Thoughts from Dr. Joe: An interview with a high school English teacher

I arrived late to Mrs. Willshire’s English class at La Cañada High on back-to-school night. I was looking for room 211, and since I found room 202, I thought it would be a piece of cake to follow the numbers consecutively until 211. I should’ve known better and followed Kaitzer instead of trusting my instincts.

Once I finally tracked down the right room, I found refuge in the back of it. Curious, I began to peer into the bookshelves that lined the walls and read the posters strewn throughout. After making a 360, I noticed a placard of Shakespeare’s quotes affixed to a podium. I had this sensation that her class was an entrance to a greater world, and her students were about to take a magic carpet ride. You can learn a lot by observing.

Since the back-to-school night schedule is unforgiving, I had limited time with Mrs. Willshire. Regardless, I discovered her Zen; it was evident. Her enthusiasm was iridescent! She spoke about literature, words and ideas. I realized my daughter had a teacher who was an enthusiast and would take her students full speed ahead through that entrance to a greater world.

The bell rang. This time, I followed Kaitzer to Mr. Traeger’s geology class.

Afterward, I decided to write thoughts about Mrs. Willshire. I requested an interview. The unknown is fascinating to me, I asked her a million questions.

“I am supposed to be a teacher,” she said. “I wanted to be Jimmy Kanning, my high school advanced placement English teacher. I wanted the same depth of literacy and take my students to the same distant worlds they may not necessarily see. The worlds of ‘Hamlet,’ ‘Beowulf’ and ‘Pride and the Prejudice’ are stories of human drama and cut deep into understanding who we are.”

I imagined what Mrs. Willshire saw in her teacher Jimmy Kanning, many of her students will see in her.

“Mrs. Willshire, I heard you were tough,” I commented. “You remind me of my high school English teacher Brother Jean Martel Baptist.”

She smiled. “Priscilla Rooth, my sophomore English honors teacher was tough. We respected her. She gave us structure and accountability. I believe in passing on the same to my students.”

This morning, as Simone left for school, I asked her for one word that described Mrs. Willshire. “Challenging!” She said. Simone will remember her.

The profession of teaching is sacrosanct. La Cañada High, Prep, Sacred Heart, Hillside, St. Francis and the elementary schools throughout the community have extraordinary teachers. They are worth their weight in gold and we should value them. They are life changers. Day in and day out we give them our children.

“I work a 10-hour day,” Mrs. Willshire said. “Teaching is emotionally draining. It’s like being on stage all day. Sometimes I just need to read a story with a dragon in it.”

We rarely see the countless hours of preparation, grading and learning required to be effective.

Mrs. Willshire has a propensity for music. She marched in her high school band and played flute in a collegiate ensemble. She loves musical theater; her favorite is “Jesus Christ Superstar.” I asked her why. “It’s so rockin’,” she replied.

We spoke for an hour. I had three pages of notes and one more question.

“Mrs. Willshire, what makes a good teacher?”

“Idealism,” she answered. “You have to love what you do, and I was destined to do this.”

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JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us.