Teacher Profile: Darryll Craft

Every year, Jesuit welcomes new faculty and staff members. I had the opportunity to interview one of the newest additions: Mr. Craft of the Mathematics Department.

Mr. Craft grew up in Ohio, where he attended college in Columbus, Ohio, and became a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan. After college, he tried to get a teaching job in Ohio but found it difficult because many schools required substitute teaching first. He eventually moved to McKinney, Texas, about 35 years ago. Most of his immediate family still lives in Ohio and Kentucky, but he now lives in the Dallas area with his wife and two sons. He says that his family is a huge part of who he is and is very important to him.

Mr. Craft has been teaching for 35 years. He spent 34 of those teaching in McKinney ISD before coming to Jesuit this year. Throughout his career, he has taught many different math classes, including Algebra 1, Pre-AP algebra 1, Pre-Calculus, and AQR. This year is his first year ever teaching geometry.

Mr. Craft said teaching Geometry has been a new challenge because he had to go back and relearn and prepare differently. However, he enjoys the challenge and feels it has made him a better teacher, he likes to use different teaching strategies to keep students engaged and help them learn better. Mr. Craft believes teaching is about more than just math; it’s about helping students form into responsible young men and making a positive impact on their lives.

After 34 years in McKinney ISD, Mr. Craft felt like it was time for a change. He heard about many positive things about Jesuit, that it was a great place to work with respectful students and a strong community.

He said what stands out the most about Jesuit is how the students treat each other, their teachers and the school. He appreciates the students’ desire to learn and improve themselves. He also said that he feels very fortunate to now be teaching here.

Mr. Craft helps coach basketball and serves as an assistant coach for the JV team. He also helps with the variety and freshmen when needed. He described the basketball coaching staff as a “tightly knit group” that supports each other.

Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family and watching sports like football, basketball, baseball, golf, and tennis. He described himself as not being very outdoorsy but enjoys indoor activities, especially sports.

His favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption, partly because it was filmed near where he grew up in Ohio. If he could travel anywhere, he would like to visit places in Europe, such as Italy and Rome, especially because of their history. He also mentioned wanting to visit Notre Dame to experience a football game there.

Mr. Craft considers himself a religious person and believes in God. When he was younger, he was worried about being hypocritical if he made mistakes but later realized that everyone sins and makes mistakes. However, he states that asking for forgiveness and recognizing your mistakes is key. He believes that faith is about growth and understanding.

Although he does not strictly identify with one specific denomination, he prays and believes God has guided his life and career. His faith influences how he views teaching, especially in wanting to be a positive influence on young people.