5 questions

To continue with what others have been doing like Tocatta and Kelly, here are my interview questions from Tocatta. The funny thing is that Tocatta has a math degree but has troubles counting. I'll answer all her questions anyway.

1. As a first year teacher is there anything you wish you had learned at university that would have made teaching easier?

That's a good one. When I was a kid, I always thought you'd learn how to print nicely in teacher college. They don't teach you that. I also have no idea how to teach a kid to read ... not that a high school math teacher necessarily needs that skill, but I thought I'd get taught that at some point.

I'm trying to think of my biggest problems as a teacher and what I wish I had been taught to deal with them. I have had some problems with discipline but that comes from the kids testing me and my philosophy, not from my lack of good method. My other problem is trying to fit the kids to the mold of the course. I have to make a lot of my own resources because I don't have access to many and the ones I do have, don't always fit my students.

Honestly, what they did arm me with (a lot of bullshitting adults and diplomacy) has helped me a lot in dealing with the adults in the system.

But to answer the question seriously ... I can't think of anything. All the hard lessons I've learned this year, have been just getting use to teaching. I think I was warned about a lot of them.

3. You come from a pretty large center and now you are living in a very small isolated community. What is the one thing that came as a pleasant surprise about living in a small town?

The people are so nice. I'm going to comment on living in a native community too. I hate to say it, but my views of native reserves weren't all too great before I moved here. You hear all about the bullshit stereotypes of drinking problems and parents that beat their kids, etc. Of course, stuff like that happens here (like in every community) but I don't see it more than I did in the city. That's fantastic. My ugly discrimination has changed. Which is a gift that is truly priceless.

I love walking down the street and having everyone wave at me ... even if they don't know me (I do know that some of them may know who I am but I don't know them).

2. If you could hop on a plane right this minute where would you go and what would you do?

I don't know if I should answer that honestly because part of it makes me look bad. But, I'm going to. Seriously, I'd go either to my hometown or the big city to go shopping and to hang out with friends and family ... and to pick up a guy. Terrible, I know.

But if I had that option, I wouldn't want to go somewhere exotic by myself. Plus, I don't have a passport. If I had the option to take a friend and I had a passport and lots of money, I'd go to Hawaii and sit on the beach all day.

3. What historical event would you undo or rewrite if you could?

Wow, so hard to say because there are so many that caused so much pain and misery. But, they also changed the world, and some for the better ?!? Like, if I said I wish the Holocaust (and WWII) didn't happen, where would we be with nuclear weapons? What kind of nations would the US and Britain be?

I guess since I lived through the following, I wish it had never happened: 9-11. A lot of good people died for no good reason. I didn't know anyone who died, but I'll never forget the sureal-ness of watching the 2nd tower go down live on TV. I still can't watch any of the movies because they will upset me.

I think Bush's reign would also be a lot different and the War on Iraq would have been a lot different if 9-11 hadn't happened. But 9-11 did open my eyes more to the fact that the rest of the world may not be willing to put up with the US's bullshit anymore. Just a thought.

4. If you could have the quality of a superhero. What quality would you want to possess? Would you use it for good or evil or both?

I would want to be able to read people's minds. But, I'd want the ability to turn it off too when I'd need too. I'd use it to benefit me, mostly, so is that good or evil?

If I were given the ability right now, I'd still be a math teacher. I'd just be the best one because then I could know what the kids are thinking so I'd be able to help them better. I think it would be so much easier to find a date too. Keeping one would be the problem :)

I wouldn't let too many people know or the government would want to use it for political negotiations, and then I think I'd die of boredom :)

5. If you could be a contestant on any of the reality t.v. shows which one would you want to be on and you have a strategy picked out for trying to win?

Easy. Survivor. When the show first came on, I was in love with it. I was obsessive with it (I have books and CDs and the game). In fact, I would have applied but you have to be a US citizen AND resident. I was going to get my citizenship (both my parents were born in the US, and my mom is still a citizen) to apply, but I wasn't going to live down there! Plus, the paper work is a giant pain in the ass.

If Survivor were offered to Canadians, I would sooo apply. I've thought of many strategies. One I had for a while, was to tell everyone I was a clerk at a photocopy shop (which has been my only real job besides teaching) but I wouldn't tell them I was a math teacher or that I went to university. Then they wouldn't think I'm as smart as I am .. which I think would help. I also realized I would ALWAYS be nice (but not too much to be annoying), never try to be the leader, and never complain.

It's funny you ask that question because I'm working on a blog entry where I compare student teaching to being on a reality TV show. You get judged two to three times a week, some people get "kicked off the island", some people quit, and there is always drama.

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I think if I thought about the questions for a week, I could give better answers. But I don't have a week to formulate perfect answers. Ok, so here's what's next:

If anyone would like to be interviewed ....

• Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me!"
• I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
• You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
• You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
• When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.