5 Minutes With Mr Lasic

In 5 weeks, BCC will sadly farewell one of its most dedicated and hard working teachers. Mr Tomaz Lasic has signalled and end to his time here at Belmont City College and with that it will end an era of commitment and ICT development that has enabled the college to take great leaps and bounds.

The e-Voice’s Anthony Wheeler conducted an interview with Mr Lasic last week. This is a look into the man that is, Mr Lasic.

Anthony Wheeler. What brought you to work at BCC?

Mr Lasic. Initially? Necessity. I needed a job in 2005 it was an odd occasion. I was asked by a friend if the position existed, it had just opened up and I happened to be at the right place at the right time. So I said yeah sure, absolutely and put my hand up for it.

Anthony. When you look at BCC how do you feel the school has changed over the years?

Mr Lasic. The most significant change occurred around before I was at this school. It was the period from 2003-2004 to the later periods 2006-2007 and 2008. What I call the process of renewal. When Belmont city college was identified…to put it bluntly as a school in trouble. And with a lot of work from staff and students we turned things around, so in that respect I don’t know how much has changed or how bad it was before but I do know based on the anecdotes and the things that we hear that the school has changed significantly. Sadly, it still has a tag somewhat of a bad school but it has gotten a lot better.

Anthony. What was your roll in the ICT department? What was that like for you?

Mr Lasic. Well at this school, it was the one area of profession that before coming to this school I was sort of interested in but it was in 2006 that the whole fire really took off and I was given time each week to coordinate what is considered one of the schools priorities which is the ICT department. It has really changed the course of my career. It has been phenomenal and it has really opened my eyes thanks to it. First of all I have really changed my class room practice to make it much easier on me and hopefully on students but that part of my professional experience really has been a rounding success and I loved every minute.

Anthony. Do you feel that the Philosophy and Ethics course was successful?

Mr Lasic. Overall, yes! Of course as I look back I see so many things we could have done better but considering that this is the first year we have run the course and this is the first year that I have run the course, I’ve done parts of it here and there at different schools even, but considering this was our first go at it I think we did a really good job and had a really good go at it. It’s not like most of the other subjects that the school offers, it’s different.

Anthony. Amongst your many accomplishments in the school is moodle and particularly the ‘have your say’ forum. How do you feel about them?

Mr Lasic. I think that listening to students voices is an absolutely vital part of this thing we call education. Without this voice, we are just technicians who administer things to machines. We are here for you guys, you are not here for us and I thought opening up a forum is one way to ensure that students are heard, at least have a space where you guys can voice your opinions safely and equally, even though there is a bit of spam and swearing, even though I said don’t but it’s no big issue. Overall the experience has been over whelmingly positive. I can’t see any other space physical or virtual where a year 8 can talk to a year 12 without any fear or influence from a teacher or whatever, that’s why I think it has been such a great success.

Some complaints have been made that the forum distracts kids from work and I respond by saying, well if they are not engaged then students will play up any way. I said half jokingly at least this way students are working on their literacy, which is not quite true. I do sincerely hope the forum keeps going. What I would like to see is more moderation by students, I don’t have time to police it. I love it I am on every day and look at all the threads and if I spot the odd bit of spam or swearing you know, I warn people but apart from that I really want to give the ownership of it to students at all times.

Anthony. Over your time at BCC what would you say that you are most proud of?

Mr Lasic. I think moodle would have to be one of my sort of legacies, if you will, because it has been taken on so well by both staff and students. I said jokingly to a colleague that you know moodle has really made it in a school when teachers start complaining loudly that moodle is down, and the howls come from round the school “oh moodle is down what are you doing?” its good it shows they care about it and they use it. So moodle and a lot of the work in ICT and introducing the staff to lots of things.

And secondly getting the philosophy and ethics course up and running because I feel that this is what our school needs; our school needs to stand out of the ordinary for something and not the things that we are perhaps usually known for. I would love for us to challenge the beliefs that this is just a school where you go to just get your WACE or whatever and philosophy and ethics is that difference. It’s something that you would not normally get, yet it was very popular. We had 25 kids enrolled, that’s twice the number of any other humanities subject, so it was one way to stand out rather then just doing what everyone else does.

Anthony. Are there any treasured memories you have from Belmont City College?

Mr Lasic. Oh Lots! Lots, lots, lots, lots, lots, lots, lots, lots. I just think it has been a fantastic five years that I have been associated with this school, but the best memories inevitably involve the students. It’s the simple things like getting a shoulder punch from a year 9 kid after a lesson I mean that is huge it’s just the little things like that despite something being so damn hard some times for whatever reason. It really makes it worthwhile and I will really miss this place…I really miss it.

Anthony. What are your plans for the future?

Mr Lasic. Next year I am going to Thornlie high school to hopefully stir some trouble. They will tell me I’m a nutter and I will wear it as a badge of honor. Some how though I don’t think I will stay teaching. I cant see myself teaching in the next 20 or 30 years. I sort of can’t stand still in one place for too long and do the same thing day in and out it’s just not me. So new challenges and school so we will see how we go.

Anthony. After teaching and working at BCC for five years what will you miss most about this school?

Mr Lasic. The kids and the colleagues, really. Whenever people ask me where do you work and I say Belmont, you know the blood just rushes out of their face and they are like oh my god do you wear a shield or something to work? And I say what are you talking about, but I think the vast majority of our kids are just fantastic they are loyal and honest, they care.

They are the things that no TEE school will show you or elite tables will show you, but they are the things Belmont has something going on with it. Even supporting a teacher that’s something that is an unrecognized strength of Belmont and I sincerely hope we hear more about it and people actually recognise it because it is such a strength of the school. Of course I will miss my colleagues, I mean these that I am working with are fantastic they are fantastic educators they are passionate they are creative, yeah we stir trouble some time but I feel we must to go forward and I sincerely hope, but I think I will be hard pressed to find other co-workers like this because, on a bad day there will always be someone who asks ‘are you OK?, and actually mean it. These people will sit and listen to you and share things with you and help you.

Anthony. Thank you for your time.

Mr Lasic. My pleasure.