Tucker Taylor has been teaching history and coaching Big Sandy students for nearly three years. Tucker was raised in Belgrade and has a strong affinity for small town living: "I like it here. I really like small town communities. Both my parents grew up in small towns. My dad is from Circle, Montana. My mom is from Sheridan, Montana. We spend a lot of time out in the rural areas of Montana. I definitely like the closeness of the small town community. Things get kind of chaotic and wild in those bigger areas. It's tough to really get to know your students well if you've got hundreds of them you're teaching throughout the course of the day. The smaller classes helps me keep better track of the kids throughout the course of the day and the school year."
Mr. Taylor enjoys teaching for the opportunity to work with the kids: "I really like being with the kids. I think I'm a pretty good people person for the most part, and I get to develop relationships with kids where they feel comfortable learning in the classroom. I like participating in sports and coaching kids. That was part of the pull of being a teacher, and I feel like I'm getting better each year as I continue. This is my third year as a full time teacher. I can't pretend I'm perfect. I'm still developing. Hopefully one day, if I stay with it, I'll be as good of a teacher as Mrs. Brumwell. It takes time. Learning how these kids learn and what motivates them can be tricky for me sometimes."
Tucker attended high school in Belgrade before going on to college. "When I started, I was in the physical education program at Montana State. I was there for a year and a half. Then I took a half year off. I finished my degree and changed majors at Western and went into History, just because I've always been interested in history and good at it throughout school. It's something that I am continually interested in. It's what I read a lot about." Mr. Taylor's reading in history tends to focus on medieval Europe: "I've got a few areas I really like. If we're talking world history, I really like the middle ages in Europe and the Viking age are things that I am really interested in. Also the crusader era... the crusades." Mr. Taylor finished his degree in 2016, double majoring in History and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. After a couple of years of substitute teaching in Belgrade, he moved to Big Sandy to teach History.
His athletics background has been used well at Big Sandy High school. "I coach football and wrestling... as the assistant football coach and the head wrestling coach of the Big Sandy-Fort Benton Co-op this year. I was an assistant the last two before that. I really enjoy it. It helps fill up the day and keeps me entertained. I'm a decent ways away from a lot of family. I think without coaching, teaching, and staying busy and staying involved in athletics in Big Sandy in general, I'd might feel a little bit more bored or lonely if I wasn't." He also opens the weight room for students every school day from 6:15 to 7:15.
For fun, Mr. Taylor enjoys outdoor activities. "I like to hunt and fish, golf, and go camping. In the fall, I keep really busy between coaching, hunting, and fishing. It's kinda that winter part and early spring, especially when wrestling gets done, when I'm kinda sitting around because it's nasty out, I can't really do anything." During the off seasons, he is an avid reader: "I like to read books. I try to be current, reading some non-fiction history related books. I definitely try to focus on topics I like. I like to read books on the Viking age, the history of England, the Templars, and stuff along those lines. One other area I really like is all the history of the gold rushes and mining." Mr. Taylor also enjoys reading and watching shows about wilderness survival, which fits with his affinity for outdoor activities.
Mr. Taylor's investment in students individually and his coaching have made him a popular teacher and a great asset to Big Sandy schools.
