An Interview with Mr. T ...
How long have you been teaching?
I started with the Surrey District as a TOC in October, 1997 and have been a classroom teacher since October of 1998. So that adds up to ... 25 years in the classroom. Yikes!
How long have you been teaching at DC?
I started at DC in September, 2006.
Are you and Mr. Lowe really long-lost brothers?
Yes. Can't you tell?
Are you married?
Yes, I've been happily married for 19 years, and I have three wonderful and active kids (ages 17, 16 and 13).
What is your favourite subject to teach?
I really enjoy teaching Social Studies -- I guess that's why Mr. Lowe lets me teach Socials to his class. I like looking at the past and the stories it holds, trying to figure out why we do the things we do, why our society operates the way it does, and where we can go from here. In Grade 7 we look at Ancient Civilizations, and I always find it intriguing how the ancients achieved so much with so little technology. Look at the Great Pyramid -- how was it built? What technology did the Egyptians use? What can we learn from it today? What did the Egyptians believe about the afterlife? How do these beliefs link with what we believe today? I love history and learning about our past.
Your least favourite?
I'd probably say Math. I'm not sure why, but it could be that I like to figure out math problems my own ways, rather than sticking to a set procedure. Because of this, I find it hard to teach the steps to problem-solving.
What books do you enjoy reading?
I love some of the new literature geared towards Teen readers. There's never been better literature for this age group. Some great teen authors include Dan Wells (The Partials series), Pittacus Lore (I Am Number Four series), Ilsa Bick (Ashes trilogy), Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games series), James Dashner (The Maze Runner series), Veronica Roth (Divergent series), and many others. My favourite "adult" genre of book is crime/espionage/spy/war, with my favourite "adult" authors being Vince Flynn (Kyle Mills) and Tom Clancy.
Do you have any hobbies?
I do -- how much space do I have here? I love to collect things ... Pluto (the Disney kind), Hot Wheels, eclectic collectibles (everything from antique tables to lapel pins), license plates, Starbucks cards, hockey cards, Coca Cola products ... I also enjoy visiting antique stores and fairs, looking for cool items to add to my collections.
I also love to do woodwork. I have built several pieces of furniture, the largest being the china cabinet in my dining room, which I built with my grandpa many years ago. Currently, I've been into "re-purposing" old wood (pallets, junk wood) into bookshelves, coffee tables and DVD shelves. I once created two holes for a portable mini golf game! More recently I built loft beds for my daughters, complete with lighting and amazing headboards and shelving designed for all their stuffies! I also built a large coffee table made from reclaimed pine boards, complete with live edge work.
What keeps you busy outside of school?
See above!! My son plays Club basketball and BCSPL soccer (he's a goalkeeper), and my two daughters play Club and Sr. High School basketball and other school sports (soccer, swimming) so most of my evenings and weekends are spent at local soccer fields, in school gyms or in a parking lot waiting for practices to end. I also love TV, especially crime drama shows and movies.
What do you do in the Summer?
For me, the summer is all about spending time with family. We try to spend a few weeks each year camping. We often visit the Okanagan for a couple weeks and try to find day trips or weekend trips locally. Our favourite local camping spot is Rolley Lake Provincial Park. Getting projects done around the house, playing sports with the kids, keeping my garden happy and colourful and sleeping take up a lot of the other time. I also find the time to read lots of books over the summer.
Do you have any pets?
In our house we have a hamster named Remy and two sets of gerbils (Milkshake & Milky Way and Nugget & Eggz). All are well-loved members of the family. My son also has his own small aquarium stocked with a couple Zebra Danios and some Platys.
Do you play any instruments?
No, I did play the trumpet in elementary Band, but that's long gone! One of my goals in life is to learn to play the piano.
Have you travelled anywhere?
My family had the vacation of a lifetime when I was 16. I got to spend my 16th birthday in Nairobi, Kenya! On that trip, we also visited the Netherlands and London, England. I have visited all the provinces but Newfoundland, and I travelled to the Yukon and Alaska a few years back with my grandpa. I have also been to most US states west of the Mississippi.
Where do all your bad jokes come from?
Often off the top of my head. Many people say I have been blessed with the gift of quick wit!! Some call it a curse ...
Is there anything you'd do if you weren't a teacher?
Not really, though I have thought about the idea of someday opening up my own shop to resell all the junk I buy and make!! If I couldn't do that, I'd probably train to be a police investigator.
How long have you been teaching?
I started with the Surrey District as a TOC in October, 1997 and have been a classroom teacher since October of 1998. So that adds up to ... 25 years in the classroom. Yikes!
How long have you been teaching at DC?
I started at DC in September, 2006.
Are you and Mr. Lowe really long-lost brothers?
Yes. Can't you tell?
Are you married?
Yes, I've been happily married for 19 years, and I have three wonderful and active kids (ages 17, 16 and 13).
What is your favourite subject to teach?
I really enjoy teaching Social Studies -- I guess that's why Mr. Lowe lets me teach Socials to his class. I like looking at the past and the stories it holds, trying to figure out why we do the things we do, why our society operates the way it does, and where we can go from here. In Grade 7 we look at Ancient Civilizations, and I always find it intriguing how the ancients achieved so much with so little technology. Look at the Great Pyramid -- how was it built? What technology did the Egyptians use? What can we learn from it today? What did the Egyptians believe about the afterlife? How do these beliefs link with what we believe today? I love history and learning about our past.
Your least favourite?
I'd probably say Math. I'm not sure why, but it could be that I like to figure out math problems my own ways, rather than sticking to a set procedure. Because of this, I find it hard to teach the steps to problem-solving.
What books do you enjoy reading?
I love some of the new literature geared towards Teen readers. There's never been better literature for this age group. Some great teen authors include Dan Wells (The Partials series), Pittacus Lore (I Am Number Four series), Ilsa Bick (Ashes trilogy), Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games series), James Dashner (The Maze Runner series), Veronica Roth (Divergent series), and many others. My favourite "adult" genre of book is crime/espionage/spy/war, with my favourite "adult" authors being Vince Flynn (Kyle Mills) and Tom Clancy.
Do you have any hobbies?
I do -- how much space do I have here? I love to collect things ... Pluto (the Disney kind), Hot Wheels, eclectic collectibles (everything from antique tables to lapel pins), license plates, Starbucks cards, hockey cards, Coca Cola products ... I also enjoy visiting antique stores and fairs, looking for cool items to add to my collections.
I also love to do woodwork. I have built several pieces of furniture, the largest being the china cabinet in my dining room, which I built with my grandpa many years ago. Currently, I've been into "re-purposing" old wood (pallets, junk wood) into bookshelves, coffee tables and DVD shelves. I once created two holes for a portable mini golf game! More recently I built loft beds for my daughters, complete with lighting and amazing headboards and shelving designed for all their stuffies! I also built a large coffee table made from reclaimed pine boards, complete with live edge work.
What keeps you busy outside of school?
See above!! My son plays Club basketball and BCSPL soccer (he's a goalkeeper), and my two daughters play Club and Sr. High School basketball and other school sports (soccer, swimming) so most of my evenings and weekends are spent at local soccer fields, in school gyms or in a parking lot waiting for practices to end. I also love TV, especially crime drama shows and movies.
What do you do in the Summer?
For me, the summer is all about spending time with family. We try to spend a few weeks each year camping. We often visit the Okanagan for a couple weeks and try to find day trips or weekend trips locally. Our favourite local camping spot is Rolley Lake Provincial Park. Getting projects done around the house, playing sports with the kids, keeping my garden happy and colourful and sleeping take up a lot of the other time. I also find the time to read lots of books over the summer.
Do you have any pets?
In our house we have a hamster named Remy and two sets of gerbils (Milkshake & Milky Way and Nugget & Eggz). All are well-loved members of the family. My son also has his own small aquarium stocked with a couple Zebra Danios and some Platys.
Do you play any instruments?
No, I did play the trumpet in elementary Band, but that's long gone! One of my goals in life is to learn to play the piano.
Have you travelled anywhere?
My family had the vacation of a lifetime when I was 16. I got to spend my 16th birthday in Nairobi, Kenya! On that trip, we also visited the Netherlands and London, England. I have visited all the provinces but Newfoundland, and I travelled to the Yukon and Alaska a few years back with my grandpa. I have also been to most US states west of the Mississippi.
Where do all your bad jokes come from?
Often off the top of my head. Many people say I have been blessed with the gift of quick wit!! Some call it a curse ...
Is there anything you'd do if you weren't a teacher?
Not really, though I have thought about the idea of someday opening up my own shop to resell all the junk I buy and make!! If I couldn't do that, I'd probably train to be a police investigator.