Behind the Scenes with Mr. Watson
Mr. Lordserious Watson is known all around Upper Learning for his enthusiasm, his sense of humor, and his difficult classes. Almost every student in Upper Learning has their own Mr. Watson story. Entering his third year of teaching at Galloway, he has settled in nicely, partially due to his history at the school. Mr. Watson is a Galloway alum, and prior to teaching classes here, he tutored students from Galloway and other schools through his tutoring company, Serious Tutoring Services.
After graduating from Galloway in 2002 and attending Georgia Tech, Mr. Watson’s cousin came to him during his senior year of college. He suggested that he start tutoring, referring him to a student at Galloway. Mr. Watson then quickly set up his company, Serious Tutoring Services and signed a contract with Galloway that allowed him to hold tutoring classes for science and math on Sundays. Upon signing the contract with Galloway, he grew his tutoring business and has now been running it for seventeen years. He says that tutoring students from other schools gives him “different perspectives” on school work and gives him a teaching advantage to help all students. Mr. Watson’s tutoring history has contributed greatly to his teaching skills and has given him many opportunities in his career.
Outside of teaching and tutoring, Mr. Watson found his true passion and biggest hobby about five years ago: the game of pool. As a child, he had a three-in-one game set with pool and other games, and he immediately grew interested in the angles and measurements involved in the games. About five years ago, he went to a pool hall to hang out and meet some people, and there he found someone who grew into his mentor. He joined a team and joined the American Pool Association. Later on, he founded his own team, which he named “Too Serious,” and he captained his team to the 9 ball division championship this past year. He loves playing because he “can calculate what [he] has to do,” he just has to “train [his] body to how to do it,” which makes it gratifying when he has success. In playing pool, Mr. Watson has learned to stay calm under pressure and to not get too emotional. He has also learned to “trust the process” and realize that with practice comes results. For Mr. Watson, pool started as a way to meet other people and have some fun, but it has grown into a passion and a hobby bigger than just a game.
As a teacher and a mentor, Mr. Watson always gives out tips to students about how to gain an edge, whether it be in pool, in math class, or even making music. Having experience with making music and rapping in the past, he wants everyone to know that he can rap. It also runs in the family, says Mr. Watson, wanting everyone to know that his daughter “has bars.”
Mr. Watson is one of five children. He has learned lots of leadership lessons being the oldest in a large family, and this experience is clear in his actions. Mr. Watson’s final piece of advice is that “everybody should make sure they know how to derive the quadratic formula.” From giving helpful tips and advice to being a leader, Mr. Watson’s presence can be felt around campus each and every day, so make sure you say hi next time you see him around!
By Ellis Balser