My name is Phillip Taylor; the only one who calls me Phillip is my mother. You can call me Mr Taylor, but I’ve also been known by a bunch of other names by my students: Big T, Big ‘ol T, Twizzle, Shrek, Darth Vader, T-dog, Philly T, etc. You choose.
I have been teaching since 1996 and have worked at schools across the metropolitan area and overseas. My major is English, my minor is Economics and I started out as a Human Biology teacher, or at least studying to become one. What happened?
Well, I love English. So it was a natural progression to become an English teacher when I realised that the inner workings of a cell just wasn’t cutting the mustard. I liked the cadaver lab and wearing a white coat, but that was about it, even if my favourite teacher at Rossmoyne Senior High School (from were I graduated in 1987) had been Mr Levitske, my HB teacher.
On the day I became an English teacher, I am certain some of my own English teachers rolled over thinking I’d followed them into the profession.
Mostly, I love teaching. Being in the classroom, listening to the ideas and thoughts of young people, being part of their story and journey, if only for a short time, enthrals me. There is something about ‘growing people’ that rewards me far more than working in retail, private business and management ever did. At the end of each day, I can actually say, on more days than not, that I made a difference. For me, this is changing the world.
I have worked in New York, London, Japan (in little towns called Tsuruga and Sabae), in The Netherlands (Nijmegen), Paris, and, of course, Australia. I have travelled wide and far, at home and abroad.
But this is home. Along with my wife, Ainsley, and three children (Lili, Ollie and Harriet), I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be. To be honest, I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. Perth and teaching at SSS is where it’s at.
I don’t have all the answers, but I look forward to the journey each year and to what my students can teach me, just as much as I look forward to what it is that I can share with them.
