Alister Graham

Introducing Alister Graham who will be teaching Humanities and Year 12 Legal Studies.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I found the corporate world to be unfulfilling. Instead of making corporations richer I decided to instead enrich the lives of my students.

How long have you been in the teaching game?

Since the mid 2000s.

What was your last place of employment - school/university or another organisation?

Conroe Independent School District.

What do you love most about teaching?                         

Eureka / AHA! Moments. When we are covering a difficult topic and then it just clicks.

What has been one of your best teaching moments?

When one of my Year 9 Commerce students only missed one question on the exam.  Then when I asked him what happened he explained to me why he picked that response and he was totally right. He made me rethink my whole approach to the question.

What would be 3 things that you would like your students to know about you?

1. I have been living overseas in Texas for the last few years but we are so glad to be back.
2. I am an aquarist – I have kept freshwater aquariums. My favourite fish is the Odessa Barb.
3. I love public speaking and debating. I represented my uni in mooting competitions – mock courtrooms like debating for law students.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

Anywhere with a beach. Favourites so far include Cable Beach in Broome and Kaanapali in Hawaii.

What TV show/series did you last binge watch?

The Walking Dead, The Witcher, Clarkson’s Farm, Rick and Morty.

If you could wear Harry’s invisibility cloak for one day, where would you go and what would you do? That’s Harry Potter’s cloak not Harry Ruff’s cloak 😊

I would go to a carnival ride of a haunted house and find people that were acting too cool to be scared and then scare them haha.

What is the one piece of ‘advice’ or the one thing that you always say to your students?

Consistency is the key. Find routines and rituals that work for you and then do them every day.  An Olympic weightlifter does not wait until the day before the Olympics and then lift weights for 10 hours straight.

Thank you, and welcome to Mullauna College, Alister!