Meet Mr Tom Harms, Tatachilla’s Year 7 Teacher & Ruby House Coordinator.

What sparked your interest in a career in education?

I come from a long line of family who were involved in the Lutheran school system and I actually had no interest in a career in education when I was in Year 10 and 11 at school. My interest probably began when I started some football and cricket coaching while I was completing Year 12. I really began to appreciate the chance to work with young people and help them improve in areas that were important to them! I then delved into a university degree in Education/Human Movement and never looked back.

Why did you choose to teach Science in the Middle School years?

Science is a subject that is directly relevant to all of our lives! I love watching students explore things that surprise or shock them, mostly things that they take for granted or experience everyday. As a teacher, the fact that you can combine things that interest you as an educator and interest the kids, it becomes a learning experience that all parties can be involved and grow in. I find that being passionate and curious as a teacher can often rub off on the students in your classroom, so I love to explore the interesting things that makes our world the place it is.

From a teacher’s perspective, why are STEM subjects important for our future learners?

A few reasons - definitely the ability to be creative, to use a combination of skills and to implement plans are all important things for our future learners. The beautiful thing about STEM is that you can complete it almost anywhere and with any resources. The skills that students develop are transferable and real, they are going to have to be creative, they will have to show resilience and learn to fail and STEM based subjects, or the idea of STEM in classrooms, allows those to develop. You also get to uncork this amazing creativity from students that hopefully inspires them.

What do you enjoy most in your role as a Year 7 Home Class Teacher?

The students. I love having a group of 28 young people that I can have fun with, chat to and find out about their lives. I am with these students for 7 hours a day, so being invested in their lives is a huge privilege. I get to see them develop so much throughout the year, but also throughout the rest of their schooling. Once they come through my Home Class I tend to follow with interest as they move throughout the school!

Tell us about your passion for footy and your journey towards winning the 2016 & 2017 SANFL Grand Final with Sturt.

I was lucky to grow up with a pretty talented family of sportsmen so being involved with football was always going to happen! I was lucky enough to be asked to play for Sturt as a 14 year old, way back in 2004 and have been at the club ever since. I suppose my journey is similar to a lot of young people. I played a whole lot of football for Sturt throughout their Junior ranks and made my debut in the Senior Team in 2011. I have been lucky enough to be involved in a club that has some amazing people in administration, some brilliant players and terrific fans. The club culture that has been set by the players and coaches over the last 4-5 years has resulted in us being a successful football club in both 2016 and 2017. When you play in Premierships you just feel so lucky to be involved and thankful for the players and coaches around you. I am incredibly proud to be involved in those years and feel like a whole lot of hard work has paid off.

Who, or what, inspires you?

Definitely my family, my parents and younger brother are big inspirations. I am so proud of all of them for what they have achieved and continue to do. I also am inspired by my partner Renee and my little boy Harry, both of whom went through some pretty traumatic times when Harry was born and to see them both flourishing and living such amazing lives makes me proud to be around them and inspires me to be a little better.