Teacher Tag: Ms Brain
Interviewed by Ruwan Jinadasa, Mily Gu and Shan Balakid
Teacher Tag
With the amazing Ms Brain
I: Did you have plans for this year that were cancelled due to corona?
Not any plans that were set in stone or big travel plans or anything. I guess just the little bits and pieces that you like doing with your friends and family on the weekends and sporting teams and things like that being cancelled is probably what affected me the most.
I: What do you look forward to at uni high?
What do I look forward to? Gee, good question cuz I know I wake up you know, always excited for work, I really love my job. But to pinpoint it of what I look forward to, definitely seeing all my students for sure. Even students from previous years say hi in the corridors and things like that and it always makes my day. And I think I’m also really passionate about the content I teach in health and physical education, I think it’s really worthwhile. We’re delving really deep into mental health issues as well, especially in our year 9 health content, which is very very applicable now. So yeah, that’s something I really enjoy, teaching the health stuff, but also getting out and about for PE as well.
I: What was your first reaction to the school? Was it what you expected?
I guess it was, I'm not from the city or Melbourne, so it was definitely a shock in the schools that I’ve been used to being at myself. It’s a lot bigger, and I guess small inner city campuses, space is an issue, but I guess for health and PE in particular. I think I was really surprised by how, like pleasantly surprised in a good way about how great the students are. I think that is a really big thing that stands out for me, and you’re all just so proactive and have so much initiative to get up and do stuff. Like if there’s a particular cause, or a passion, society or club you like, you just kind of get up and do it. I feel like you’re all so self aware of yourselves but also about what’s happening in the community, the country, the world and our planet. And yeah, I just thought that was so amazing to see what you’re all doing.
I: What was your favourite subject in school?
My favourite subject was definitely PE, probably why I’ve ended up here! I did really enjoy school, I loved school. I liked that you could do a range of subjects, so that always suited me really well because I also enjoyed maths, english and science, everything like that and the arts. But yeah, PE was definitely something I looked forward to the most probably.
I: Dream job as a kid
Well i’m not really sure I had one of those big dream jobs that you really plan for. But I was cleaning out my room that I grew up in over the summer holidays, and found a project from when I was in about year 2 or 3 and it said ‘when I grow up I want to be a teacher.’ I was like ‘oh wow!’ I did not realise I had that as a goal or a dream way back then when it was something that just kind of developed as I got older and what I chose at uni. I think in the back of my mind I always knew that I liked working with people, particularly young people, and so teaching was a really good fit. So I think I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, whether I said that out loud or not during high school. Yeah I really really always wanted to be a teacher, I’m glad that I’m here.
I: So do you have any role models, or anyone you look up to?
I remember my health and PE teachers from year 12, that definitely had a big impact on me when deciding on what my methods of teaching would be, and they were just the best teachers which I had. That really was a big pivotal moment of what I wanted to do after school, because I had those teachers. Also the teachers at school, especially in our faculty, would definitely be role models for me. Since it’s only my second year, pretty much everyone is my role model. Hahaha but I don’t think I have like big, global, celebrity role models as such, it’s usually the people in my life that I’m meeting. Like my older sisters, and my parents, as well as the staff around the school and I just think, wow, these guys are just so incredible, and I can learn so much from them.
I: Do you have any songs or artists that you are currently obsessed with?
To be honest, I haven’t listened to the radio or spotify for so long, I’m really into podcasts at the moment. I walk to work and any time you’re driving anywhere, I put a podcast on now. Nothing to insightful either, it’s Hamish and Andy (we stan ms brain now) or the Imperfects. The Resiliance Project is also something that I particularly enjoy, anything that you can learn from it is really good. Anything that I can learn from that I can put into my health education, I really like that.
But in terms of bands, I really like my Australian bands. If I had to pick a few, probably Powderfinger, gets a good run on my station hehehehe
I: Do you have a favourite movie, or TV show?
Ahh this is probably embarrassing but I watched Tiger King over lockdown. That’s the only thing which I watched. Movies, I really don’t have those big popular opinions of movies and TV. I have the one’s that I really enjoy watching now and then, like Sienfeld, and Brooklyn 99. Yeahh sorry I’m a bit boring on that one.
I: Where are some places you have travelled to before?
I was really lucky since my sister and I, we’re all teachers so we all took the middle July holidays and went to Ireland last year, just for two weeks. So it was just a short and sweet trip and that was really great. And now knowing what’s happened, we’re really happy that we just kinda organised it very last minute and went. But I was really lucky at Uni, to do an exchange to Canada, in my last few years. So I studied in Canada and was able to travel around the world a bit on my way there and back. I really like travelling with a purpose, whether it’s something like being able to study overseas, or work overseas, I think travelling is great, but for me, any long extended experience of time, I need to have that purpose.
I: Favourite dishes
In Canada they had maple bacon which was a bit bizarre, but I guess you get hooked onto it if you eat it for breakfast every morning. Hmmm, what else have I had? Nothing else that I’ve been obsessed with… In Italy you get the good classic pizza and pasta. Yeah, I’ve definitely explored different dishes but nothing that I’ve been obsessed with or been really craving. I just enjoy it in the moment and then go onto the next one.
I: What is the best advice you could give a student?
I guess in terms of you being young people, I guess enjoy your time as much as you can - you get to come to school and see your friends everyday. We’ve also got really supportive staff at this school so I think you’ve got to take advantage of the staff and bicker with them and ask them questions to challenge them. It’s a good opportunity when you’re young because everyone’s always so open so if you have these questions and you wanna learn more. So take that opportunity to learn and grow.
I: Favourite sport?
Definitely Netball - I grew up playing it and I still do, I watch it on TV - big Vixens fan. I enjoy watching all sports but Netball is definitely my favourite.
I: Favourite athlete?
My favourite athlete on the Netball team, I really like Joe Weston at the moment - she’s a defender. Also Kate Maloney or Liz watson - my centre court players. But my all-time favourite would have to be Joe Watson from my Essendon Football club… soft spot for him.
I: What was your favourite thing about Galileo Camp last year
Taking photos with Ruwan!! I think because I coordinated with Coleman last year it was really nice to get to know my students more outside of school and bond with the rest of the Coleman cohort in Year 9. It was really really good. We had a lot of fun. I think just getting to know kids outside of school in a different element and seeing you guys being challenged and seeing how I can help. I remember being on the high ropes course and I was so scared - I was not coping. But it was the kids who got me through it. Being able to rely on each other and not having that normal ‘staff and student’ dynamic is really good.
Instagram Question:
I: What’s it like being the best Sport teacher?
Hahaha… Like I said, I think our whole domain is pretty awesome. If they think I’m cool, they should learn from the others, I learned everything from them.
I: Who do u tag?!
Mr Henry (Science Teacher)
A huge thank you to Ms Brain for this last minute interview! We had such fun with this Teacher Tag and learning about your Galileo experiences and favourite Netball players! Feel free to leave any comments down below as well as any questions for Mr Henry - the Science teacher!