After 30 years, teacher gets a day off

Dennis Iwami doesn't have any grand plans for the future, but he definitely knows how he's going to spend his summer.

You can find him fishing on Puget Sound on his 24-foot Bayliner, he said. And if he's lucky, you just might see him bringing home a couple of sockeye salmon.

Come September, though, things aren't going to be as clear for Iwami. In fact, he's at a loss as to what he'll be doing.

That's because every September for the past 30 years, he knew exactly where he'd be and what he'd be doing — teaching physical education or science for the Seattle School District.

To say Iwami was dependable would be correct. But it also would be a gross understatement.

Iwami never missed a day of work during his 30-year career with the district. He has taught at Cleveland High School, Project Interchange, and Southshore and Aki Kurose middle schools.

His decision last week shocked and saddened staff at Aki Kurose, the South End school where he had taught the last 20 years. Many had tears in their eyes.

"Right now, it's not like I'm retired because this is normally summer vacation for me," said the 54-year-old Iwami. "When it rolls around to September, that's when I'm really going to feel a loss and that something's missing."

Iwami decided to retire because he felt age was catching up to him and he was losing a step. He also felt his hands-on teaching style and emphasis on social skills and good citizenship were becoming outdated. He watched idly, as machines began playing a larger role in classrooms. He longed for the days of the three R's — reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.

"I pride myself on three things," he said. "One, perfect attendance. Two, I got out with all my hair. And three, I haven't used a computer yet. That could be one of the reasons I need to go. I'm a dinosaur; I'm getting to be extinct. There aren't that many like me anymore."

A full scrapbook

Earlier this week, at his South End home, Iwami took an emotional trip down memory lane.

Looking every bit the part of a middle-school P.E. teacher on an 80-degree day, Iwami, clad in a white Aki Kurose T-shirt, shorts and white sneakers, sat atop a stool on his back porch overlooking Lake Washington.

He proudly thumbed through a scrapbook that contained heartwarming letters from parents and students, awards and old newspaper clippings, beginning to yellow with time. "I don't want to be known as just a teacher with perfect attendance. I want to be known as a good teacher, too."

Perfect attendance, though, has played a major role in Iwami's life and teaching philosophy.

It was something Iwami practiced at an early age, growing up in the Central Area. While attending Garfield High School, he missed only one day. Later, at the University of Washington, where he earned his teaching credentials and a degree in oceanography, he missed one class — he had a dentist appointment, he recalled.

Broken fingers and a nose

Sure, there were days during his teaching career when he didn't feel well, and he suffered his fair share of physical injuries — broken fingers, broken nose (twice) and a torn knee ligament.

He also was lucky. Iwami swears he seemed to get ill or injured in the summer or on weekends. "In my schooling, I didn't miss school because I felt if I missed, I'd miss something important and I'd miss it on a test," he said. "In teaching, I felt if I missed a day people at the building would feel like they could get along without me and may not need me."

At Aki Kurose, Iwami would recognize students with perfect attendance at an assembly. "I wanted the kids to realize that attendance was important. I couldn't see not being perfect myself, if I was going to ask them to be."

Ron Howard, Iwami's best friend, taught P.E. with him at Aki Kurose for 10 years. Howard said he realized the importance of teaching by watching Iwami interact with students. Howard, a former member of the Seattle Seahawks, said he had a tough time watching his friend leave.

"He's one of the most inspirational people," Howard said. "He helped me to understand that I got in the right profession. He was really the one who inspired me to keep doing what I'm doing."

Talent-show appearance

Students, too, were saddened to hear Iwami was leaving.

Jerry Moore, who just completed eighth grade at Aki Kurose, said the memory he'll always keep of Iwami was of him dressed as singer Barry White at a talent show.

"He's the most popular gym teacher in the school," Moore said. "Everybody wants to have him. He shows everybody the amount of respect they need to give and helps all the kids who need help."

Looking back, Iwami said the keys to being a good teacher were commitment, compassion and dedication. He hopes younger teachers will seek out advice from the veterans and try to learn from them.

He said the best part about his career was teaching in the same community he lived and grew up in.

"Everything was inner city. I'm pretty proud of that," he said with a catch in his voice. "This was a group of kids who I think I fit well with. I don't think I could teach anywhere else."

J.J. Jensen: 206-464-2386 or jjensen@seattletimes.com.