For Quentin Fields educating has always been in the family.
“It’s actually something I ran from for a long time. My grandmother was a teacher for over 30 years. My wife teaches, she was already teaching for 2 years before I started teaching and my aunt teaches. She’s been teaching for over 20 years and my uncle teaches so it’s kind of in my family and it’s always been in my face and people told me I should teach but I ran from it.”
Fields, who is in his third year at Logan, finally stopped running at his church.
“What actually tipped the scale for me was actually teaching at my church, I taught at a church and after doing that I thought maybe I’d like to teach in public school,” Fields said. “So I gave it a try and I substitute taught for an entire year. I did every grade level to see if I really wanted to do it and what grade I wanted to teach, then I fell in love with teaching high school students.”
Fields teaches in the ELA department and was a student teacher at Logan to finish his credential program. His personality, performance, and professionalism led to his full-time employment at Logan.
“It really was just the idea that I could do work that’s beneficial to our future but at the same time I could be myself and have fun. I like the aspect of having fun and making learning not always a serious thing because it doesn’t always have to be serious in order to learn and I felt like this was the best stage for me. ” Fields said.
Fields confided that it was the district that won him over first.
“Everyone struggles in some way and if you work hard enough you can overcome those obstacles life throws at you.”
“I think I fell in love with the district first as a sub, the way they treated me, the way the school’s welcoming even though I wasn’t a teacher of record at the time.”
“Specifically at Logan when I student taught here – Mr. Brar, my cooperating teacher, the entire English department, Ms. Schwartzfarb – everybody embraced me and showed me that I wouldn’t be doing it alone. Once I saw that they had my back I told myself I think this is the place I wanted to work.”
So he applied for a position here after experiencing what the other schools in the district he found himself drawn to Logan.
“Just in case I also applied at Cesar Chavez Middle School,” Fields said. “Now they actually reached out and offered me a position but they didn’t have a full-time position.” Therefore he waited for Logan’s response. The school offered a full-time position for him. Fields has been here ever since.
Fields has been teaching in the English department, but his energy, intelligence, and compassion makes him the type of teacher that could teach many different subjects.
“Social science would be something I would really consider teaching, I actually really enjoy history a lot. In school history and English were my best two subjects,” Fields said.
“There’s something special about taking a glimpse at the past and then noticing how things changed drastically… but also noticing how things haven’t changed at all. I find it very interesting to look at both aspects of that as far as teaching the students are concerned.”
Fields classes are popular and many students speak highly of him. According to an anonymous student, a sense of community and welcoming seems to emanate from Fields’ classroom.
“I just feel like people should know where they come from, where those that came before them come from. It creates one of the 3 I’s we go for [interconnectedness]; it has that interconnectedness feel, and I feel like we have a lot of fun with history too if you want to have some fun in that class and it’s closely related to English which is why I like English as well.”
Students also commented on Fields ability to drop a rhyme and speak in public. In high school, Fields was in Drama, which also leads to what he’d do instead of teaching.
“If I weren’t an educator then I could see myself working as a motivational speaker or in the theater. Once I found my voice toward the end of middle school, standing in front of others and performing filled me with a joy I have yet to find in any other arena,” Fields said.
“I was in drama in high school, performed original music all through college, and even majored in theater for one year before switching to communications,” Fields said. “Being a Communications major is what sparked the public speaking within me and understanding just how powerful words can be in assisting those in need of a different outlook.”
Fields has a connection with public speaking and inspiring other people. It’s his way of helping his students and giving back to the world. Fields has high hopes and expectations for his students.
“There are so many great things that we can learn,” Fields said. “I think just being critical thinkers, if I wanted to keep it more broad and open because I want them to challenge things, not just me but things that are happening in the world, things that are happening in their life, friends, family, whatever. I just want them to be thinkers.”
Fields enjoys reading, researching music, and Theology. His life is pretty much an open book. He is very transparent with his students, so they know almost his entire life story. However, many would be surprised to learn that he, “can do a decent impersonation of Elmo.”
“I also spend time writing songs and poems to provide my mind with an opportunity to show creativity through my pen from within. I’m really a simple man and I spend most of my time writing or trying to harvest information.” Fields said.
Fields has always been passionate to motivate and inspire people; that’s always been his goal.
“Do what you want to do and be happy and content with the life that you create for yourself,” Fields said. “Know that you can create it. No one else is creating it for you, you create it day by day. Learn to gain the passion. Learn to put forth maximum effort. Learn the qualities or the skills needed to be successful in that field of whatever it is you’re trying to do.”
Mr. Fields plays motivational videos once or twice a week, and it always has a message that hopefully reminds his students to keep thriving and not to give up on whatever it may be that’s bringing you down.
“I would say that the philosophy I choose to live by each day is, love your neighbor more than you love yourself,” said Fields. “I truly think love is the key to life and if one can execute the choice to love at the highest level in the toughest circumstances then they will be just fine in the end.”
