Tim Mitchell (he/him)
The Bush School • Seattle, Washington USA • PE Teacher (primary and middle school)
How did you get into teaching?
[Laughs]…You got me into this!
Circa 1997…ten years after graduating from high school together. I was a high school vice principal and Tim was starting a restaurant. I roped him into our culinary arts program and he chaperoned more dances and sports events with me than I can count!
In college, I majored in Visual Communications and spent a lot of time playing lacrosse. From there, I went to culinary school and opened up a restaurant. It was great for a few years; long nights and a lot of hard work.
My journey into teaching started when I got married and we moved to Athens, Greece to work at the international school (American Community Schools). I fell into coaching (volleyball, basketball, softball) and never looked back. I loved it! From there, I was asked to take over secondary PE classes.
My father died when I was only eight years old and I credit my coaches in baseball, basketball and soccer with helping me through those challenging years. After receiving my MA in Athletic Administration, I considered leaving the classroom. Working directly with students, however, is what makes me the happiest, not sitting behind a desk dealing with paperwork. I still love what I do, even in a pandemic. I think that PE is the most important and under-appreciated subject in school. How we learn to live inside our bodies and how we use our mind-body-spirit to work as a team happens in PE class. We need more, not less, PE!
Who was the teacher who made the most positive impact on your life?
It was probably my two high school English teachers: Ms. Sather and Mr. Genest. These dynamos got me into reading! I had never read anything other than comic books and textbooks before then. They personalized the stories and related them to the things that we were interested in. They were passionate about the books they recommended, so once I read a book they suggested I strengthened my relationship with them by talking about books. Also, they showed so much respect for us and spoke on our level rather than ‘down’ to us. I remember this one book from Mr. Genest’s class called The Once and Future King. We both liked how the book detailed how King Arthur gained empathy by turning into animals.
What is a professional inquiry you are currently pursuing?
How do maintain my sanity while teaching hybrid PE classes?
Like most teachers, I’ve been really challenged this year. I have a small group of students I work with in person and a couple of students who connect with us virtually. It takes a lot of coordination and luck to make it work sometimes. I spend a lot of time collaborating with my teaching partners. I also appreciate these resources:
• PYP PE with Andy is great and Vasily’s teaching & learning blog on inquiry-based PE is well-studied and practical
• The SPARK PE community out of San Diego has a lot of great (free) resources
What is a personal inquiry you are currently pursuing?
One of many, many Tim’s creations in his Seattle backyard!
How are structures built?
I’m a natural tinkerer and explorer…mostly building things outside (trellises, sculptures, structures using recycled materials). I like to take things apart and see how they were built. For example, a couch we purchased fifteen years ago has been joyfully destroyed by our children and their friends jumping and playing on it for so long. I took it outside for an autopsy and discovered some hidden treasures…like the springs that I’ve turned into an ephemeral art piece (my wife will insist they ‘rotate out’)!
Where does your inspiration come from?
I walk everywhere! I walk slowly and take it all in. Over the years, I’ve also drawn inspiration from guerrilla art and graffiti in various cities we’ve lived in. Oh, and I really like this YouTube Channel: Homemade Modern.
What three best ideas you have to improve the teaching profession?
1) Eliminate student debt for those who go into teaching. Let’s support more robust early teacher training, build stronger cohorts, and treat teachers as the national treasures they are.
2) Support national and international service learning exchanges for high school graduates. How can we encourage more students to get out of their comfort zones for extended periods of time to help others and learn how the world lives? Going to the food kitchen for one day makes a difference, but it doesn’t always change mindsets and behaviors long term. We need to extend opportunities to build empathy and understanding especially to students who cannot afford them.
3) How do we make school less rigid and stressful? Rethinking the school day is a great start. How about allowing students to start later or giving them longer breaks? When we lived in Argentina, the lunch breaks were one hour and a half. Students would sit together and go through a three-course meal, many times with their teachers. Some students would go home and sleep during this time. Make the experience more humane for all. Now is the time to start.
You gotta see this!
Check out these stunning vignettes from around the world: Global Oneness Project. In particular, I love Amar’s story. It is a great way to start student conversations around parenting, autonomy, child labor, schooling, and what it means to life a full and happy life.