I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and earned my undergraduate degree in Literature and Ethnic Studies from Colorado College in 1996. There, I led student groups focused on protecting the environment and expanding cultural and racial diversity in the local community as well as in the school's student body and faculty. I was also an avid rock climber. For those curious, my personal best was to "flash" a route that was rated 5.13c. Anyway, I came back to Chicago and earned my Master of Science in Education from Northwestern University in 2001 and began teaching at Whitney Young Magnet High School. After 12 years of high school teaching, I made my move back to middle school teaching and have been at McCracken since 2015. I sponsor the school's Chess Club, Writers' Club, Spelling Bee, and its award-winning literary magazine, Murmur (click here to see past issues).
When I'm not teaching, I enjoy bird-watching, long bike rides, and cooking. I've been vegetarian since 1994 (including two years as a vegan) and have explored a lot of different cuisines. If it's spicy, I'll probably love it—the spicier, the better!
Students in the past have said that they enjoy my classes for being mellow but challenging. I don't like stress and want students to look forward to being in my class because I believe this motivates them to learn. If you're ever feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure, you just let me know. We can figure it out together.
I'm looking forward to our shared journey. Let's get to it!
f you'd like to reach me, you can do so in the following ways:
Phone: 847.626.8206
Email: jshay@sd735.org
Twitter: @MrShayELA_sd735