The GrowlersWorld Interviews

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The GrowlersWorld Interviews are an ongoing quest, bringing you closer to successful and creative people in all walks of life.

Rawle Austin presents...

A conversation with Sarah Minchin - Spreading Creativity Day by Day

Sarah Minchin is a teacher and is the very definition of the word 'creative'. I spoke with her to find out what makes her tick. Rawle Austin: Could you briefly introduce yourself to GrowlersWorld readers? Sarah Minchin: My name is Sarah Minchin, I’m 29 years old and I’m married with 2 sons aged 5 and 2. I’ve been teaching for 7 years, mostly at schools across the South East of England.

However, for the last year I have been living in France while teaching just across the border at the Institut International de Lancy (www.iil.ch – click on English Section) in Geneva, Switzerland.

RA: How and why did you get into teaching?

SM: I don’t remember making a conscious decision to become a teacher; it’s always been what I wanted to do.

In 1995, I went to Liverpool Institute of Higher Education (now Liverpool Hope University) to start my teacher training and, in 1999, I completed my BEd (Hons) in Human and Applied Biology with a very pleasing 2:1. I then went straight into my first teaching post.

RA: How do you plan a particular lesson?

SM: Firstly, I write my medium-term plans (a termly or half-termly plan for a particular subject or topic), these will detail each week’s activities. I will use those to write weekly plans and then to plan each particular day’s activities. I like to write my daily plans into a planning book which I refer to as I teach. My plans are working documents and so you’ll find that my planning book is covered in notes and comments so that I’ll never teach a lesson the same way twice.

RA: What has been your most memorable experience while teaching?

SM: I have to say that this past year has been my most memorable so far in my career, coping with so many new things on both a personal and professional level has really challenged me.

The highlight of the year was our class assembly on the Romans; the children all dressed up in togas and had the whole school transfixed with our re-enactment of the story of Boudicca.

RA: What do you enjoy most about teaching?

SM: The best thing about teaching, without a doubt, is the children. They are my harshest critics, I’ll know straight away if I haven’t planned something successfully, yet they are enthusiastic, kind, loving and very funny. RA: What advice would you give to a new teacher? SM: Stick at it. The first year is the hardest, definitely.

Accept that there will be low points but the high points will far outweigh them in the long run.

Remember that you’re there for the children and try not to get bogged down in office politics or incessant paperwork.

RA: Who inspires you creatively and why?

SM: Other teachers, I have countless teaching ideas that I’ve ‘borrowed’ from people I’ve worked with.

At the moment I work with quite a few teachers with more experience than me and it’s great to be able to pick their brains when I’m not too sure about something. RA: How do you spend your spare time? SM: I tend to work for an incredible amount of hours during the term so whenever I have a few free minutes I try to switch off that part of my life and spend time being a Mum. I love to play with my kids and have fun with them, maybe take them to the park or go swimming.

Once they are in bed, my husband and I like to watch TV, read books, listen to music and, as often as we can get a babysitter, go out for a meal or to the cinema.

RA: What are your top 3 TV shows and why?

SM: That’s very difficult; I’m a real telly-addict. I like TV shows where I can’t predict what’s coming next, like ‘Lost’ and ‘24’.

I also enjoy ‘Doctor Who’ for its humour and science-fiction elements. RA: Where would you most like to go on holiday and why? SM: There’s so much of the world that I want to see! I would really like to go to New Zealand and experience its beauty first-hand, I’d also like to do the tourist thing and visit the ‘Lord of the Rings’ filming locations. RA: What's your favourite food and why?

SM: My husband is an incredible cook; he makes a great pasta recipe with prawns and tomatoes which is a real treat. He also does a fantastic roast chicken which is my ultimate comfort food.

RA: What was the last good book you read and what made it 'good'?

SM: I’m currently re-reading Michael J. Fox’s autobiography ‘Lucky Man’ and it’s a really inspirational read.

The way that he’s learnt to live with his Parkinson’s disease and has used his experiences to make himself a better husband and father is incredible. Also, the fact that he was diagnosed with his condition when he was the same age as I am really drives home the importance of savouring every day. RA: What song are you loving at the moment? SM: My musical tastes are really varied.

I must admit that I’m really enjoying the new Scissor Sisters song ‘Don’t feel like dancing’ which I’m hearing a lot on the radio and TV; it appeals to my inner disco diva!

RA: And finally, any last words or nuggets of wisdom you'd like to leave Growlersworld.com readers?

SM: Don’t assume you can’t do something just because you’ve never tried it.

If you’d told me that I was going to live in France for a year and cope with crossing international borders and speaking a new language on a daily basis, I would have laughed at you.

I’ve never been the adventurous type but here I am doing it and, what’s more, I’ve signed up for another year.

All pictures copyright © Sarah Minchin

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