Staff in Focus

Q&A with . . . Karen MaGee

MISS MaGee started her career at St Norbert College in 2018 as a science teacher and this week became new Head of Kilnacrott House. Luckily, green has long been her favourite colour  . . .

ST NORBERT NEWS: Congratulations, Miss MaGee on your new role. What are you most looking forward to about being Head of Kilnacrott House?

KMG: I'm excited about building strong relationships with the students and families that I'll be working with. I can't wait to get to know the students, and to create a safe and supportive environment where they can thrive and grow. I'm honoured to have the opportunity to serve as Head of Kilnacrott House and to make a positive impact on the lives of the students. I want every student in Kilnacrott to have the best possible experience and achieve their full potential. I'm also looking forward to wearing my favourite colour - green - more often!

SNN: Will you still don your famous lab coat as well?

KMG: I don’t know about famous, but yes! I will always love science and I hope I will always keep learning about and teaching it. While I may not be wearing my lab coat every day, I'll always be a science teacher at heart, and I'll never pass up a chance to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

SNN: What inspired you to become a teacher?

KMG: A combination of factors, including a love of learning, a desire to help others, and a passion for sharing knowledge and skills with others. I have always been fascinated by the process of learning and the way that knowledge can empower and transform individuals and communities. Teaching offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others by sharing knowledge and skills, providing mentorship and support, and helping students to achieve their goals and realise their full potential. Ultimately, the opportunity to inspire, motivate, and empower others is what drives me to be a teacher.

SNN: What are the best elements (pardon the pun) of being a science teacher?

KMG: As a science teacher you have all the elements at your disposal to create amazing experiences for your students. From the hydrogen pop! of excitement in conducting experiments, to the iron determination in guiding your students towards success, and even the occasional sodium chloride (salt) to add some flavour to your lessons. Just like carbon, a science teacher has the ability to form strong bonds with their students, and help them transform into something amazing. Being a science teacher is truly an element-al experience! 

SNN: Have any of your experiments ever gone wrong?

KMG: Yes of course!. It's pretty much par for the course in science - not everything is going to work perfectly on the first try. I've found that I often learn the most from my mistakes. When an experiment doesn't go as planned, it forces me to re-examine my methods, consider alternative hypotheses, and come up with new strategies for future attempts. These "failed" experiments can actually be incredibly valuable in the long run, as they can lead to unexpected insights and discoveries that I might not have stumbled upon otherwise. It can be frustrating when things don't work out, but I've come to accept that making mistakes is just part of the process. The key is to approach each experiment with an open mind, a willingness to learn, and a healthy dose of curiosity and creativity. Even the most unexpected results can lead to exciting breakthroughs!

SNN: What are some of your fondest teaching memories?

KMG: Seeing students experience those "aha" moments when a concept finally clicks or watching them develop a passion for a subject that they once found uninteresting. These moments remind me why I became a teacher in the first place. 

One of my favourite teaching memories is a lesson about the chemistry of tea and coffee. As a class we talked about the chemical composition of caffeine and the different chemical reactions that occur when brewing coffee or tea. It was a fun and interactive lesson that allowed the students to see the real-world applications of chemistry in their daily lives.

SNN: What’s one thing students might be surprised to find out about you?

KMG: That I enjoy listening to instrumental movie/TV show soundtracks while marking assessments. I find that the lack of words is less distracting and allows me to focus more fully on the task at hand. Listening to music also helps me to stay motivated and makes the process more pleasant. At the moment, I'm enjoying the work of composers Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djawadi. 

SNN: Is there a quote or saying that you live your life by?

KMG: “You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”

Mrs L Quartermain

(Community Relations and Marketing)