Students: Good luck in the Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament Mr. Quinn!
My name is Patrick Quinn. I'm a German teacher at Ritenour High School in St. Louis, Missouri.
What made you choose teaching as a career?
I chose teaching because I had so many fantastic teachers when I was in high school, and it just seemed like the most exciting thing to be able to possibly offer to other people what I had received from them.
What does it mean to you to be competing in the Jeopardy! Teachers Tournament?
Oh! Uh, competing in this tournament has been a-a great, exciting surprise and a wonderful excuse to go back and read all the Shakespeare I should have read in high school, and, uh, bone up on my states and capitals, all sorts of things like that.
What is your dream category?
I--my dream category, if I could get ROCK BANDS OF THE '90s, that would be fantastic. But, uh, I'm not gonna hold my breath.
What do you hope your students learn from watching you on Jeopardy!?
I would love it if my students learned from seeing me on the show that all the books that they see me reading in the cafeteria that it--it can amount to something.
Tune in! You might learn a thing or two!
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How does it feel to advance to the semifinals?
Uh, advancing to the semis is a pret--pretty big surprise, but, uh, a lot of fun. It's very exciting.
How did you prepare for the Teachers Tournament?
I read a lot of Shakespeare to prepare for the tournament. Uh, certainly states and capitals, uh, U.S. presidents, that kind of thing.
What did you think about the competition?
Coulda--y'know, honestly, with the competition being as strong as it was, anybody probably could have won that. I mean, it was really close.
Any messages for your students?
Get back to work!--is what I'd probably tell my students.
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How does it feel to be headed to the finals?
Um, waiting for the breath to start coming back to my lungs. That was a--that was a crazy game. Anybody coulda won it.
Did you notice a change in intensity going into the semifinals?
Yes. Uh, particularly that second round, because it was--we all went in, it was really close, and, y'know, it--we all went into Final, and it was really close, too. So, yeah, it was, uh, it was nerve--kind of nerve-wracking the whole time.
Did the win or go home format change your strategy?
I--if I could've, I would've just done it all yesterday while--while the iron was hot. So, no, I tried not to do anything differently, if I could get away with it.
Do you have a special plan going into the finals?
[Sighs] Try to do more of the same. I don't know, I'm hopin' still to get a category I really--I really like. I did have one the first time--the first day, but then I blew it on it, so...
Any plans for your winnings?
Um, probably go toward the second mortgage, but my guess is we'll get a little travel in there, too. My wife and I kind of have the travel bug, so maybe go somewhere we haven't gone before.
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How does it feel to be the champion of the Teachers Tournament?
Uh, being able to say that I am the champion in the Teachers Tournament is, uh, uh pretty unbelievable. I never in a million years would have expected this to happen. I--I just--I only applied on a whim and, uh... I feel kinda bad. It was my first time!
What do you think this will teach your students?
I hope this teaches my students that if you--that there's some merit in reading books, that there's some merit in--in applying yourself. They all saw me studying to get ready for this, and--and, uh, man, if that--if--if that reads for them, that would be--that would be better than $100,000.
Will it be hard keeping your win a secret from your students?
Keeping this a secret probably will be a little bit tough. It'll be tough not to at least smile or something, but, uh, I think I can hon--I think the hon--the answer I came up with that will be perfectly honest is say, "It was very stressful." Put a lot of thought. So hopefully that will suffice.
How does it feel to go to the Tournament of Champions?
Um, going to the Tournament of Champions, um, ve--is incredibly exciting. Um, it's just hard to imagine people playing better than the--the--the teachers I would just with. Um, these games have all--all the games, at least, I've been in--have been super close. I wasn't one of those guys who ran away with any of them. Um, but, uh, it'll be a lot of fun. It's a great excuse to come out and--and play more Jeopardy! |
