Joe McCollum, a West Chicago Community High School teacher, is a passionate and dedicated math teacher who inspires his students to embrace challenges and unlock their full potential. Known for his positive energy and unwavering encouragement, he creates a welcoming classroom environment where students feel supported in their learning journey. With his belief that everyone can succeed in math, McCollum empowers his students to approach problems confidently and enthusiastically.
McCollum graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008 and decided to become a teacher during the economic crisis, when more than 70,000 jobs were taken away from people every month, causing a shortage of jobs.
“And so I graduated [in] 2009 or 2008, and the economy took a bad turn. And I was interested in doing finance, but I felt a lot of people were using finance, and they varied. They were predatory. I didn’t want to necessarily be a part of that culture. And so I was like, How can I best utilize and be helpful to others? And I had done a lot of tutoring, and so I thought I’d like to pursue teaching,” McCollum said.
McCollum currently teaches quantitative math literacy and AP pre-calculus.
“I like working with the upperclassmen. I think they have a plan for what their future holds, and I think they’re dedicated [and] committed to trying to achieve those goals,” McCollum said.
He dedicates his time to teaching students everything he can help them with. Each year, he commits his time to understanding them and supporting his students in their special way.
“Some students need a little pat on the back. Some students need to be a little firm. It’s knowing their personalities and knowing their demeanors for students with special needs, being receptive to those and understanding what helps them best learn and then implementing those within the classroom,” McCollum said.
McCullom changes his teaching strategies with each of his students, which all end up with the same goal: teaching students how they can apply their skills appropriately.
“I think it’s important that they know why I’m having them do what they do, in terms of not only this class but [also] where it’s applicable in different areas,” McCollum said.
During his teaching career, he continued to learn and refine his teaching skills.
“Patience for sure, being understanding, being receptive to other people’s ideas and thoughts,” McCollum said.
In the past few years, the math department has changed the way math is taught to the students, and it has been important to McCollum that he stay current as a teacher.
“Roughly so, the last couple of years doing more at the at the white boards, getting students working at those spaces and trying – that’s been a big, it has been such an influential component of what we do in the math department – that it’s getting the students not just sitting at their desks taking notes, but being active participants in the curriculum,” McCollum said
One of McCollum’s students, junior Lesley Garcia, also talked about other things that he does to motivate students to continue focusing on the curriculum that is being taught.
“Well, one example of something I look forward to is his, like, brain breaks he gives us after going over a really tough question. He’ll give us, like, 30 seconds where we just guess celebrities that he has covered up on the board. And it’s just like a fun way to de-stress after being like, basically being pushed to our limit when it comes to thinking mathematically, and it’s just a good way to unwind,” Garcia said
McCollum also was the coach for the girls’ softball team. Garcia, a member of the team at the time, talked about McCollum’s dedication and the support he gave.
“He was very adamant, whenever we made mistakes, that we could do better and be better players overall. And he would just really push us to be the best players we could,” Garcia said.
McCollum also took account of the team’s well-being and took breaks when needed for the team.
“He would take us on trips either before or after the game,” Garcia said. “For example, one time we had a really stressful week full of games, and on the one day we didn’t have a game, he took us to Dairy Queen. I thought that that was like a very kind thing for him to do, because obviously he didn’t have to do that – that just made us all bond as a team and with our coaches. And he even offered to pay for everyone, which was also very kind.”
Garcia also mentioned a moment that demonstrated McCollum’s attention to his students.
“One memory that really does stick with me was a day that I was just really upset, and I just had a really tough day,” Garcia said. “And after class, Mr. McCollum asked me what had me so down, and I just really appreciated him checking in, because it just showed that, like there was someone who cared and someone who noticed, and it just made me feel like very seen, and I just really appreciated it.”
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, McCollum switched from being the softball coach to a Varsity golf coach.
“He’s smart with about everything. He’s determined, especially with the golf season. His first season coaching, he pushed the limits, and we had some good results this season. Good future athletes coming through the program as well. And I’d say he’s trustworthy. He’s a good, trustworthy guy. I could go to him for any issues I was ever having,” senior Nick Temes, a Varsity golfer, said.
McCollum’s co-workers also see the determination he has with his students, attempting to push them to their limits to be the best they can be as students.
“I [appreciate] his his calmness and his attitude towards teaching: he seems positive all the time and just ready to face the day and do something good for students,” fellow math teacher Michele Torres said.
McCollum will continue to resume his teaching and coaching career with improvement as time goes by.
“I think just to keep improving myself, I would hope that when you know at the end that I grew myself every year and made improvements every year to better the needs of the students,” McCollom said.
