Poet at Heart

From a globe-trotting childhood to the classroom, poet and English teacher Bob Pfeiffer reflects on mentorship, creativity and finding deeper purpose in high school education.

Reprinted from EC Magazine, Winter 2026

Are you from the PNW?

I was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and while we were in the U.S., I grew up in the greater Philadelphia area. We moved to São Paolo, Brazil, when I was almost two and returned when I was five. A few years later, we moved to Tokyo, Japan, where we lived for four years. You previously taught at the college level.

How is it different from teaching high school?

Honestly, it doesn’t seem like the two careers are in the same field, though they are both in education. In college, the dynamic between professors and students is very different. Some of that has to do with the students' age and maturity, for sure. But it also has to do with how much time you spend together. In high school, you are much more in loco parentis than I expected. College professors primarily teach their area of expertise, publish and present research and participate in committee work. As a middle and high school teacher, you wear many hats every day. It’s an entirely different skill set.

What motivated you to teach high school?

I had reached a point in my career where I felt stagnant. I had tenure and was promoted to full professor, so it seemed there was nowhere else to go unless I wanted to pursue administration. I was also staunchly opposed to the push in Georgia and other states to move higher education online and out of the classroom. More than anything, I wanted to build stronger bonds with students. High school is difficult for many students, and if I can help them realize they have an ally who supports them, I feel like I am of better service as an educator. 

What are the best and hardest parts of teaching?

Well, I’m an introvert by nature, so overstimulation is hard for me. I’m a connoisseur of silence, and the noise can be a lot. But the best parts far outweigh the challenges. The seniors graduating this year were freshmen my first year. They were the first high school students I ever taught, and I just love them so much I can’t fully explain it. Watching them grow into the incredible young people they are now is one of the great joys of my life. That is what teaching is all about.

The seniors graduating this year were freshmen my first year. They were the first high school students I ever taught, and I just love them so much I can’t fully explain it.

You’re also a published poet. What themes guide your work?

I wouldn’t say that my poetry intentionally follows specific themes. More than anything, it concerns itself with the nature of memory. That is the focus of my second book, “The Inexhaustible Before.” My most recent book, “Love’s Wishbone,” is more about middle age and coming to grips with all that entails. I write because it’s how I best understand the world and my place in it, so my poetry kind of changes as my understanding of myself and the world changes.

When do you find time to write?

As a professor, a third of my job was writing (both creatively and academically) the idea that the only important things are those that can be monetized. What do you like to do in your spare time? and I was required to do it. For me, the writing process usually requires time, space and quiet. Teaching high school entails a lot of wonderful things, but time, space and quiet are not among them. I’ve had to become more tactical and organized to get any writing done. Writing comes in waves of creative energy, and when a wave arrives, I need to put everything else aside whenever I can to write.

Why do you believe creative writing is important?

Creativity, particularly in the arts, is, in part, refusing to abandon the best parts of childhood. Little kids are inherently creative, and society nurtures that— until it doesn’t anymore. I think that’s tragic. Creative writing, for me, is an act of rebellion against Not a lot, honestly. Like a lot of folks, I probably disassociate into my phone too much. I play guitar, do a little reading, listen to music and go on hikes. My daughter and I take long car rides and listen to whatever she’s into. And I watch a disturbing amount of basketball and football.

Can you share a fun or surprising fact about yourself?

I’ve met four former presidents and two additional presidential nominees. And I once played two-on-two basketball with then-Philadelphia 76ers Charles Barkley and Rick Mahorn.

Read about Bob’s journey, his passion for teaching and a glimpse into his work as a poet in the EC Magazine Winter 2026 issue.