Brock Quant

Biography

As a South Bay native, I’m well aware of the academic culture associated with growing up in the Silicon Valley. But while the pressure can certainly cause stress, this environment is also where I learned to love learning and began my path as a professional historian.

When I arrived at Seattle Pacific University for my undergraduate degree, I quickly found myself drawn to the study of history- both because of the utility and the flexibility of the major. What I’ve come to love about history is its understanding of narrative context as not just valuable, but essential to understanding the world we see around us today.

As I transition from my undergrad degree to (hopefully) beginning my PhD in the near future, I’m thrilled to partner with AJ Tutoring to pass on my passion for history and the study of cultures and ideas to the next generation of students, writers, and historians. My teaching practice, which I’ve begun to cultivate through several successful TA-ships during my undergrad work, centers the importance of argumentation and narrativization for my students. As we in academic history like to say: “we are in search of a usable past.”

In practice, this means emphasizing writing exercises and historical development-focused ways of thinking in our sessions. While students of history must memorize facts and figures, I find that treating these “facts” as context, as stories, and as the actions of autonomous people just like you and me is far more beneficial in facilitating growth in historical thinking than traditional “flash card” methods.

When I’m not studying, researching, or teaching history, you can often find me outside enjoying the beautiful California nature I missed so much during my time in Seattle. Though it’d be much stranger if you happened across me during these hobbies, I also fill my time hanging out with friends and family, cooking, and traveling as much as possible!