Jesely Alvarez
M.A. Education with teacher preparation, 2001
 If you ask Jesely Alvarez why she chose Antioch Seattle, she’ll say it had much to do with the university’s clear commitment to social justice.
Before she came to Antioch, Alvarez was a teaching fellow for The Multicultural Alliance, a San Francisco organization that partnered with Americorps and school districts throughout the country to actively promote people of color entering the teaching field.
"Antioch shared in the vision of The Multicultural Alliance and offered a program that worked with both the demands of the teaching fellowship and teacher certification,” she says.
Her best memory of Antioch? She describes her cohort experience in preparation for teacher certification. “The emphasis on learning cooperatively allowed me to have academic support from my peers and faculty while being part of a learning community,” says Alvarez, now an assistant principle in the Renton school district.
"As a result of my Antioch experience, I constantly look at the world through the lenses of social justice,” she says.
Community involvement continues to be a vital part of Alvarez’s life. “It may be something as simple as providing a safe place for students in my classroom after school for tutoring, or in helping to organize a Spanish language open house for Spanish-speaking families. Antioch played a role in developing my desire to be part of that kind of community activism.
"The value of my education at Antioch can be measured by the fact that even years after my graduation, I am an active part of the social justice movement both professionally and locally,” she says.
Back to top
Elizabeth Andreasen
Graduate Teacher Preparation, 2003
 She had worked as a vocational consultant and human resources recruiter, then became a mom. Elizabeth Andreasen picked Antioch, she says, because she considered herself a non-traditional learner. She wanted to become a teacher with a focus on multiple perspectives.
"Antioch’s alternative approaches and perspectives were the primary selling points for me. Independent, creative thought are required and celebrated," she says. “My goal was to find a place that would help me become a teacher with a conscience and a carefully thought out method for making a difference in the lives of children, and by extension, the world."
Andreasen’s final project was among her favorite Antioch experiences.
"My team and I acted out the comparative routes for free trade coffee and conventionally marketed coffee. With the aroma of coffee and the songs of Guatemala, we used my daughter’s bathtub boat, a kid’s cash register and some cell phones to demonstrate the process of getting coffee from the bush to the store. Not only was it fun, but also it was exceptionally informative. We had the opportunity to play teacher and student during this assignment,"
says Andreasen, now a teacher in the Seattle school district.
Back to top
Jessica Johnson
M.A. Education with teacher preparation, 2004
Her description of Antioch is vivid. “Experiencing Antioch is like pushing yourself to climb just a little higher," Jessica Johnson says.
"It is only you that you are working for, not the grades like at other universities. Antioch pushes students in the direction they want to go and helps them learn in the way that meets their individual needs."
Ask her how Antioch has changed her life and Johnson responds, “I am excited about my future. Before coming to Antioch, I knew there were things that needed to be done in the world, but now I feel empowered to make those changes."
She has experience working with special-needs teens and the Special Olympics. While studying at Antioch, Johnson also has been a telecommunications operator for Evergreen Hospital.
"Antioch has helped me become more aware of community activism. Before I was aware and involved in some aspects, but I have become even more involved now, joining organizations I care about and focusing my teaching on human rights and social justice issues, where before my focus was in other areas of education," she says.
Among her memorable academic experiences at Antioch was a presentation on a book about a young girl’s first day of school after immigrating to America. “Part of our presentation was to teach the class in gibberish to emulate the feeling the central character had on her first day of school, complete with a first-grade-level worksheet in a foreign language."
Back to top
Bernie McDonough
Graduate Teacher Preparation, 2004
Bernie McDonough credits Antioch’s education curriculum for bonuses you won’t find listed in the course catalog.
"One of the things I have looked for in potential teaching placements is the level of respect shown to students by teachers. This has been an integral part of the invisible curriculum here at Antioch," he says.
"The core faculty shows a great, heartfelt commitment to learning and education as a way of creating and embodying social justice. They have shown me how to honor and value the experiences of my students by honoring and valuing mine."
Prior to enrolling at Antioch, McDonough was a children’s book buyer at an independent bookstore in Seattle. He also hosted a literary series, worked on the literary festival at Bumbershoot and, for a short time, ran a restaurant with his wife on Vashon Island.
"I chose Antioch because I felt the prior career and life experiences I have would be valued here," he says. “Since coming here, I have learned to place an even higher value on those experiences as well as those of my cohort members. Each of us has brought a wealth of experience. Instructors have designed our learning so we are each enriched by each others’ experiences."
He says his experience at Antioch continues to be life changing.
"Antioch has strengthened my abilities and confidence in my own areas of interest and has given me the tools to find the resources that I need to embark on a life of learning.
"If you want to build on the tools for learning that you have gained in your life, but need a framework to develop that understanding into a lifetime of learning, Antioch is a good choice." McDonough is now a teacher in the Edmonds school district.
Back to top
James Bernard Smith
Graduate Teacher Preparation, 2003
After retiring as an executive for a major corporation, James Bernard Smith decided to pursue a second career as a teacher. Antioch Seattle offered what he wanted for cost, start time and program length, he says.
He says the exchange of ideas and philosophies as part of a cohort is one of his finest Antioch memories. He also describes the challenges of independent study. “Independent study required total commitment to the task, self-discipline, being organized, being a good time manager, being knowledgeable about the subject matter. The instructors were extremely helpful and supportive,” he says.
Now active on several state-level education committees and a teacher with the Auburn School District, Smith describes how he has been totally accepted as an educator as a result of his Antioch education and experiences.
"The insights I gained from the program have allowed me to be extremely conversant on educational matters,” he says.
Community involvement is a big part of Smith’s life. He tutors Native American students in after-school programs in addition to his other education committee work.
"The knowledge gained during my tenure at Antioch helped prepare me for all these endeavors,” he says.
Smith’s recommendations to prospective students? “Be prepared for a lot of hard but interesting work. Be actively involved in the program from a curriculum and participant standpoint to ensure gaining the maximum benefits from the program.”
Back to top
|
