Q + A: English teacher Lisetta Wallace
September 1, 2013
English teacher Lisetta Wallace is passionate about literature and enjoys sharing that passion with the juniors in her classes. When she is not at Tracy High, she spends her time playing the piano, reading, and watching movies with her husband and three children.
What is the last book that you read? “The last book I read was “And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini. He’s one of my favorite authors.
What is the best book you have ever read? “The best book I’ve ever read is ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ by John Steinbeck. That book changed the way I look at the world. It really opened my eyes.”
Why did you choose to teach English? What do you love the most about your job? “I teach English because I love literature. I also like the relationships that I form with my students. Teenagers are fun; they teach me things all the time.”
Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time? “I play the piano a lot. I also go to a lot of sporting events. My family and I go to Stockton Thunder games, San Jose Earthquakes games, and sometimes we’ll go to a 49er or Red Sox game. We like sports a lot. Most of the soccer games I go to are my daughter’s though. I also love watching movies and TV shows. My favorite movie is ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. I watch it over and over.”
Where is your favorite place to go on a day trip? “Anywhere near the ocean. I love the ocean, especially the northern coast. Every year for our anniversary, my husband and I go to the Mendocino area. It’s my dream to live by the ocean. I love the craziness of the waves.”
Where did you go to college? “I went to San Jose State for my English major and my teaching credential. I got a full tuition scholarship in music for the oboe. Music was my life when I was younger. I liked San Jose State a lot for the social aspect. I was the president of my sorority, Alpha Phi.”
What super power would you like to have and why? “I’d like to be able to fly. It would be fun to see things from up high and be able to get places fast. Teleportation would be cool too.
If you could change one thing about education, what would it be? “Right now what I would change is the emphasis on standardized testing. Although, now we’re going to Common Core and it looks like we are starting to move in a better direction.”
What makes you the happiest? “My family. We watch a lot of movies together.”
Do you have a bucket list? What is on it? “I want to travel. I really want to go to some tropical place like Hawaii or Fiji. I also want to spend some more time in Europe, Ireland especially. I’d also like to live by the ocean. I would love to get involved in the movie or TV industry in some way. It would be fun to hang out on a set or go to the Academy Awards.”
What is your favorite type of music? Is there a particular artist or song that you have on repeat? “I like all different kinds of music. What I listen to depends on my mood. I’ve been listening to a lot of Macklemore and Aretha Franklin lately.”
