Eighth-graders should count on having some extra grit, thanks to a new math teacher

Hina R., Watertown Splash staff

This year at Watertown Middle School, there’s a new math teacher for Cluster 5 after Ms. Anderson left. The new teacher’s name is Owen Callen.

Mr. Callen grew up in Cambridge and, from the beginning, math was his favorite subject. Growing up, one of the challenges Mr. Callen faced was being dyslexic.

Now Mr. Callen lives in Somerville. Some of his hobbies are swing dancing, playing Wii, playing Clash of Clans, skiing, and going over his sister’s grad homework because it “feels good to know the answers”.

He thinks that there is a real emphasis on value of education with both students and teachers at WMS, and that they’re “engaged into their work.” Mr.Callen said he likes to work with older students, like his eighth-grade students because they are at the edge of going to high school.

Mr. Callen said when his students leave for the high school, he wants them to leave with “grit” and for students to be comfortable doing problems they don’t know the answer to.

–Nov. 30, 2014–