Meet Mr. Sharkey: The True Scottsman of LHPS

Mr. Joseph Sharkey, the head of the LHPS World Language Department and teacher of Spanish I and II, has quite a famous accent on campus. It has been confirmed; the accent is indeed Scottish. Whether it is a friendly wave, a kind smile, or his signature use of, “Darling” and, “Love,” there is just something different about this Scottish gent. 

Haile Rawls, grade 11, a former student, says of Mr. Sharkey, “I learned more from his class than I ever have from any other Spanish class, and I’ve taken it for 12 years.” She describes him as, “The funniest person ever” and someone who can keep inside jokes for years. “He managed to make the class fun by doing fun activities,” Kamal Elbabaa, grade 11, another former student, said of his Spanish class. And of course, as Zelle Washburn, grade 9, a current student, voices, “I like his accent.” 

In one sentence, Mr. Sharkey recounted his story as, “Growing up in Scotland, going to college in Spain, immigrating to Australia, and, more recently, becoming a U.S. citizen.” Based off this list of countries, it is evident how much Mr. Sharkey loves to travel. To continue his worldly voyages, Mr. Sharkey has set his sights on South America, “I have only ever been to Venezuela; yet the other South American countries are also so rich in culture that I would love the opportunity to visit them.” Even if a student doesn’t have the pleasure of having Mr. Sharkey as a Spanish teacher, his door is always open for a stimulating and passionate conversation about traveling. 

When asked why he chose being a teacher as his profession, Mr. Sharkey explained, “I used to do International Sales and Marketing….” He has taught all the way from First grade to high school, and maintains his belief that teaching can be fun. He joked, “I look to muster up any remnants of humor that I can when in class to engage my students.” What a wonderful way to teach. 

One conversation with Mr. Sharkey, and anyone can tell how much humor and joy he harbors. It leads one to wonder how someone can keep being so optimistic. When asked, he replied, “God has given each of us talents, and we ought to use them wisely, in particular, when we can help those who may be going through tough times.” If everyone had the same outlook on being kind, imagine how beautiful the world could be. 

Additionally, other life lessons to be learned from Mr. Sharkey include living by the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. Remember the power of a smile or a kind word; avoid selfishness and thoughtlessness. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Don’t harbor regrets. As Mr. Sharkey eloquently says, “…Harboring regrets can sap our positive energy. Each day that we wake from our sleep, life presents us with many wonderful opportunities…They may not pass our way again.”

If one were to dive into the childhood of Mr. Sharkey, one could find a young boy who dreamed of being a professional footballer (real football!) for Glasgow Celtic FC. In the Northwest of Scotland, Mr. Sharkey played football everyday with his friend at boarding school. Often, they had rain blowing horizontally from the North Sea, and Mr. Sharkey recalled, “That’s the excuse I used when I lifted my head to shoot, to score a goal and missed! Great times!”

If asked if there were anything Mr. Sharkey wanted to change about himself, he replied, “Perhaps a full head of hair! I would like to experience using a comb again!” And when asked about his proudest accomplishment, he answered his, “…Two children have a strong sense of justice: about what is right and wrong. It makes me so proud to see that they have turned into fine young adults!”

Here are a few more quick facts to know about Mr. Sharkey: He loves the Spanish way of life of having tapas just before lunch. “Deliciosas!” He says. His favorite age are during his teenage years, “Whilst there were the usual challenges…I had boundless energy” which is something Mr. Sharkey looks back very fondly on. He is looking forward to Thanksgiving week this year because it occurs with the World Cup in Qatar and the, “Thought of three football games each day and not needing to get up for school the following day is not too shabby!” Many students would agree. 

This kind soul walking around campus was an honor and a privilege to spend time with. Every conversation was incredibly easy and lighthearted; I could see passion and a genuine curiosity radiating from him. And if an individual happens to know any of his students, ask them why his nickname in Spain was, “Tiburon-llave.” That will be a good laugh for sure.