Talking with Tim: Our Head of Social Sciences Teaches Us (His) History

Over the past three decades, Mr. Tim Poga has channeled his passion for all things social science into teaching at Mercedes College. As Head of Learning Area for Social Sciences at Mercedes, Tim now leads Mercedes’ efforts to educate students (and staff) on judiciary procedure, where to find Liechtenstein on a map, and what exactly happened in Russia in 1917.

We sat down with Tim to talk about his time at the college.

Tell us a bit about your journey leading up to Mercedes College.

I did a degree at UWA in international politics and industrial relations (and I) didn’t really know where I wanted to end up from there, so I ended up doing a teaching post-grad at Notre Dame and kind of fell into a job here at Mercedes.

Now exactly how long have you been at Mercedes?

Now, I’m not actually sure whether its 27, 28 or 29 years, I haven’t quite done the maths. It’s somewhere around there, and I’m still one of the new people in the Social Sciences department. Most have been here well into 30 years!

What has kept you here all this time?

Great people to work with, great location for a school and I think it’s just been a really good school to teach at, we have great kids, I think we do a great job.

I’ve had some opportunities to look at you know, moving elsewhere, but I think it’s just been a really good place to work, and I’ve always said if I woke up one morning, and felt grumpy and cynical, I just wouldn’t come and do this job. But in all that time I think I’ve only ever really had 3 really bad days, which is pretty good! So why not keep coming back and try to do a good job and work in this amazing place with some really good people?

What led to you deciding to join Mercedes College as a staff member?

Now that’s funny because I didn’t exactly decide to come here. I never actually applied to come to Mercedes – I looked at Mercedes, but I just didn’t think I would get a job here. I had a job interview at another school on the fringes of Perth, I came home and my mum said to me (I was still living at home at the time) “You’ve got a job interview at Mercedes”. And I was rather perplexed as I hadn’t applied here. But…a previous deputy principal of mine from high school happened to be on the phone to Sister Assissium at the time, they had a conversation and mentioned they were looking for a Social Sciences teacher. He mentioned me by name and next thing I know I’m here for an interview, walking out with a job. So it was just meant to be!

What is your favourite part of the campus?

There’s lots of little interesting parts of the campus. I’d say the Memorial Garden just out the front of the administration. I think it’s a nice little spot, pretty much everyone passes it several times a day. The rose garden, the lawn, the water feature. I think it’s a nice little spot, it’s sunny in the summer, it’s nice in the winter. And sometimes you’ve gotta stop and smell the roses!

Over the time you’ve been here, have you noticed many changes?

Oh yeah, it’s changed a lot. Not our department, most of the people I started with are still here, but we’ve had a lot of building changes, areas like Catherine’s Garden being built just as I came here. Obviously Coady and Serisier, they used to be tennis courts and an open-air pool. Even just changes to the way we teach – obviously that’s changed in thirty years. I think we’ve moved with the times, even though we are a very historic school, we’ve moved a lot in the time that I’ve been here.

And from there, what’s stayed the same?

The quality of education, I think we do a good job. I think that we have continued to provide a really good girl’s education in the center of Perth, and that’s the main thing. We’ve always had good students here, we’ve continued to work with good students and create a really good environment. A safe environment, kids feel safe coming here, and continued that excellence that has been there from well before I started.

How do you think Mercedes differs to other schools?

Obviously location. The central location. But I think we do pastoral care here really well. And I think that we always have. But I think that we just offer a really good, caring environment… So it’s kind of something I think we do really well, just our general pastoral care, and I think it’s a good environment.

Could you tell us a bit about the importance of the Social Sciences and how it helps prepare the girls for the world outside of the College?

Everybody in their daily life is going to deal with geography, history, economics and politics. You may not realise it, but every single day those things impact on your life. Even using Google Maps – you might say “I don’t need geography, I’ve got Google Maps” – Google Maps is geography! So I think it’s something that impacts our daily life whether we recognise it or not. And it always ends up being important, 17 million Australians voted in the last election – Politics. We all have to follow the law, there’s law. Economics, every time you tap your card! And if we don’t remember history, well, we’re gonna end up with some serious problems. I think it’s just part of our lives.

During your time here do you have any particular staff members or Sisters, etc. that have left a lasting impression on you?

Absolutely. Sister Assissium, now known as Sister Molly, she was inspirational in terms of the Mercy ethos – and also in giving me a job, way back then. But I’ve worked with some amazing people. Sandra O’Toole – the old Mrs O’Toole as people used to say – was my old homeroom partner, and she made an impression on me. People like that always have a impact on you, but I’ve worked with some marvelous people over the years (and still do), so the list is long.

We’ve heard that at one point you had a fondness for the sport of body boarding…

Oh yeah, I was not a good surfer, I didn’t have good balance. So I got into boogieboarding, or bodyboarding as you called it. It was when I was younger, fitter and had good knees.
It was a great pastime, I represented WA a couple times. Actually, for a Uni job I was the WA Bodyboard Development Officer for what’s now called Surfing West Australia. Back in those days it was the WA Surf Riders Association. So I was really involved with the sport in its infancy in WA in the ’80s and ’90s. I had some great fun, met some great people and I still have friends from that time… but that was a long time ago, in a place far far away!

A big thank you Tim for taking the time to visit and share with us!