Teacher Tag

Teacher Tag

The Talented Ms Goodger

I: What are you most excited about for this year’s musical Pippin?

Ms Goodger: I’m really excited about working at a new venue. We haven't announced where the new venue is so I can’t say what it is yet. But, I’m very excited about doing that because I’ve only done musicals at the school here in Sharman Hall so it’ll be a really new experience for everyone. Not only all the students involved, but also for me. Also, I’m going to get an actual pit so it’ll be like a drop down pit and you won’t actually be able to see the band because they’ll be below the stage. Very excited about that and working in a new space.

I: How is it all going to operate with the new venue?

Ms Goodger: Rehearsals are still going to happen here at school until probably the week of the shows. That week we will ‘bump in’ where we take across all our music equipment, we take all our props, sets and costumes and we essentially hire out that venue for a week where we’re the only people coming in and out. There, we will do lots of dress runs and lots rehearsing in that space before we do the actual shows. Prior to that though, we will be doing all our rehearsals here at school in various spaces. Probably the Performance Centre, maybe up in the Gym - whatever space we can get out hands pretty much.

I: Favourite song in Pippin?

Ms Goodger: Oh that’s easy, I really like ‘Simple Joys’ which is sung by The Leading Player. That’s probably my favourite one - followed closely by ‘Right Track’ again, sung by The Leading Player. I really like all her songs, but there’s a lot that I really like as well. The duet with Pippin and Catherine ‘Love Song’ that’s really beautiful.

I: Favourite past musical that we’ve done at uhs?

Ms Goodger: Well unfortunately we missed out on the musical due to COVID-19 and the year before that we did ‘The Wedding Singer’ and before that we did ‘Oliver’ and before was Chicago - but I wasn’t involved in that as much as I am now. So if I was judging out of Wedding Singer and Oliver, I’d probably go with Wedding Singer. I enjoyed the music more personally in that show - maybe because of recency bias as well, that might also be another reason why I remember it better

I: Any musicals you want to do in the future at UHS?

Ms Goodger: Every year we look at a range of different musicals so it’s always really hard choosing. I think one that I would really like to do at some point is ‘Matilda’. I think last time we looked at it we couldn’t get the rights for it because they had recently done it here in Melbourne and they say you can’t get the rights for schools for several years after. But maybe thats one we could look at for future years.

I: Would it be possible for you to perform more in yr11 music performance classes?

Ms Goodger: Haha… That must be from a Yr11 student. Yeah look maybe - I could probably prep something to perform but I don’t want to steal the spotlight from the class. It’s about them having the opportunity to practice performing because they’re the ones who have all their sacs coming up so I want them to be performance practice first. But maybe I’ll do a special performance at some point. I’ll have to start practicing, I’m going to do that

I: Did you have plans for this year/last year that were cancelled due to corona?

Ms Goodger: Yes, so I was planning to go overseas last year around September to South Africa, for 3 weeks. Yeah, we started initially planning that trip and that’s when it got cancelled. And usually I go to Tasmania a couple times a year, because I have family down there, so I wasn’t able to go down there at all or see anyone. So quite a bit got cancelled really. 

I did get to go to Tasmania during January for a couple of days which was good. I was able to quickly see everyone but I’m hoping to go down there again to see everyone. 

I: What do you look forward to at uni high?

Ms Goodger: I think I mostly look forward to teaching my classes, I love to teach, and yeah walking into those different classes really sparks a lot of joy hehe. My favourite part of my job is teaching which is usually a good thing when you're a teacher !! 

As a teacher, you do do quite a few different things, my least favourite thing to do is probably marking. I often will put that off, but the actual teaching component, and creating lessons, I really enjoy the creative side of creating lessons and how I’m going to teach this particular concept is another part that I particularly enjoy. 

I: Is Uni High the first school that you taught at?

Ms Goodger: Yes!

I: When did you start teaching?

Ms Goodger: Um, It would have been in 2016. I’m trying to work out when did I graduate? Yeah it must have been 2016.

I: Was music the first subject that you taught?

Ms Goodger: Yeah, my method is music, so I’ve always taught various music classes here. This year, I’m also a subschool coordinator, I’m the coordinator of all the year 8 gulam classes which I love doing. It’s a lot of fun. And I am also the music director for the musical, and in that role, I get to teach all the songs to the cast, to the soloists, and I also teach the band. So rehearse them and help them learn their music. So I do like the music side of it. 

I: So I’m guessing that music was your favourite subject in school?

Ms Goodger: Well, I actually think that maths was my favourite subject back in school. For me when I was in high school, I was a bit bored in music, my school didn’t have a very comprehensive music program. And what I was kind of doing in my music classes was a bit boring for me, so I didn’t enjoy them much since I didn’t feel like I was really learning anything. Whereas I always loved maths, and I had really really great maths teachers. So maths was probably my favourite subject even though I don’t teach that. 

I: Did you have a dream job as a kid?

Ms Goodger: Not really, but the funny thing is that I never thought that I would be a teacher. I think it’s because, I at one point I had people telling me, “oh you should be a teacher, you’d be really good at it”, and when I was at high school, I would often help my friends with subjects like music, something I was strong at. And people said like “you’re really good at explaining things, you should be a teacher” And for me I was like “nah I’m not going to do what everyone else tells me to do, so I don’t want to do that.” I always knew I wanted to do something where I would be helping people as my career path, so I looked at various careers which would involve helping people. For a while I looked at becoming a speech pathologist, but I ended up winding my way through various things and ended up teaching! 

Mily: So they were right all along! 

Ms Goodger: Yep, they were right all along, they could say “I told you so!” I never thought I’d be a teacher but here I am!

I: Growing up, what instruments did you play?

Ms Goodger: I started on piano when I was 5. Then when I was in year 5, around late primary school, I learned clarinet. And then I was playing clarinet in a wind ensemble, and they said “we need someone to learn to play oboe,” and I thought ‘oh yeah that would be cool,’ so I put my hand up, then in year 8 I ended up taking up oboe as well. I’ve also sung in choirs my whole childhood, so I started when I was 5 years old and did that all the way through to year 12. So I often played in ensembles outside of school and sang in choirs outside of school as well as in school. So I had a very musical childhood growing up. Piano is my primary instrument though, that is the one I can still play today. I don’t think I’d do a very good job if I pulled out the clarinet or the oboe, it’s been a while! But yeah, piano was the instrument I studied while I was at university. 

I: Do you have a favourite musical?

Ms Goodger: That’s a hard one, I have lots of musicals I don’t like. Let’s just say while I’m the musical director here, we will never do High School Musical, I’d never do Annie, because I don’t really like the music in it. I don’t really like Cats either. 

Favourite musical though, I’d say like Les Misérables would be up there, I just really love the music in that. It’s a long musical and probably more for mature audiences, but it is a really good one, I really enjoy watching it.

I: Do you have any role models that you look up to?

Ms Goodger: Not really. As I was learning to be a teacher, I always looked up to some of my previous high school teachers. 

Mily: Like your maths teacher?

Ms Goodger: Like my really good maths teacher who I had in year 9 and year 10! I had her for mainstream maths and math methods, which I did across year 9 and year 10, which is how it worked in my school. But I had her for both those subjects in year 9 and 10. I remember her saying to me “poor you, you have me two years in a row for both of those subjects!” and I was like “no no no, *lucky* me, you’re the best teacher here!” So I always looked up to her. My year 11 psychology teacher as well, she was just wonderful. And my year 11 and 12 music teacher as well, I also looked up to. So I feel like I’ve had a lot of role models through my high school years. And when I was learning to be a teacher I thought back to what they did as a teacher and why I enjoyed their classes so much. 

Not so much now, I don’t have anyone particular that comes to mind. 

I: What is the best advice you could give a student?

Ms Goodger: If I was giving advice to senior students, I’d say don’t worry so much about your atar score.

Shan: Oh no…

Mily: Haha she’s been worrying

Ms Goodger: At the end of the day, when you’re doing your subjects, when you’re choosing your subjects, choose something that you enjoy because you’re going to do better in a subject that you’re enjoying . It’s going to be better for you academically, it’s going to be better for your mental health as well because you’re going to be happier. Maybe you don’t end up getting the atar that you want - and it’s not the end of the world, okay? There’s always pathways into different courses. So don’t stress out so much about that because all it is is a number. Once you actually leave school and go to University, no one even talks about atars. My advice is to choose subjects based on what you enjoy and love to do, don’t worry so much about that number you get at the very end, okay?

I: What's a song or artist you are currently obsessed with?

Ms Goodger: Oooh, I mean, this isn’t something that I’m obsessed with, but I have been listening to the Pippin soundtrack on repeat, while I’m getting to know the score for that ahaha. I’ve really been enjoying listening to a group called Magic Sword. They are a synth wave/electronic group, so there are like 3 guys in it and one of them plays keys so like synthesisers sounds, and one plays guitars and the other drums. I just find it really good music, I emnkoy listening to it. For me personally, I find it really difficult to listen to music with lyrics while doing work, because I can’t help but singing along and then I start concentrating on what the music is so I don’t get any work done haha. So I have some music that I listen to specifically while I’m working, and it’s really good to listen to because it’s high energy so it keeps you pumped and moving. 

I: Do you ever get sick of songs played in the musical?

Ms Goodger: Yes, 100% yes. I’m kind of already like I need to stop listening to the soundtrack so much because if I keep listening to it this much, by the time that I actually start rehearsals, I’m already going to be super sick of it. Usually by the end of the show, I’m like yeah I’m done with these songs for a while. 

I: Do you have a favorite book?

Ms Goodger: Ooooh, I don’t read as much as I should. I love to read but I don’t put enough time aside to do it. Usually during the school holidays I pull something out to read. I don’t really have a favourite book but at the moment, I’m slowly getting through “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”. I’m just really enjoying it because it’s lots of short stories so it doesn’t matter if I take time between chapters because they’re all different stories. So that’s fun, short stories during the term when I get time to do some reading hehehe

I: Do you have a favourite movie?

Ms Goodger: Haha you’re gonna be able to tell by the end of this that I’m not very good at decision making. So, my favourite movie is almost impossible, but I do really enjoy the whole marvel series. Actually I first heard Magic Sword through the Thor Ragnarok trailer. If you listen to the music in that trailer it’s by that band. I do enjoy watching the marvel series, and on disney plus at the moment, there’s some new shows which are from that universe. The production is so good, it’s almost like watching one movie which is super impressive. 

I: What are some places that you’ve travelled to before?

Ms Goodger: I’ve been to Tasmania, but that doesn’t really count because I grew up there. But I do enjoy being there, and enjoying the scenery. When I was living there as a kid, I don’t think that I really appreciated that. I’ve been to a few places overseas but not for a while. I went to Malaysia, about 7 years ago, but I really enjoyed that. It was very, very hot and humid. I loved the food over there. I’m a big food person, hahah I love food, there’s not much that I don’t like. And they have this drink, I don’t remember what it’s called but it’s like milo and condensed milk and it’s like so delicious. I was drinking so many of those over there.

I: Hahaha the next question is what is your favourite dish?

Ms Goodger: Oooh this is really hard, as someone who just loves food in general. If I was talking about savoury foods, I probably would say like Thai food or Japanese food. And then I love all kinds of sweet desserts. I’m a massive sweet tooth. I can’t say no to desserts, I always say that I have a second stomach for desserts hehehe. Especially if it has chocolate or like berries, that’s like my go to for desserts. 

I: Who do u tag?!

Ms Goodger: Ms Borchard