My First Job: Marty Cavalluzzi, vice president for instruction

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource Classifieds | seattletimes.com

August 13, 2006

My First Job: Marty Cavalluzzi, vice president for instruction

E-mail |
Print
- Share:

Marty Cavalluzzi

Current position: Vice president for instruction, chief academic officer of Edmonds Community College.

First job: My love of teaching began at the Orange County (Calif.) Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute), which has hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime living-history programs. We took kids from fifth grade to high school on whale-watching tours, tide-pool excursions and floating laboratories on boats. We also re-created life as a sailor aboard the tall trade ships of the 18th century for them. We dressed in period clothes, sang sea shanties and spent the night onboard the "Brig Pilgrim," a replica of the ship in Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s "Two Years Before the Mast." Steve Hillenburg, the creator of "SpongeBob SquarePants," was one of the instructors, and I recognize some of the material from his cartoon as inside jokes from our teaching days.

What I learned: I saw the benefits of immersing students in science. You have to get them outdoors to experience it. Students would come from inland places like Arizona and see the ocean for the first time. They couldn't believe there was no end to it. I learned a lot about communication and teamwork. When you have a classroom of kids aboard a tall ship hauling lines, hoisting sails, standing night watch and swabbing decks you have to work together. I decided I wanted to continue to teach. I finished my bachelor's degree at Humboldt State University, Calif., and earned a doctorate in marine science at The College of William and Mary in Virginia.

E-mail |
Print
- Share: