Teacher of the Year Interview: Mr. Evans

Wearing khaki shorts, a white shirt, and a hat with a clipboard in his hand, P.E. Teacher Mr. Patrick Evans dutifully takes role by checking the rows of students in front of him.  He excuses his class to run around the big bowl before beginning his lesson for the day.

Evans, a seventeen year veteran of MacArthur, was elected teacher of the year by the faculty.  In order to celebrate his accomplishment, The Tiger’s Tale spent some time getting to know him better, as a person and a teacher.  While Evans class was walking around the small bowl, here’s the conversation we had.  

Q: How long have you been teaching here at MacArthur?   

A: Seventeen years, not counting the years I’ve substituted – for two years.

Q: Is this your first time being teacher of the year?

A: Yes.

Q: How do you get teacher of the year?

A: To get teacher of the year, someone nominates you, then the teachers vote.

Q: What has been your best year?

A: My best year is this 2016-2017, winning teacher of the year!

Q: How do you feel about being teacher of the year?

A: It is an honor to be chosen.

Q: What are some activities you teach for P.E. ?

A: Some activities that I do for fitness days are running a mile, mile and a half, or two miles, Hunger Games, The Purge, Capture the Flag, British Bulldog, and for units I teach Soccer, Speedway, Beach Games, and Track and Field.

Q: Who is Mr. Evans?

A: Who am I?!  Um I surf, skate, and sleep, and teach.  I am a father, and a husband.  I have three little boys, a 6 year old and two 5 year olds that are crazy, just trying to keep them alive.  I  like to travel.  I’ve been to Costa Rica, Indonesia four times, Fiji, Mexico, Samoa – Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.  I am trying to surf every country or every continent in the world.

Q: What do people not know about you ?

A:  I am currently third in the United States in kneeboard surfing.

Q: Who are your closest friends here at MacArthur?

A: My closes friends here at MacArthur are Charles Manfree, Charlie Andres, David Chee, Peter Boyd, Gregory Celestino, Terry Young, everyone is nice here at MacArthur.

Q: What is your favorite part about being a teacher?

A: My favorite part about being a teacher is that I get summers off and the kids keep me young.   

Q: What is your funniest story?

A: There was this little girl up in a tree and she only had one arm, you know how I got her down?  I waved to her.

Q: What is your scariest story?

A:  I was paddling out at Witch’s Rock in Costa Rica and it was triple over head.  I thought I was going to drown.  But I didn’t, and I got three waves.  I saw a shark once too.  That wasn’t very scary though – that was kind of cool.