Finley Teacher Brendan McGowan is Making a Difference
Brendan McGowan’s eighth grade English classes at J. Taylor Finley Middle School know they have a special teacher. He approaches his lessons with a style and flair that has earned him the respect of students to the point where years later as high school seniors they have chosen him as one their all-time favorites.
Rather than merely presenting material, Mr. McGowan is making a real difference in the lives of the teenagers he works with each day. The students have come to understand the importance of reading and writing in clearly expressing themselves and in the joy that can be found in literature and literacy.
Mr. McGowan, a graduate of Chaminade High School, earned a BA in English literature at Fordham University and obtained a Master’s degree in English education at CUNY-Lehman College. He completed an administrative internship and research project last summer through Stony Brook University. The Kings Park resident is married with a daughter.
Before coming to Huntington in 1996, Mr. McGowan taught for five years at Aquinas High School in The Bronx. He’s been recommended for inclusion in “Who’s Who in American Teachers” on numerous occasions.
“Finley has been a wonderful place to teach and grow as a teacher,” Mr. McGowan said. Moving from an urban high school to a school such as Finely required a major adjustment. “So many teachers and administrators helped me adapt and improve as a teacher and I try to keep learning and improve each day,” he said.
When he’s not teaching or spending time with his family, Mr. McGowan can often be found behind a set of drums. He is a drummer in a rock band that performs at various locations around Long Island.
“As a teacher I am trying to accomplish many things simultaneously,” Mr. McGowan said. “One of the parts of teaching that I enjoy the most is trying to make the classroom a place that eighth graders enjoy learning. I often use humor to try to help students have a positive attitude about coming to class. In many ways, I believe kids' attitude and approach toward learning and school is almost as important as the subject matter that they are studying. Without a genuine interest in doing well or being present in the classroom, motivation and interest become tremendous barriers to overcome for students, parents and teachers.”
Mr. McGowan is known to put an emphasis on respect and confidence. “Students need to feel comfortable and safe to make mistakes and be themselves,” he said. “They also need to see and understand that they do, in fact, have the ability to be successful. English classes are great vehicles to allow students to have creative outlets and use self-expression that they can be proud of because of their own individuality.”
“Brendan McGowan is the quintessential English teacher,” said Joseph Leavy, district director of humanities. “He is well-read and distinguished in his pedagogy. Motivated by the art of succinct expression of the spoken and written word, Brendan is highly popular with his students due to his charisma, singularity, and down-to-Earth humor.”
Even after all these years, Mr. McGowan’s “students continue to sing his praises,” Mr. Leavy said. “In fact, two Huntington High School graduating classes honored him at their distinguished senior’s dinners, labeling him their most influential teacher.”
In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Mr. McGowan has also served as the humanities coordinator at Finley for the past four years. It’s a role that has seen him facilitate “a vision that seeks to engulf all students in a comprehensive, powerful learning experience,” Mr. Leavy said. “Brendan is a tireless worker, a mentor to younger teachers, and a model of the type of educator that makes Huntington the outstanding district that it is.”
Mr. McGowan is happy teaching at Finley. He said four parts of his job are particularly rewarding. “When you can see the spark of interest in an idea which is new and interesting to a student while you're teaching; when students smile, laugh, and debate and are otherwise positively engaged in learning; when a struggling student perseveres and enjoys success and then clearly shows pride in their accomplishment; and when a student comes back to say hello, thank you or tell me how they’re is doing in high school or college.”
“He is a valued member of the staff,” Finley Principal John Amato said.
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