Freshman Joe Waldron walks into his last period English classroom as the bell rings. He sits at his desk and looks at the front of the classroom. Posters and quotes are hung throughout the blue and white walls of the classroom, as the sunlight coming from the left-hand window reflects off of English teacher Zachary Lowe’s glasses, hung on his plaid shirt. “Alright folks, let’s get started.” Lowe says.
Since 2012, Lowe has been teaching AP Literature and Honors English 9. His mother, an elementary school teacher, was one of the main influences that drew him to become a teacher. His love of music, books and poetry also inspired him to become an English teacher. Lowe had made this decision at the end of his four years at Blake High School, in Silver Spring. “I wanted to share stories and talk about characters with people. Everyday. That was the goal,” Lowe said. “It’s all I really ever wanted to do. It’s not about teaching, really. It’s about looking at the world together as a room full of people and saying, ‘What do you make of this?’”
Lowe’s childhood was easygoing and filled with art from an early age, which was later reflected in his hobbies and career. “My parents gave me a lot of freedom to determine who I was and what I wanted to be. I remember a lot of books and tons of music,” Lowe said.
As an undergraduate, Lowe took courses at Montgomery College before transferring to University of Maryland. He then began his graduate studies in Vermont at Middlebury College.
“I mostly lived at home and on my own in college, so I didn’t quite have the typical on campus experience. This allowed me to focus on my studies. I also played music and worked as a waiter through college, so a lot of my social life revolved around my music friends and friends from work rather than my classmates,” Lowe said. “I knew what I wanted to do (after college) so I felt a sense of ease.”
To Waldron, Lowe’s class is a constant highlight of his day, from learning about how to identify metaphors, to exploring Langston Hughes’ poems. “He is a good teacher,” Waldron said. “I’ve made lots of amazing memories in his class. He has taught me the value of hard work and determination, and his assignments are clear in helping me understand what we are learning. He’s good at helping us achieve our writing goals, and when we have group discussions they help us come up with valuable ideas on the text we are learning in that unit.”
Lowe’s love of the arts has been constant throughout his childhood and high school years, and he currently plays guitar, sings and collects vinyl records. “Being around music makes the world make more sense,” Lowe said. “I feel the same way about books.”
Freshman Marilyn Huang agrees that Lowe’s teaching techniques are effective in helping her succeed in English. “Mr. Lowe gives opportunities to all students to participate in meaningful discussions and engage in the topic. He shares his thoughts, inspiring his students to improve their writing techniques.”
Lowe describes his students as hard working and dedicated to their work, and that they care about doing their best and are generally interested in learning. “I’m blown away by Wootton students. I truly am,” Lowe said.
Lowe constantly reminds his students about the importance and value of being patient and kind throughout life. “Do whatever you can do to be the best friend, the best family member, and the best member of your community you can be. That is what is important. Make yourself a place where others feel welcomed and loved, yourself included,” Lowe said. “If you can really do that, everything else will fall into place.”
