Sidhi :Hi, Mr.Wasko
Mr. Wasko : Hi, how are you ?
Sidhi: I’m good, how are you ?
Wasko : I’m great. I’m eating a fruit roll-up.
Sidhi : So I am going to be asking you questions about how you make boring work fun.
Wasko :Alright.
Sidhi : Okay so describe a lesson you taught where you have turned a boring or a challenging topic into an engaging activity?
Wasko : You’re asking me how I do that ?
Sidhi: Yes.
Wasko : Well,I didn”t like school as a kid. I think of how boring school can be. I try not to make it boring. I try to make sure that everyone is paying attention so I get loud. I also try to be engaging with people as best I can.
Sidhi: So did your plan workout? Did it engage students to listen to you ?
Wasko : I mean most of the time I mean it works for you right?
Sidhi : Yes.
Wasko : I mean that’s all that matters.
Sidhi: Tell me a time where the lesson didn’t go as planned or students were clearly bored?
Wasko : The very first lesson I taught I was 22 and the kids were not into it. I found out the next day that they had just watched their substitute teacher get injured the day before I taught them. So they were not interested at all.
Sidhi : What did you learn from that for the future?
Wasko : To switch things up and make things fun. That’s why I had classroom libraries and made different kinds of activities.
Sidhi: What steps did you take in the beginning of the year to build strong relationships with your students .
Wasko : Positive reinforcement like making sure that we have proofs and a Wasko store. Also coins, even sharing books,telling students about my kids and family.
Sidhi: Why do you give out Wasko coins on Friday?
Wasko : Because getting paid is great and you guys should experience it because adults making money is wonderful and spending it is even more wonderful.
SIdhi: Does that help you or does that help the students?
Wasko : Whatever helps the students helps me.
Sidhi : What is an unexpected technology you use to make a routine better?
Wasko : Oh that’s a good question.
Sidhi : I mean you do a lot of Blookets?
Wasko: I don’t do a lot of Blooket, but I do some Blookets.
Sidhi: Okay, moving on to the next question. If you can add one fun element, what would it be – like a virtual trip, a guest project? It can be anything.
Wasko : Oh, a class pet, yeah like a bear.
Sidhi : Why would it be a bear?
Wasko : Why wouldn’t it be a bear? We would have a bear in the class. I mean, it would be a friendly bear and kinda scary like you would be excited to see it but scared at the same time. What would we name the bear? Freadrick.
Sidhi : No, we should name it Wasko Junior.
Wasko : Wasko Junior. I like that.
Sidhi : How would you use your knowledge of individual student hobbies like gaming, sports drawing and all that stuff to make boring work fun?
Wasko : When we start getting more projects you are going to have more options of different ways in which you can express yourself and present information.
Sidhi: What is a type of brain break or movement based activity you do to reenergize up the class during a heavy lectures period.
Wasko : I guess a free write you guys get up and walk around as you write.
Sidhi: What is a boring topic you love and how did you make it fun for the students?
Wasko : I don’t know if I have to call topics boring. Like if i say reading With reading, I try to be as animated as cartoon characters possible so that we together can get it to it more than more fun than boring.
SIdhi: Why do you think it is important to make boring lessons fun?
Wasko : Oh you definitely learn more that way.This becomes a safe space and you learn more when you are in a safe, happy place.
Sidhi : What is your favorite part about being a teacher?
Wasko : To be as goofy as possible.
SIdhi : But do you actually have fun?
Wasko : Absolutely.
Sidhi: If you got to make one wish and change one thing about your calls and make it more exciting, what would it be?
Wasko : Wow, that’s another really good question. What are my limits? Can it be magical wishes?
Sidhi: A realistic wish.
Wasko : I wish that we can have as many books as humanly possible so that I could get even more books that young people like.
Sidhi: So what is your favorite book we read in our class?
Wasko: When we read “Little Brother.” I love “Little Brother.” That’s a great story because you guys know the end is coming.
Sidhi: Okay, thank you so much for having me in this interview, and you were a little funny, too.
Wasko : I try to be. Thank you. I appreciate it.
