A Tribute to Mrs. W

Her classes were not to be taught by one with a Ph.D. or even a Master’s degree in education. Instead, they were to be taught from experience, by a woman who learned from experience. This teacher dedicated her time to not only ensuring that I passed all required tests, but also to equipping me with the necessary qualities and skills to pass the tests of life. She taught me to see beyond the red ink and instilled in me a genuine love for learning. William Buttler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” Mrs. W lit a spark in my life, and the flame continues to burn.

The memories hold my hand as I walk through the passages of my life. I can recall abandoning our classroom and relocating to a wooden bench under an old oak tree while reading “The Scarlet Letter.”  Squirrels scurried around us like children in a game of tag as we struggled to unravel the complexities of a timeless classic. In this environment, we were not simply reading a book; but rather, we were experiencing a story. 

In each class Mrs. W taught, we learned to think, to analyze, to question, and then to write. Sometimes I struggled with the writing, dissatisfied with the words I was able to grind out. I searched for inspiration but the inadequacies screamed out at me, often provoking tears from my tired eyes. Just when it seemed I had failed, Mrs. W would rescue me with words of affirmation and direction. She somehow saw through the effort, a young girl who wanted more than anything to succeed.

Mrs. W’s mission was to unleash my individual potential, and at the age of 14, she escorted me to a debate and speech training conference at the local college. I sat in the college classroom completely overwhelmed and intimidated. After a two-day instructional workshop, the college debate team wooed us with a mock debate, however, this only left me more convinced that I was not prepared for such an endeavor. Fortunately, Mrs. W disagreed, and thus began my journey into a world of challenges, failures, and victories. “Alisha,” she often said. “The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.” So struggle I did. And just one year later, I traveled to Cedarville, Ohio, to compete for the national title in team policy debate with Mrs. W at my side. 

Mrs. W helped me unearth my true potential and awakened in me a joy for learning. My education with her was not limited to the classroom, and some of our most poignant lessons took place during talks while she tucked me into bed, while we planted a garden, or while we reminisced over family photographs. You see, Mrs. W was not just a teacher, she was a woman who had taken on the challenge of educating her children at home…a challenge that flew with wings of faith and courage. She was like an engine propelled by a burning passion, and I was the recipient of that passion. To most, Mrs. W is known as Rosie Watson. To me, she is Mom. 

Alisha Watson

Age 17