Meet Mr. McCalla Beyond the Numbers

For math teacher Jeff McCalla, creating an engaging classroom environment is the common denominator in all of his teaching. By hanging math puns on the wall, teaching with candy, and making pictures with calculators, Mr. McCalla does it all to make math more than just equations. 

Mr. McCalla earned his bachelor’s degree in Christian Education and Mathematics from Wheaton College before heading to the University of Memphis to get his Master of Arts in Teaching. He joined St. Mary’s in 2009, sparking fun and curiosity in all of his lessons. 

However, Mr. McCalla didn’t initially think he was going to fall in love with teaching. 

“You would think that I should've known I would become a math teacher, but not so much,” he said. “It still took me quite a while to realize that teaching math was my calling.” 

Currently, Mr. McCalla teaches AP Statistics and blends math with clear, engaging explanations, ensuring his students not only grasp the concepts but also develop the confidence to apply them beyond the classroom.

“It is not just about getting the right answer, but clearly communicating the results,” he said. 

His commitment to his students’ success is manifested in his ability to anticipate and meet his students’ needs.

He recognized that many students needed support with standardized tests, so he pioneered an accessible solution by creating a free, highly-viewed YouTube Live session that reached a thousand students in a matter of days. 

As Texas Instruments’ lead curriculum writer for the SAT and ACT,  Mr. McCalla is committed to preparing students for these difficult assessments. Test preparation at St. Mary’s has improved with Mr. McCalla’s help, and he takes pride in playing a role in his students’ success beyond St. Mary’s. 

“St. Mary’s has always had great subject area teachers, and now we have a bunch of teachers who are also trained in test prep,” Mr. McCalla said. “That is what you call a win-win for students in our classes.” 

For Mr. McCalla, his interests span farther than standardized testing. He has also authored several books about calculators and presented at numerous regional and national conferences to educate teachers about how to better support student outcomes. In 2011, he was even recognized with the Presidential Award of Excellence for Mathematics and Science teaching by the National Science Foundation. 

While Mr. McCalla’s academic life centers around equations and calculators, he is also a skilled golf coach who has been coaching for over two decades. 

This past year was beyond successful for his golf teams. Through his leadership, the Middle School golf team won its first-ever Tennessee state championship, and the Upper School team also won first in the state. 

“We had a very strong group of upperclassmen returning, then we pulled up the 8th graders to join our team, which took us to the next level,” he said. “We had the deepest team I have ever seen in Memphis.” 

Mr. McCalla has given a lot to St. Mary’s, and he is grateful for what his students have taught him as well. 

“I'll never forget the first lesson I taught at St. Mary’s, where multiple students came up to me and thanked me for teaching,” Mr. McCalla said. “That had never happened to me in all my years as a teacher.”