About

My name is Meagan Martin and I teach Chemistry at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas.  I started teaching high school science in 2006.  During my teaching career, I have taught Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry 1 Regular and PreAP, and AP Chemistry.  I am starting a new adventure this year and will be adding Dual Credit Chemistry to my schedule.

Education:

Texas A&M University – B.S. in Biomedical Science, 2002

Texas A&M University, Texarkana – M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, with a emphasis in Chemistry, 2018

Family:

My husband, Russell, and I have been married since 2004.  In 2011, we adopted our son, Eli, who is now in elementary school.  We also have 2 dogs, Honey and Mia, and a cat, Gizmo.  We enjoy living in Texarkana, and we are active in our church, Williams Memorial United Methodist Church, which is also where my husband works.

My Story – How I ended up here:

Both my parents were teachers/coaches.  My older brother was a great athlete and played numerous sports (and is now a coach).  I spent my childhood going to games and practices, but I did not have an athletic bone in my body!  When I was in high school, I realized that I had a love of science, especially Biology.  During my junior year of high school, I decided that I wanted to go to medical school and eventually have a career in sports medicine (I like sports, just not playing them!).  I attended Texas A&M in College Station, and majored in Biomedical Science.  During my time there, I LOVED anatomy and physiology, but I also found that I was very interest in Biochemistry.

My junior year at A&M, I studied for and took the MCAT, and then applied for medical school.  Then, reality set in.  Medical school is very competitive, and I did not get in.  It is hard to have a dream that does not come true.  Even though there were tears and anger, life does not stop and I had to figure out what to do next.  I ignored an offer for a job in education, because my parents were teachers and I never wanted to teach!

Life moves on.  I took some classes in healthcare management.  I got married and moved to the Houston area.  I worked for a large Optometry clinic for a few years, and for the most part enjoyed it, but something was not quite right.  My husband was offered a job in Texarkana in 2006.  We moved up here and I started looking for a job in healthcare, but nothing worked out.  Someone at our church suggested teaching.  I applied for several jobs, because I was considered ‘highly qualified’ in science.  I got 3 job offers in one day!

I did not choose education; education chose me, and I am glad it did!   Life does not always go as planned, but it does keep going.  When I was a young child, I had a tendency to pout and whine when I did not get my way.  I always got in trouble for this and my parents would, in a very nice, loving way, tell me to “suck it up.”  This was a great lesson for my adult life.  In my first few years of teaching, I thought several times about quitting and doing something easier, but I am so thankful that I didn’t.  I LOVE teaching science, especially Chemistry!  I LOVE the relationships that I have with my co-workers and the relationships I get to build every year with my students.  Most of all I LOVE the fact that I get to keep learning.  I want to be a life long learner!