Timothy Harris from South Wagga Primary School is the first Wagga teacher to be showcased in the launch of Feature the Teacher.
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Name: Timothy Harris
School: South Wagga Public School
Grades and subjects taught: Primary school teacher for grade two’s.
1. Why did you become a teacher?
I love working with children and I had a lot of great teaching role models at the school I went to. There’s not too many jobs where you can combine an academically challenging job and one where you can wear shorts to work.
2. What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in the classroom?
It wasn’t in the classroom, but a few years back at a different school I was playing golf at the school oval and I broke one of the school’s windows. I had to pay for it to get it fixed.
3. What do you love most about your job?
I really enjoy working with children, but probably the most satisfying thing is planning something that really engages the students in learning. It’s a rewarding part of the job.
4. What’s the funniest question a student has ever asked you?
Well, this happened a couple of times and a couple of different occasions when my wife has been in the class, and I’ve been asked if she was my daughter. We’re not dis-similar in age, I just think the children have this idea that teachers are just really old.
5. What’s the biggest change you’ve witnessed during your teaching career?
I’ve only been teaching for less than 10 years and the biggest thing is, I started with a blackboard and now every classroom will at least have an interactive whiteboard. Now plenty of classrooms and schools are upgrading to giant touch screens.
6. Who’s harder to keep in line – parents or children?
I much prefer teaching children – they think I’m funny, which is nice – and they never hold a grudge.
7. What’s your secret to controlling an unruly class?
In the short term: set your expectations and stick to them in a fair way.
In the long term: get to know your kids, their strengths, their likes, their worries and this will really help to form great relations with the students.
If you have a stand-out teacher that you think would be great to interview and feature, please email: jessica.whitty@fairfaxmedia.com.au
