Walking into English teacher Erin McQuiston’s office is like entering a completely different world. Compared to the bare and dull walls of Seaverns, the bright rug, colorful knick-knacks, and vibrant patterns scattered around the room make it feel as though a bit of Wonderland has leaked into the English teacher’s workspace.
In the center of it all is Dr. McQuiston, perched neatly behind her wooden desk, glasses catching the pale yellow light as she speaks. It’s impressive how well-decorated and natural the room feels; after all, she’s only been at KO for a couple of weeks.
She moved to Connecticut very recently, having taught a variety of English courses before at both a private school in Oklahoma City and at the University of Illinois. She decided to teach at KO because of the school’s English electives and programs like Symposium, which she found interesting. She also joked in our interview that after eight years in Oklahoma and having grown up in a swampy area in Louisiana, she was ready to be back in a place with trees and water.
However, Dr. McQuiston didn’t always think she was going to be an English teacher. In her school years, she often ended up leading study groups; she enjoyed English classes well enough to pursue the subject, double majoring in English and history in college. “I would end up in the hall with my notes and then eight people around me, explaining the notes,” she described. “So I’m like, ‘Well, we could monetize this.’”
Dr. McQuiston brings with her the expertise and patience that she has learned from her previous experiences in education. When asked about her approach to teaching, she discussed how she believes in checking in on her students and making sure they feel comfortable with what they’re reading, as much of the material deals with heavy topics. “I think it’s really important that we at least try to enjoy what we’re reading,” Dr. McQuiston said. “I think sometimes we get so, so focused on, ‘Oh, I have to write a paper about this,’ or ‘I’m only reading this or writing this to get a grade,’ that we lose track of the fact that this is how humans communicate with each other across time. And that should be cool and fun.”
Outside of school, Dr. McQuiston is married to a computer programmer and is the owner of multiple pets. She also makes wedding quilts and cross stitches. In fact, many of the decorations in her classroom and office were products of her creativity. While we were talking, she pointed out a cat statue sitting neatly on her bookshelf, a piece of pottery she made herself.
“I steer towards hobbies and activities that give me time to think quietly,” Dr. McQuiston remarked. “And that’s one of the hard things about English classes. I think for a lot of people, it’s just having that quiet time to focus and read and write and think about your ideas. And over the years, I’ve sort of just built that time into my day.”
To Dr. McQuiston, teaching requires patience. She brings vibrant colors, clay cats, and interesting ideas to the table while allowing her students breathing room and space to think and enjoy themselves. Her bright energy lights up the classes at KO. We are so grateful for her presence, and we welcome her to the KO community.
