Interview: Coming Home 

                                                          Enough time has passed in this school year for the public, whether                                                                             that be students or staff, to not have an official introduction to                                                                                   our new teachers. Even if the interview pursuant to this is only of                                                                               one such teacher, the goal is to present a generation of teachers                                                                               which will integrate with the school community, bring novel ideas                                                                             to the board, and inspire in different ways, while benefiting from                                                                               the old:

 

                                                          Álvaro - Good morning, Kalimera. I have just a few questions to                                                                                 ask you today so people of our school can get an idea of who you                                                                             are, is that alright?

 

                                                          Óscar Ávila - For which class?

 

                                                          Álvaro - An afternoon activity, the student newspaper.

 

                                                           Óscar Ávila - Ok.

 

  Álvaro - Firstly, what is it like starting a new life at Greengates? Did                                                                          you live in Mexico prior to entering the school?

 

Óscar Ávila - I used to live in Cuba, before that in Costa Rica, before that in India.

 

Álvaro - So what is it like living in Mexico?

 

Óscar Ávila - Well, I am originally from Mexico, so it was very good, because I’m back to seeing my parents, I have a little kid, I have a lot of connections. It felt super nice to start a life here. Greengates? This is by far the largest school I have worked in. In previous schools, there was a maximum of 200 students from Kinder to Year 13. I was just thinking how I enjoy that Greengates is so diverse, the student population is pretty great too. Also, I’m teaching physics for the first time in many years.

 

Álvaro - What did you teach at other schools instead of physics?

 

Óscar Ávila - I studied physics, I have a PhD in physics, but I’ve been teaching environmental systems and biology, TOK and CAS. So that has been also refreshing, getting to know the topic again. 

 

Álvaro - And you still feel confident in teaching the subject?

 

Óscar Ávila - Yes. I mean I still have to review here and there but it is no big deal.

 

Álvaro - Thank you. We would also like to know, if it is ok to ask, what you enjoy doing outside of the work environment.

 

Óscar Ávila - So, I love nature. I love working in nature, I love hikes, I love going to the forest. I enjoy going to concerts too and listening to music. I used to sing in choirs as well for many years.

 

Álvaro - Really? As a student?

 

Óscar Ávila - Yes, I used to conduct choirs as well. I sing, and I have a relatively good ear.I used to do a lot of yoga and ultimate frisbee. I love travelling and visiting new places.

 

Álvaro - Is there any country that you have been particularly fond of?

 

Óscar Ávila - What is my favourite country?

 

Álvaro - Yes, to visit.

 

Óscar Ávila - To visit… As for holidays? I’ve been to many countries, and one that I really enjoyed very much is Greece. Greece is just awesome: the landscapes, island-hopping, the food. It is just so good. I really like Colombia too. 

 

Álvaro - I must say, Greece would be my pick as well. I was going to ask about what made you choose to study physics, but it seems that you have studied a variety of sciences, so what made you choose the natural sciences in general?

 

Óscar Ávila - My motivation originally was to study the brain, and how it works. So when I was kind of your age [15], I didn’t know what to study until I had a physics teacher that told me I should study physics if I wanted to study the brain. I thought, “why? How does that make any sense?” So I did study physics in undergrad with a minor in biology, and in grad studies, it was officially in physics but it was physiology. Then I understood why the teacher suggested I should study physics for the brain.It gives you an advantage. For a biologist to study numbers and modelling and theory is much more difficult than for a physicist to just understand and remember some concepts of biology. So, I don’t regret studying physics at all.

 

Álvaro - And now that you are teaching this subject, what is your philosophy or method of teaching? What do you find to be the best way to teach?

 

Óscar Ávila - I do not like lectures. My wish is for the students to actually do. I want them to try their hand at answering questions and do exercises. I teach for a little bit, and then it’s questions, questions, questions. I always want to check for everybody to have at least tried to do them. Because then they begin to think. Otherwise, some of them feel they can do whatever they want and it is not important to be active. For younger years, the attention spans are minimal. So if I want to explain things it should be a maximum of 10 minutes. The rest should be practice.

 

Álvaro - Lastly, and related to this perhaps: what in life gives you most meaning or purpose?

 

Óscar Ávila - Nowadays, I have a son. That is a very big motivation. I want to be a good parent, and what does that mean? Who knows. I am reading a lot about parenting. The principle I believe in is: create an environment that they will thrive in. It is not necessarily teaching, but creating enjoyable conditions. Another thing that motivates me in general is making a contribution to the world and making it a little bit better than before. Teaching students here is important to me. 

 

Álvaro - Well then, it shows that your child is a big part of your life. Thank you very much for your time.

Óscar Ávila - You’re very welcome.