Karen Sherwood – AP US History/Honors English Block and World History Teacher

Location: Mercer Island High School

What she does: “I love taking students beyond facts and statistics to examine the big themes in history and why it matters. It’s not my job to tell them what to think,” says Karen, “but to teach them TO think.” This distinction comes up frequently when evaluating our nation’s policies, both in the past and in the present. In a recent unit on industrialization-era immigration, Karen’s students had a lively debate on the question of what factors should influence our immigration policies. They’d studied different points of view regarding current Arizona immigration laws in the news, and were making connections to those of the past, comparing how attitudes have changed and evolved. In the block class, History and English combine well to teach students to articulate their opinions in a clear voice. “They all have fabulous ideas,” says Karen, “and our class helps them learn to formulate those ideas into coherent arguments with strong support.”

Typical day: Karen’s day begins with two block periods (four hours) of AP/Honors American Studies followed by her prep periods and then 7th period World History. Though classes are over by 3:00 pm, she regularly stays after school for individual writing conferences with students. Most evenings are devoted to grading papers and projects because, as she says, “I really try to give them meaningful feedback.” Collecting 120 AP-level essays at a time requires significant time commitments for grading beyond the regular work day.

Best part of the job: “The most exciting part,” says Karen, “is watching my students discover that they can be agents of change in the world.” Karen was the first MIHS teacher to participate in the Multicultural Scholarship Program run by Museum Without Walls, a non-profit educational organization. She accompanied students from MIHS and Rainier Beach High School on a Civil Rights tour of the American South. “It was so powerful for my kids,” says Karen. “They got to know the students from Rainier Beach and to see how different their lives are, even though they live only 10 miles away. They had meaningful discussions with them about race issues. They learned they could become people who make history happen.”

Something people may not know: “I am a total anglophile!” she says. “It stems from a three-week King Arthur study tour in eighth grade. My English teacher took us to England where we visited the fabled king’s haunts – places like Avalon and Glastonbury Abbey.” Her junior year of college at Oxford cemented her love for the UK. Born in Massachusetts, Karen and her family moved to Chicago, and then to Mercer Island. Karen is a 1991 graduate of MIHS. “I still have long-lasting, rich friendships from that time,” she says.

Years in district: This is Karen’s ninth year with MISD. “But I taught informally before that,” she says. As an employee of the City of Seattle, her job was to raise resources for emergency food providers. She created a middle school service-learning program to promote hunger-awareness on a local and global level. “The more I worked with the students, the more I realized how much I liked teaching,” she says. “It helped me focus my direction.”

Outside interests: Karen and her boyfriend, Jeff, like to kayak, and regularly visit the San Juans and the west coast of Canada. She credits her outdoor-loving boyfriend with pushing her to develop new skills in these pursuits. “I like that I’m not afraid to hop in a boat and have an adventure!” Karen also enjoys traveling, frequently visiting her sister Deborah who lives in the Netherlands. “Her home is a good base from which to jump around Europe.” Karen lives in Leschi. “I can see Mercer Island and the floating bridge from my balcony,” she says. “I check the traffic over my coffee in the morning!”