We had the honor to interview the one and only, Ann Wachtmeister. Known for her optimistic, fun and energetic personality, we asked her some questions that made us get to know her better. This is the second part of a series where we interview teachers at VRG, in hopes of getting to know them more. Thank you very much Ann, for taking your time to discuss with us and answer our questions, we really appreciate it!
- What subjects do you teach in?
This year, I am teaching in English 5 and 7.
- For how long have you been a teacher at VRG?
I think I started the same year as Micke, so it’s about ten years now.
- Why did you choose to become a teacher?
I have always loved to work with kids and teenagers, and I used to work at summer camps when I was younger, spending time with children. I took my masters in teaching in Washington D.C and honestly, it felt like teaching was the one thing that I was good at, if you can say so…
- What is the most exciting part about being a teacher?
I often ask myself “How can I get students to learn?” or “How can I change my methods as a teacher?” So, I would say that the most exciting thing about being a teacher is the possibility to do something that I can do better and to get students to become better at what they do each day.
- If you weren’t a teacher, what do you think you would do instead?
I love teaching very much, but I would probably have started at some job by accident. I think it would have been something within the Diplomatic Corps or something social.
- If you were to describe yourself with three words, what would they be?
I got to think about this for a second… I mean, I don’t want to say something that I’ve said to other people, that would just not be as fun. But probably creative, energetic and kind. Although, being kind has both its pros and cons, being too kind has sometimes been more harmful than useful for me.
- What is your favorite dish?
You know, I am very much for culinary simplicity. Like, a plate of ravioli with fresh butter is sometimes all you need to make it taste amazing. It really doesn’t need much to taste good.
- What do you usually have for “fredagsmys”?
I don’t really do “fredagsmys” as you teenagers do, but I order food from Ubereats a lot, sometimes a bit too often. There’s this sushi restaurant at Storgatan that has just joined Ubereats so I have to admit that I ordered some sushi home yesterday. I also love this Indian place, although it has this awful name, I am not sure of the name but I think it is “Little Hot Indian.” Wait guys, you can’t write that down!
( Sorry Ann… the name is actually “Little Hot India” 😉 )
- What do you like to do on your spare time?
I love to play polo, tennis and hang out at the stable. I always read a lot and currently I correct all your novel seminars.
- Is there something that you would like to share with us, that you don’t think the students know about you?
There is such a difference from growing up and living in the Bahamas, to living in Sweden, almost like I received different identities. For example, growing up in Bahamas, I had green hair from swimming and I never really followed the rules. I played a lot of tennis and I used to swim in a competitive division. If I did something naughty, I always got caught. I mean, I never hurt anyone but I often made the wrong decisions. So, as I got married, I did not want to change my last name and I fought so hard for my identity that I sort of lost a bit of myself when I got married. It made me think, what’s in a name? How strongly do we associate ourselves with our names?
- Did you like to study when you were younger?
Oh yes, I certainly did, but when I got the opportunity to choose what I would study I got even more motivated, especially when it concerned English and History classes.
- How do you apply what you teach to your students in your ordinary life?
I talk a lot about my classes at home at dinner, but I also discuss it with my friends and family a lot.
- Is there something you are longing for right now?
I tend to put reward in my path. I recently booked an experience in April, a polo training camp which I am REALLY excited for. Everyday I wake up looking forward to new goals. Might sound slightly cliché, but hey, who cares!