in February and is currently working as a parapro at Cherokee Elementary School. Simon was 19 in August and is in the 12th grade at Cedartown High School. Our youngest son Oliver, or "Ollie," is in 11th Grade at CHS and he will be 17 in September. A 5 pound 13-year-old Yorkie named Fancy and three cats named Midnight, Honey Bun, & Paris round out our crew. We are members of the First Cedartown Church where I serve as the Director of Children's Ministry and Worship Team Member. Simon and Ollie are active there in the Youth Program. 

I received my Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist Degrees all in Middle Grades Mathematics from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton.

Educational Philosophy:

     I feel that teaching is a privilege, and I think that too many people do not take the task seriously enough.  When I became an educator, it was never a second choice because what I really wanted did not pan out.  Conversely, education was the path I knew would develop my full potential.  As a teacher, I am given the opportunity every day to shape young people’s lives, and this power is something I do not take lightly.  I believe that every student can learn, and it is my desire to find the best way for each of my students to succeed.  I do not feel you can teach to the middle and be successful.  While one-on-one time is rare, it is not impossible to modify teaching to fit the needs of individual learning styles. 

     I believe my willingness to do things differently makes me an outstanding teacher.  My students are never in straight rows, and my classroom is usually filled with a lot of talking and music.  Cooperative learning is a method of teaching that I feel is very effective, and it gives students the opportunity to work together and share ideas.  While not all subjects and lessons can benefit from this teaching tool, it has motivated my students to learn and use their cognitive powers.  As someone with a great appreciation for music, I have integrated music in my classroom to create a more relaxed, learner-friendly atmosphere.  Whether popular, country, classical, or jazz, I have found that playing music in the classroom makes students more responsive, and the overall environment is one of comfort and acceptance.  When students are taking a math test, Reba, Adele, or Casting Crowns may be supplying the background music.  If students are struggling to remember a certain formula, I may incorporate it into a popular song so students can increase their understanding.  Students know that to have the music playing, I expect them to control their noise level and remain on-task.  It is a motivator to them, and the auditory stimulation it provides is extraordinary.  It is important to create a balance when using music since some students require a quieter environment to learn in.  Overall, students appreciate this strategy because it is one they have never experienced before.  In an age when a lot of popular music is inappropriate, it is important to use discretion and screen music played in the classroom.  Luckily, my students and I have similar musical tastes.           

     No career has the rewards that can be garnered from teaching.  While these rewards may not be financial or very newsworthy, they separate an educator from the typical worker.  No greater sense of accomplishment can be achieved than when a student masters something they did not know when they walked in your classroom.  It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to teach one.  The things students learn from me are building blocks they will use in middle and high school.  Outstanding students make me an outstanding teacher, and I look forward to teaching for many more years to come!