You might say that David Quinn began his career as an educator at age six. After all, he was a regular on Sesame Street for three years, playing a small part in the education of millions of young television viewers. Later he co-hosted another educational television program, 3-2-1 Contact. But eventually Quinn sought a more direct connection with students. So he left television, came to the UW, and earned bachelor’s degrees in English and anthropology and a master’s degree in education.

Quinn now teaches high school English. He is among a talented and dedicated group of Arts and Sciences alumni making a difference in K-12 education. “My goal is to challenge my students—to make them really think,” says Quinn.

And who knows? As Quinn and other alumni educators instill a sense of curiosity in students, they may be shaping our region’s—and our nation’s—future leaders. Already they have enriched the lives of literally thousands of students.

Here, A&S alumni share their reasons for pursuing careers in education and offer their perspective on where K-12 education should be headed.

[ For printing purposes you may wish to display the complete article, or simply visit the specific sections described below. ]

Relinquishing Power to Enhance Learning
David Quinn ('95, '97), an English teacher at Edmonds-Woodway High School, decided to pursue a teaching career in his mid-20s. “I enjoy teaching English because it asks you to look at the human condition and begin to understand what’s going on in the lives of others,” says Quinn. “I present different voices and then encourage my students to ask the hard questions.”

Science is a Verb, Not a Noun
Bush School science teacher Peggy O’Neill Skinner (‘70, ‘74) spends her summers at the UW, working in research laboratories. “It’s good for my students to see that you are never too old to learn, that it’s an unending quest to know new things,” she says.

A Dedicated Teacher, A Master Calligrapher
The walls of Patty Ward’s ('60) kindergarten classroom on Lopez Island nearly always have some Chinese artwork on display. That just hints at Ward’s passion for Chinese calligraphy, which has been a driving force in her life for more than two decades

Making Music in Seattle—and Abroad
Marcus Tsutakawa (‘79, ‘85), director of Garfield’s three orchestras for the past 15 years, keeps his job fresh by regularly choosing pieces he’s never conducted before. “The Garfield Orchestra is so good, I can pick any piece and we’ll just learn it together,” he says.

[Related Stories]

Shaping the Destiny of the Seattle School District
As President of the Seattle School Board, Barbara Schaad-Lamphere ('77) has tackled many tough issues, including hiring a successor to legendary Superintendent of Schools John Stanford.

Bringing Inquiry-Based Science to Middle Schools
Caroline Kiehle ('82, '92), a former middle school science teacher, is now heading a UW program to bring more inquiry-based science into middle school classrooms in five Puget Sound school districts.

[Autumn 2000 - Table of Contents]