I had the privilege of interviewing one of the greatest teachers in the Social Studies Department – Mr. Shantz. A teacher of almost 31 years, Shantz’s inspiration for teaching was his past teachers, Mr. Addison Davison and Bruce Hoffman. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Millersville and a Master’s degree from West Chester, and he has since gained an additional thirty credits!. I asked if teaching was his first choice of career and he replied, “I was undecided briefly but I quickly leaned toward the teaching profession”. As he looks toward retirement, Mr. Shantz said his plans include switching to a job that is much different than teaching, “I want a hands-on manual labor job where I can work alone with nobody to bother me so I can work in a stress-free environment”. Shantz will also have lots of time in retirement, some of his favorite hobbies such as landscaping and jamming to some good music while playing his guitar! I also asked him who motivates him the most, and he quickly responded with his daughter, Sydney. Mr. Shantz is hopeful that students who leave his classroom will have learned basic human decency and the most essential but basic “human” stuff.
Mr. Shantz’s favorite quote is, “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints” from Billy Joel’s famous song Only The Good Die Young. When reflecting on his favorite moment in his teaching career, Mr. Shantz remembers when Pottsgrove won the Preston and Steve Camp-Out for Hunger where Pottsgrove raised more money than any other school in the area! When asked if he had any advice for new teachers or students aspiring to be teachers, Mr. Shantz scoffed, “Pick another career, but on a serious note we need a resurgence of care for each other in learning”. When asked to leave a final remark for the interview, he reflectively paused and said, “I have 172 days left in my career, and I hope there will be a radical shift at Pottsgrove to bring back the glory days!”
