Five Minutes with Mr Slocum 

Do you collect anything? 

No, I don't think I really do these days. I used to collect DVDs with special features, but they're really hard to get now. So no, not anymore.

Do you play a musical instrument? If so, which one?

Yes, I played the flute for two years in Grade 5 and 6.

How long have you worked at BSC?

I've worked here since becoming a teacher, which was halfway through 2018. 

If you could choose to be anything for a day, what would it be?

I'm going to go with a camera, because then you're going to get a whole bunch of cool experiences and see things from a different angle.

If you could visit anywhere in the world you’ve never been, where would you go?

Well, we're just about to go to the south of Spain, so I'm pretty pumped for that. And then after that, I'll get back to you!

What book/TV series/podcasts are you into at the moment?

I'm pretty pumped for Dune 3 coming out later in the year. My wife and son just got me the book Dune for an early Father’s Day present, so I'm going to read that on my holiday.

What has been a highlight of your time at BSC?

There's a few. When I first came here, I didn't know if I could be a teacher. I was making a career change, so it took me a couple of years before I thought, ‘Oh, okay, I think I can be a secondary school teacher – and hopefully a good one.’

Since then, a highlight has been the relationships with the kids. Once they've left school, they'll see me and they're still happy to see me. That's pretty special.

What is your favourite movie?

Okay, so my favourite movie is The Passenger with Jack Nicholson, because it's got a great plot. Jack Nicholson plays an international reporter who's sick of his life. He's in the middle of the Chad desert and becomes friendly with this guy who then dies at the hotel. So he thinks, ‘I'm going to take over his life’, and swaps identities with him – hence the title The Passenger. He's like a passenger in that guy's life.

The last shot is one of the best shots of all time. There's a lot of meaning to that film. It's great.

What is your ideal way to unwind and relax?

Definitely sports. AFL – I'm a Swans fan – and American football.

What were you like as a student?

Conscientious. I tried my best.

What would you sing at karaoke night?

I'd be all in if I ever did it, and it would be a song by The Hives because they're about two minutes long.

Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?

Well, when I had long hair and a goatee, people said that Ethan Hawke and I looked pretty similar. So, as long as he's prepared to shave his head now, then yeah, let's stick with Ethan!

Interview by Lara K (Year 10) & Oliver P (Year 11)