For Mrs. Wisham, teaching English is about far more than grammar rules and essays. It’s about confidence, connection, and helping students realize their own potential.
Mrs. Wisham was inspired to become an English teacher after seeing how many students struggled with reading. She developed a passion for helping students understand that they are capable, intelligent, and able to achieve their goals. She has been teaching for eight years, with the last five spent at Wylie. Before that, she taught 5th grade at Bowie. While she excels in English, her favorite subject as a student was actually science.
Although she now teaches English, Mrs. Wisham didn’t always enjoy writing. It wasn’t until she attended college and majored in clinical psychology that she began reading research and producing her own writing. An experience that sparked her love for it. She chose to teach English because of the creativity it allows and the opportunity to step into someone else’s mind through the books they read.
One of the teachers who influenced her the most was her 5th/6th grade teacher, a brand-new educator with incredible energy and a strong belief in her students. That philosophy of believing in kids is something Mrs. Wisham carries into her own classroom today. Students may be surprised to learn that she didn’t major in English, enjoys archery, and owns horses. If she weren’t a teacher, she says she would be a psychologist working with active and retired military members.
The most rewarding part of her job is watching students grow and gain confidence in their abilities. The hardest part is seeing them leave her class and move on to the next stage of their education.
Mrs. Wisham describes her teaching style as compassionate, optimistic, and outside-of-the-box. Beyond grades, she hopes students leave her class knowing they are more than a number and that a test score does not define them. She keeps students engaged by incorporating real-world situations into lessons, making reading and writing more relatable. For her, a successful class discussion is one where everyone feels heard and valued.
She places a strong emphasis on building trust- especially with students who struggle- believing that sometimes a relationship must come before academic support. Her favorite unit to teach is debate, and she believes creativity and structure must work together for true success. One classroom rule she finds essential is respect for others, for the teacher, and for oneself. She encourages students to find their voice in writing by allowing them to choose topics they are passionate about. The most meaningful feedback she’s ever received from a student was, “When I felt like no one else cared, I knew you did.”
Mrs. Wisham enjoys teaching and reading literary nonfiction and autobiographies. Her favorite author is John Grisham, particularly A Time To Kill, because of his character development and thoughtful writing. She believes every student should read A Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron for its message of hope and perseverance. Over time, she’s grown to appreciate Lord of the Flies more as a teacher than she did as a student. She is currently reading Animal Farm and enjoys reading alongside her students, so she can witness their “aha” moments. One book that deeply impacted her was Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, especially after meeting the author and gaining deeper insight into its meaning.
What Mrs. Wisham loves most about teaching at Wylie is the strong sense of community and shared commitment to student growth. Her students have taught her to lead with grace and patience, focusing on the whole person rather than just grades. She finds it especially rewarding to watch struggling readers persevere and fight for their success. A memorable moment for her was hearing students say they were happy to be back in her class- a reminder that she’s creating a space where students feel safe and supported.
Her advice to students entering her class is simple but powerful: “I will get you to success, you just have to meet me with effort.”
