WWE.com's Teachers' Corner is a place for educators to share their stories about how they use WWE as a tool in their classrooms. Stay tuned to Teachers' Corner for more stories about how WWE has helped students succeed. Are you an educator with a story you want to share with WWE.com's Teachers' Corner? E-mail us.

A teacher from Burbank, Calif., who wrote his thesis about WWE, tells Teachers’ Corner about how he motivates high schoolers by sharing his passion for WWE:

To Whom It May Concern:

Hello, I am a lifelong WWE fan and a high school teacher. I teach 10th and 12th grade English. I reference WWE many times during the course of the school year to emphasize literary terminology. For example, when describing conflict, I often reference feuding Superstars in WWE. Also, when discussing a story arc, or plot, I make reference to the journey that a WWE match provides to the audience.

Most recently, my 10th graders have been reading the play Cyrano de Bergerac, and I have been using WWE references to help describe how Cyrano is able to turn the emotions of a crowd of people from hate to love for him like WWE Superstars do.

Finally, I always begin the school year by explaining to my students that they can write about anything and to truly find their own passion for writing. I explain to them that I found my passion for writing in high school through WWE. As a high school student, I would write out storylines for WWE Superstars and use my imagination to create feuds, stables and tag teams. I inform my students that I later wrote my Master of Arts in English thesis about WWE and professional wrestling. There are not many high school teachers that I know of who wrote a thesis utilizing WWE! For me, as a teacher, I am able to use WWE as a tool for motivation and explanation in talking about culture, media, and academics. I even have a WWE SmackDown poster in my classroom next to my desk!

Thank You,

Sean McCallon

College Prep English and English 10 Teacher

John Burroughs High School

A former music teacher shares his memories about using WWE theme music in his classroom:

Approximately 10 years ago, when I taught eighth grade band, I’d discuss the WWE theme songs with my students.

We’d talk about how the various tempo and instrumentation helped to tell the story of the characters – Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin – all had unique music that helped to define the character.

John J. Gallagher, Ed.D.

A student shares with Teachers’ Corner how he created a school project about WWE, be a STAR and John Cena’s involvement with Make-A-Wish Foundation:

Hey!

I'm truly not a teacher, but a student, and I'd like to share my story.

In class, my teacher told us to do a presentation of somebody or some company that helped the community somehow, and I, a true fan of WWE, prepared a presentation on WWE, telling my teacher and the whole class about its partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation and be a STAR! My teacher liked the presentation a lot and loved what I showed her. It was fun for everyone, because some knew a little bit of WWE and knew names like John Cena – one of the biggest wish granters in Make-A-Wish Foundation!

 - Otavio Tittoto

WWE.com received a letter from physical education teacher in Australia who uses WWE DVDs as a reward:

Hi,

I am a P.E teacher in Australia, and I have used WWE DVDs in my classes to show my students a sport that they enjoy watching at the end of every lesson if they have worked well in the class. The DVDs belong to my son who is 15 years old, but he has no problem letting me borrow them to show them to my students and it actually works. It actually makes the students do their work like I tell them because they enjoy it so much. Thanks, WWE.

From Aaron Anderson

Teachers' Corner also received a letter from an educator who creates unique WWE-based games and uses Superstars’ entrance themes in his history lessons:

My name is Paul Wulff and I am a High School Intervention Specialist at Ohio Virtual Academy. I have been a teacher for eight years and I have used WWE in my classroom since I began teaching in 2002. As a lifelong member of the WWE Universe, I have used WWE as a launching point for students to gain rapport with me in the classroom.

In my first years as a teacher I worked in an alternative school where the students were given a last resort of school or juvenile hall. My catchphrase in class was always “prove them wrong,” which came from a former WWE Superstar. I also began designing my own educational board games. … Our common love for WWE, combined with my educational games, were the first steps in my three successful years there for not only me, but my students as well.   

Fast forward to 2009 when I joined the Ohio Virtual Academy, a public charter online school, and was given the task to teach a support session online to ninth grade students across Ohio in the history course Modern World Studies. I had a very successful session that first year because I used my webcam, random sound effects, music and made them fun by using my background in acting. I was also able to use my board games in a virtual way as well. …  At the end of my second year, I used this love for WWE and became the most attended session with 171 students with introducing theme music to start my session.  …

Along with my usage of WWE theme music, my games, humor and acting abilities on the webcam, I have also begun wearing my WWE shirts on camera, especially CM Punk’s “Best in the World” shirt. I have also taken from Zack Ryder by ending my session with “take care,” although not completely using the whole closing statement since I am bald. I have also been doing my best Michael Cole impression when I introduce the class by saying, “We are coming to you live from my office in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. You are watching the longest running episodic support session in OHVA history! Welcome everyone to Modern World Studies!”

I have completely transformed my online support sessions into my own personal radio/webcast … where I teach special needs and regular education students the ways to complete their assignments on time, pass tests, take notes, study and learn all things history. … I would not be where I am today if it were not for WWE, its theme music and its inspiration for me to make school fun again.

Thank you,

Paul Wulff

High School Intervention Specialist

Ohio Virtual Academy

Are you an educator with a story you want to share with WWE.com's Teachers' Corner? E-mail us.