Teacher Feature on Mr. Willock

Teacher+Feature+on+Mr.+Willock

Julian Castellanos

At which school in the district do you teach?

I teach at the Stroudsburg Junior High School

What subjects do you teach?

I teach both language arts and reading.

What grades do you teach?

Currently, I teach 8th grade, although I taught 7th and 9th grade in the past.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

Teaching is rewarding because I know that every day is an opportunity to contribute to our Stroudsburg community.

What’s your favorite sports team? Why are they your favorite?

My favorite sports teams are located from coast to coast. I’ve been a San Francisco 49ers fan since 1988. It was easy to become a fan when they won the Superbowl four times in the 1980s with Joe Montana and again in 1994 with Steve Young. I am also a big fan of the New York Mets. I lived in Queens, NY when I was a little kid before moving to Pennsylvania. Keith Hernandez was my favorite player.

What is your favorite quote and what does it mean to you? 

There are so many great quotes by so many amazing people so this question is difficult to answer. However, Michael Jordan once said, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” I try to be in the last group he mentions whenever necessary.

Why did you choose the subject that you teach? 

I chose to teach Language Arts because it is fun! Every day we read stories, write responses, or practice writing conventions which all lead to fun class discussions where we learn from each other. Over the years, I have used many of the same stories as the vehicles for learning, but no two classes ever take the same journey to growth and achievement.

How and when did you know that teaching was what you wanted to do?

After participating in a mentorship program through East Stroudsburg University and coaching sports for several years, I realized that I enjoyed working with students to help them achieve their goals. It was at that time that I changed my major to secondary education and began my path to teaching language arts.