Randolph-Macon College alumnus Chris Murray Jr. ’05 teaches social studies at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland. He is passionate about his job.

“After a decade in the classroom I know that the three best things about teaching are building relationships, teaching tolerance and nurturing creative thinkers for the 21st century,” he says.

A Caring Teacher
Murray majored in history and minored in education and Asian studies at RMC and went on to earn a M.S. from McDaniel College and a M.Ed. from Towson University. A nationally board-certified teacher, Murray’s RMC education instilled in him the desire to be a caring, effective teacher.

“I received a great education at Randolph-Macon,” he says. “I also played baseball for the Yellow Jackets, and I traveled to China during January Term, which was one of the best experiences of my life. Visiting five cities in two weeks opened my eyes to the Chinese culture, and it inspired me to return to China after graduating to teach English for the summer. I am so thankful for the foundation that Randolph-Macon College gave me. I will be forever grateful.”

Recognition
Murray was recently recognized by the 9/11 Tribute Center and the Department of Education for the work he has been doing in creating a safe space for students of all or no religious backgrounds. The 9/11 Tribute Center, located in New York City, is a project of the September 11th Families’ Association, which brings together those who want to learn about 9/11 with those who experienced it.

“I shared with the Tribute Center the lessons I use to teach Islam to my students,” explains Murray. “My students freely share their beliefs and fears in my classroom, where they are exposed to a spectrum of information. We have discussions about religious experts, read scholarly articles, and learn from each other.”

Sharing Ideas
In March 2016, Murray and other teachers from all over the U.S. met with United States Secretary of Education John King in Washington, D.C. to share ideas and talk about concerns that students face in school today.

“I was very proud to share not only the work we do in the classroom, but also the work we have done as a school system to create teacher training on various faiths,” says Murray. “This summer, Montgomery County Public Schools will launch a week-long course, Religious Literacy, an intensive study of religions with the emphasis on supporting students of all or no faiths. The course will also help equip our teachers to be stronger advocates and allies.”

Yellow Jacket Connections
Murray stays connected to his alma mater in many ways.

“I keep in touch with Ray Hedrick, my baseball coach, and I stay in contact with some of my education professors,” he says. An active member of the Education Alumni Board, Murray has met with current education students to discuss the opportunities and challenges of a teaching career. “I also attend Homecoming whenever I can,” he says, “and I try to make it to a baseball game each spring. Go, Yellow Jackets!”

The RMC Education Department
With a strong tradition of preparing outstanding teachers, RMC’s education minor is a Virginia Department of Education approved educator preparation program and is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The teacher preparation program at RMC creates reflective, passionate educators who are highly qualified in their content areas and in 21st-century teaching skills. Inspired by RMC’s own dedicated teaching faculty, our graduates bring to their own classrooms a commitment to children, youth, families and diversity.

Beginning with the first course in RMC’s teacher preparation program, students are in the community, working with real students and teachers in local school classrooms. RMC education courses fully integrate classroom and experiential learning, opportunities for collaborative research, civic and global engagement, personalized guidance, and leadership development.