Steve Patterson brings his love for Quaker learning to his new position as an English teacher at Friends Select. Reflecting on where his passion for teaching came from, Steve shared a cherished teaching story with us. In this story, Steve explained how his profound belief that people can change led him to where he is today. 

Coming out of college with a degree in English, Steve found himself in Chicago tutoring a young girl named Charlotte, who inspired him to become a teacher. At first, Charlotte started off with a timid and unwilling attitude to learn. Once she started walking into the classroom excited to learn, Steve knew he wanted to be a teacher. “I said: ‘I have got to get into this’. It was exciting to see the physical and mental transformation”.

Steve’s love for teaching is not limited to his long career teaching English. When asked what career he would choose if he were not an English teacher, Steve told us about another passion of his: movies. Before coming to Friends Select, he taught a film studies elective at Friends Central and an Alfred Hitchcock film class at Temple. 

Steve mentioned how he is a naturally analytical thinker, and being able to examine different storylines is something that he has a raw appreciation for. Steve’s analytical style of thinking also well equips him for a Quaker classroom. 

Over seventeen years of teaching in the Quaker school system, Steve has observed how students evolve in this environment. He believes that the Quaker way of teaching “allows students to thrive in college.”

 When asked about his favorite part of teaching at Friends Select, Steve gleefully reflected on his tenth-grade class. He appreciates how students at Friends Select are more passionate in their group discussions than students from other schools. Steve loves how students at Friends Select communicate and looks forward to many more discussions with them.