Before reading the following interview, I want to take a moment and close a chapter I had the pleasure to open last year. Through new beginnings of creating the Owl Outlook from Mr. Mcdonaugh’s ambition. I can proudly say that my last interview is with the man himself. After opting out many times to be interviewed by my peers and I, I’m glad the world and our school can truly see a glimpse of who Mr. Mcdonaugh is. I hope the following years are filled with more creative students who continue to cherish the Owl Outlook. Here’s to more school papers, interviews and memories! Hope you enjoy my last interview as a high school student and former student of Mr. Mcdonaugh.
Humaira: Good morning, Mr. Mcdonaugh. How are you?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: I’m good. How are you?
Humaira: I’m good. You want to begin?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Let’s do it.
Humaira: All right, so let’s start off with how it all started. What was your childhood like?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: My childhood.
Humaira: Mhm. We’re going all the way there.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Wow. I had a great childhood. Different I think, from what a lot of kids in the city have. I grew up on Long Island and in a nice, leafy suburb. I grew up playing a lot of sports. That was the main thing I was interested in as a kid. You know, when I was younger, I wouldn’t have imagined myself being a teacher. I apparently told people I wanted to be a construction worker or something.
Humaira: Oh, wow!
Mr. Mcdonaugh: I just didn’t see myself doing anything mildly intellectual.
Humaira: What changed?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Well, I’d always been really interested in movies and stories throughout middle school and high school. I also had an interest in psychology. My sister, my older sister, who is 12 years older, is a therapist. So we would always talk about, psychology and analyze characters and see these shows through that lens. But in college, like, right when I got to college, I started reading a lot.
Humaira: I remember during class you said your brother gave you a book.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah. My brother. My brother is also an English teacher. And I asked him for any book recommendations when I was 18. He recommended a play, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh. No relation; he still lives in Ireland. Yeah, but he’s a great, great playwright. And I really enjoyed reading his play. Wow! Books, I thought. These aren’t as boring as I thought they were in high school.
Humaira: So what do you think influenced you into becoming a teacher?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: You know, it’s hard to say. At the time, what influenced my decision was primarily a class I was taking. I was taking English and psychology classes in college. I wasn’t sure which one I was going to major in. I was taking a really good English class. It was actually an introduction to film. But we would read books like Crime and Punishment from Dostoyevsky. We’ve read this other philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, and we’re reading really philosophical books and pairing them with other movies that ask similar questions. And I really liked the discussions the professor led. And seeing that I was like, wow, that looks really fun and interesting and something I like. But, at the same time, there were probably other influences that I wasn’t as aware of. Like, for example, my older brother being a teacher. He never told me to be one. He never talked about it that much. I never asked him about it. Yeah, but he always seems kind of happy and never complains about work and seems to like his job. So that was probably somewhere hovering in the background influencing my decision.
Humaira: Do you like your job?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah I love it.
Humaira: What do you like about it the most?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: I think teaching brings out the best in me. That’s like the shortest answer I can give. I really love sharing what I’m passionate about with kids who for the first time are discovering who these authors are and never asked these questions before or written in this particular way. So I really like exposing people to those different ideas for the first time.
Humaira: Do you remember your first day and how it went?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah, well, I think a few first days, like student teaching. First day I did a leave replacement, where I was, subbing for someone who was on maternity leave. And I remember my first day here at Bryant, which was my first teaching gig. So I remember all those. Well, they’re all different. They’re all great. I’m not that anxious of a person. So I wasn’t. Some people get really nervous for the first day of school, like they can’t sleep or like. You might not be aware, but teachers can get very nervous. Yeah. I’m not that anxious of a guy. So I was never that. You know, I had natural, pregame jitters, like good nerves. I should be a little nervous, you know?
Humaira: That’s true.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: But it was nothing overwhelming.
Humaira: So after being an English teacher, do you think your love for reading grew?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, it continues to. I just love reading more and more as I get older. Like it just gets better and better.
Humaira: What tips would you give to someone who’s not really into reading?
Mr. McDonaugh: Yeah. I think if you don’t like reading, I think you should. I mean, to me, it’s like not liking music or not liking movies. It’s another genre, another medium to experience something, and you’re just missing out. So I would suggest start reading anything. It doesn’t matter. It could be Magic Treehouse books or comic books or bazooka bubble gum wrappers. I think whatever you want to start with is a good place.
Humaira: That’s true. We’re heading to the broader questions. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Change one thing in the world. Oh my gosh. Um.
Humaira: You can think about that. A lot of people, when I ask them, they need a minute.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah. I mean, there’s the basic answer like world peace, stopping hunger, poverty.
Humaira: Yeah.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Everyone wants that.
Humaira: That’s true. So what do you want?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: I wish people read books more.
Humaira: That’s a good one.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah, I don’t know, maybe it’s just, a little bit more of a sensitivity to our larger purpose here. Whatever it might be. Or just, maybe a greater sensitivity to the larger realities. We’re just these monkeys on this planet who don’t really know what’s going on, and we’re all going to die.
Humaira: It will all end one day.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: It will end one day. And I don’t know, I just think we don’t really know what’s going on. And, we’re just trying to enjoy ourselves. So I don’t know, I just wish people would relax a little bit, myself included.
Humaira: Do you think these beliefs that you have influence the way you teach?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s hard to say exactly how they influence how I teach, but maybe just how I carry myself and try to relate to people. And, you know, I try to discuss books that I think get at some of these larger realities.
Humaira: For sure. Yeah, I’ve been there. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: A lesson I’ve learned from a mistake. I have a few things in mind. They’re kind of related. I just wish, when I was younger, this is, like, a typical thing. I think a lot of adults say: I wish I applied myself more when I was younger. But it’s kind of true. I just wish when I was younger, I read more and I just feel like when I was younger, I kind of saw things through like a little keyhole. And now, you know, I have just a bigger perspective now. And I was kind of like I’m similar to the person I am now, but I was more, I don’t know, closed off from things and like a little more closed minded. And I wish when I was younger I just think reading really helped me kind of open up my mind.
Humaira: Do you think the characteristics that you had when you were younger tend to help you relate to the students that you teach?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah, I think so. I was a pretty good student in high school, but I didn’t really, like I said before, I found myself, I didn’t really care that much about school as long as, you know, I did all right. I was satisfied. So I think I noticed I liked to be the kid who’s, just looking out the window and waiting for the period to end and kind of tuning out your teacher. So I think I’m pretty conscious of that. And I hope to not be that same bore that I endured when I was a high schooler.
Humaira: Since a lot of your seniors are graduating. What’s a piece of advice you would give them since they’re heading to college?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Okay, I’m not big on giving people advice. But I would say, you know, really, just pay attention to your life. Try not to just habitually do the things you ordinarily do, like taking your cell phone or watching television. You know, try and just pay attention to what you’re feeling and what’s happening. And otherwise, I think you might miss a lot.
Humaira: That’s true. Do you have anything else to add on?
Mr. Mcdonaugh: No, I don’t think so.
Humaira: Okay. I think that’s it. It was really nice talking to you, Mr. Mcdonaugh.
Mr. Mcdonaugh: Yeah, it was nice speaking with you Humaira.