October 2016
An interview with Maths teacher, Mr Wynn, by senior monitors Calvin Fry, Emily Bradshaw, Barney French,
Michael McNee, Christian Willsher, Rozalia Moore, Amirah Weightman Dauda and Jess Hazell.
Q: Mr Wynn, what has been your funniest moment in teaching?
A: My funniest moment in teaching? Is teaching supposed to be funny? I'm not entirely sure
really. Oh lots of things have amused me, have tickled me over the years, both on the
sports field and in the maths classroom. Like in rugby, people have scored own tries when
they have forgotten the way they were going and have got the ball and started going the
opposite direction and dotted a try down.
Q: Do you have any secret talents?
A: I think you could miss out the word secret and the answer would be no. I don't regard
myself as being particularly talented in any area, although a have been known to read a
recipe and can produce a few almost interesting meals especially with lots of chillies in.
Q: What did you want to be when you were a child?
A: I dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer when I was young, that was my aim when
I wasn't very big. But very early on I appreciated the fact that I wasn't going to be good
enough and I abandoned that ambition.
Q: During university were you a party animal or a book worm?
A: I would describe myself during university as a sports animal, not particularly a party
animal because I have found, and still do to a large extent that parties are where you are
expected to speak to people and I can’t do that. I don’t find it easy to talk to people in a light
chit chatty way so parties were a bit scary but I did spend the vast majority of my time not in
the library but on the rugby, cricket, soccer, squash courts, I spent a lot of time playing
different sports.
Q: If you were stuck on a desert island who would you take with you and what essential items
would you bring?
A: Obviously if I was stuck on a desert island I would have to take my wife and children with
me. You can’t say any answer other than that can you really?
What item would you bring?
What item, on a desert island. Preferably about 5 years supply of tinned food, but is that
legal?
One Item?
I don’t know. Am I allowed to take something that is useful or have I got to take something
that not’s useful
Anything you want. Like your teddy or your phone.
Teddy? I wouldn’t take a phone because I don’t really do phones but I think tinned foods
got to be useful. What about a survival kit, can I take one of those? Because that is
reasonably practical isn’t it?
Q: What do you prefer, Strictly Come Dancing or X Factor?
A: There is absolutely no doubt about the answer to that question, because I have never
ever seen an episode of X-Factor. However I have seen most of quite a few episodes of
Strictly although I do find that by that time on a Saturday night I am liable to have a bit of a
snooze so I quite often I find it’s finished and I’m waking up and saying “Who’s done what
then, who’s got through to the next round?” but Strictly definitely over X-Factor.
Q: If you were going on holiday would you go to Las Vegas or France?
A: I would again well no it’s interesting you see. It would be quite interesting to go to Las
Vegas but then not actually go to Las Vegas but just go a little bit away from it and get to
some of the more interesting bits of America, I’ve never been to America. But I would love
to go, well there’s two areas I would love to go in the States. One is down the Eastern
seaboard, down the Appalachians and then into the American Civil War battlefield areas
around Gettysburg, Pittsburg and all that, I think that would be fantastic. Or up the Western
side, you get the Rockies and I think that would be brilliant. But practically France is
probably more likely.
Q: Do you speak any foreign languages and if so can you prove it?
A: I speak very bad French. In fact it’s a special subject. When I was at school you had
different subjects and one of them was actually on the timetable as it was a separate
subject: Bad French. I was OK at Bad French and I still can speak Bad French “Un peu”
Q: What advice would you give pupils entering your classroom?
A: Try not to go to sleep. Make an effort. I know it’s difficult at times to stay awake with me
teaching but try and keep your eyes open. Or alternatively paint eyes on your eyelids so
that when you do close your eyes it looks as if you are awake. Don’t try and be funny
unless you’re really funny. And just do the best you can really. Because I know that sums
isn’t necessarily for everybody. Is it? Some people find it marginally tricky. But its not, is it
Michael?
No
No, you see
Q: What has been your worst job?
A: The worst job I ever had was in a factory that made Oxo cubes. You know Oxo cubes
that you crumble up and put into food. And these Oxo cubes were made by a machine, and
the machine could put them into boxes of 16 I think it was. And I was sat on the end of a
conveyer belt and, sorry bad English, I was sitting at the end of a conveyer belt and these
boxes of 16 Oxo cubes would come down, and when 4 came down I would collect them
and put them on a tray, and then the next 4, and then the next 4 and the next 4 and then I
would put another tray. And the next 4. And then when I had 4 trays I put those to one side,
get another tray etc. Every minute, every hour, for 8 hours a day.
Q: Can you tell us what know about the following phrases or words?
Q: Bae
A: I am aware of bay as the colour of a horse, a coastal feature, oh and a tree but that’s
about that.
Q: Do you know what the dab is?
A: Dab? D A B? Sherbert dab?
Or do you want to do a dab?
Ok, move on!
Q: Do you know what the whip is?
A: The Whip? I am aware of what it is and what we are now no longer allowed to use it on
children but I don’t suspect that is what you are referring to.
Q: Do you know what banter is?
A: Banter? Well I am aware of what I know being banter as in merry quips and repartee
and a bit of sallying here and there with the odd minor insult. But again that probably I
suspect not what you’re after.
Q: Do you know what squad goals are?
A: Squad goals? No, I have never played squad.
Q: What is 9 + 10?
A: Where's the trick? I think 9+10 is 19. I think.
It’s actually 21
You’ll have to explain that one to me. It could have to do with bases but I don’t think it will
work.
Q: Sir, what are those? (Pointing at Mr Wynn's shoes)
A: Those? Those are mine, well they’re not mine they’re my fathers, well they’re the shoes
that I’m wearing. Hotter is the make, they are very comfortable.