Meet the Teacher Advisory Council: John Wilson of E.T. Booth MS!

The Cherokee County School District’s newly formed Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council provides educators with the opportunity to share valued feedback.  The talent of our teachers is unparalleled and their dedication to go the extra mile is unmatched!  Over the coming weeks, we'll be introducing each Council member to our community.  You can learn more about the Council and see the full list of its members online here.

John W. Wilson of E.T. Booth Middle School

A 20-year educator, Mr. Wilson teaches eighth-grade social studies at E.T. Booth Middle School. He's spent all 20 years of his career with CCSD!

What inspired you to become a teacher?
Many moons ago after I got out of the service, I was coaching varsity baseball and wrestling while I was working on my undergraduate degree. My original plan was to go into something sports medicine related, but one day I was talking to the head coach, and he said, “You know, you need to stop wasting time and do what you’re supposed to be doing and be a teacher.” I told him I didn’t know the first thing about teaching, and he replied, “Well, you teach this game as well as anyone I know.” The more I thought about it, the more I knew teaching was my path. I really enjoyed working with young people and seeing their growth, so I changed my major and the rest is history!

What do you find most rewarding about your job?
The most rewarding thing about my job is seeing the growth and maturity of my students from the day they first walked in my room to the day they walk across the parking lot to Etowah High School. Eighth grade is a wild time for them, physically, emotionally, and socially, so seeing them emerge through all of that is incredible.

How do you elevate the excellence in your classroom?
I elevate the excellence in my classroom by working hard on building relationships with my students. If students understand that you care about them and want what’s best for them, they’ll be more inclined to meet the high classroom expectations I establish for them. They’ll be going to high school after they leave me, so the goal for the end of the year is to understand how to set their own goals (academically, behaviorally, socially, etc.) and regulate/motivate themselves to achieve them.

#CCSDElevateTheExcellence