At Logansport High School, science is an essential part of the academic experience. Dual Credit Chemistry teacher Tucker McCord has been teaching science for the past eight years. Teaching chemistry isn’t just about mixing chemicals or balancing equations; for McCord, his passion for teaching and dedication to finding new experiments for his students to learn is very important to his teaching lifestyle.
After graduating from LHS in 2013, McCord went to Purdue University, where he earned his degree in Chemistry Education, with a minor in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. He then returned to the high school, beginning his teaching career at LHS in Aug. of 2017.
However, his journey to becoming a chemistry teacher wasn’t so straightforward.
“From year to year, I’d change my mind about what I wanted to do as a profession, but by high school, I had decided on being an English teacher,” McCord said. “However, when I watched my favorite teachers in action, I realized they could do something I couldn’t. English came easily to me, so I had a terrible time explaining why I should move this sentence to a new paragraph or why a comma goes here but not there. I could do it, but I couldn’t teach it.”
Exploring and overcoming challenges was a sight-seeing experience for McCord’s future.
“Science, on the other hand, was difficult for me,” McCord said. “It often frustrated me because it never seemed to make sense; there was always some trick that would betray your expectations! However, the more I learned, the more I realized those betrayals were actually playing by the rules the whole time. I just had to struggle to understand those rules, why things happen or don’t happen, in order to make everything make sense, but I could relate to other people who were also struggling.”
McCord saw and explored the difficulties of science. With this, he knew why his classmates were stuck on things. Becoming a teacher came to the realization that he could help students click the problems together.
So, out of all the sciences, why chemistry?
“Biology had too much vocabulary, and physics had too much math, so chemistry was a nice balance,” McCord said. “Now, it’s about the applicability of chemistry. Some call it the “central science” because of how it connects to so many other sciences. Chemistry is applied physics, and biology is applied chemistry! All other sciences like geology, astronomy, atmospheric science and medical science all utilize chemistry’s core foundations and techniques! It opens a door into just about any other scientific field.”
In McCord’s eyes, chemistry isn’t just a subject; it’s the key to understanding the world around us.
“Oil and water don’t mix because of how the molecules interact. Chemistry explains these everyday occurrences,” said McCord. “It’s like a puzzle you can’t help but keep solving once you start noticing how everything works.”
For McCord, assignments and labs in the classroom serve important roles.
“Assignments are like practice for athletes,” said McCord. “A baseball player doesn’t just practice without a ball—they need to have realistic scenarios to improve their skills. Labs show students why we study what we do. They connect the academic practice to real-life applications.”
Creating an engaging classroom environment is important for McCord. He believes that if the class is fun for him, it will be fun for his students, too.
“I try to turn lessons into activities, labs and demonstrations that are exciting and fun,” said McCord. “The more authentic I can make the learning experience, the more engaged my students will be. I also try not to set expectations that I wouldn’t hold myself to. If I have a rule, it has a rationale, and I enforce that rule within reason. An essential part of growing up involves developing a keen sense of what’s fair and what isn’t, so I also use my students’ feedback to change my courses for the better.”
Although McCord loves his passion for teaching students, his career would still involve helping in some ways.
“If I wasn’t a classroom teacher, I’d probably still find myself drawn to education in some way,” said McCord. “Maybe I’d help design museum exhibits, write a textbook or join a team to make educational video games! You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can’t take the classroom out of the teacher.”
With a fun twist, McCord shares something that most people don’t know about his family.
“I have a twin, but most people think it’s my older brother Jake, who works at McCord’s Do It Best,” said McCord. “Jake and I actually look more like twins now than my actual twin, Brantly, who has grown their hair out much longer.”
McCord finds the most rewarding part of teaching to be the moment a student truly grasps a concept.
“Every student has the ability to learn when given the time and resources to do so, but some students naturally understand some subjects easier than others,” said McCord. “My favorite part of the job is helping the students who find science difficult because that was me! I’m always looking for better ways to make science understandable to anyone who wants to learn. Seeing a student get that ‘lightbulb’ moment in a lab or lesson is what it’s all about.”
