Day in the Life of Simon Wallen

Day in the life of Simon Wallen

I was set out to do a day in the life of a teacher and so who better to interview than Simon Wallen, so I came up with some questions and this article introduces who Simon is and what he does.

For those who don't know you, who are you and what do you do at Mattlidens? 

Simon Wallen and I teach economics for the IB diploma. I also teach pre-DP economics and the course SL02 ekonomi for the national curriculum, although not this year due to the introduction of the new syllabus. 

What did you do before you became a teacher? 

I have worked in a pub in England, received my Whitbread certificate to broach a cask of real ale, and also worked on farms in England. Here in Finland I have also worked on farms, on a construction site, in a bar, as an English language teacher for adults and as a business consultant.

Why did you choose to become a teacher? 

I was trained as a teacher in England, actually as a teacher of history, but my first teaching practice, at a school in Liverpool with very high unemployment in the area, was enough to put me off teaching for a long time. I was eventually offered a short supply job to cover for an English teacher on sick leave after an operation at Mattlidens and was surprised to find I actually enjoyed it, despite not being very good at teaching English. When the job of teaching economics was offered a year later, it appeared to be a perfect opportunity and I haven’t really looked back since.

What is the best part of your job? 

I enjoy it all; no one particular aspect stands out above the others.

What does your typical day look like?

Typically, we wake up at 6 o’clock, have breakfast, then after breakfast my wife feeds the dogs and takes them for a walk while I feed the other animals, horses, goats, sheep, rabbits and hens, before setting off for work. The drive to work takes about 45 minutes, we live in Ingå, and I usually listen to the BBC news on the way to work. After work I drive home, possibly stopping to go shopping on the way. Once home we feed animals, and take dogs for a walk before having dinner and then possibly relaxing in front of the TV. I usually try to catch the 7 or 10 o’clock news to practice my Finnish. I may also do some marking and usually tidy the kitchen before finally going to bed.