This year Nayland College has been lucky to have a fantastic group of new teachers join our whanau. Throughout the year we will be profiling our new recruits in the newsletter so you can get to know them. Today we are saying hello to science teacher Matthew Penney.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Born and Raised in Hamilton, up in the mighty Waikato.

Where else have you lived before coming to Nelson?

Nowhere, funnily enough. I have done heaps of travel though. Europe, UK, and a lot of the Pacific islands which has kept me fairly satisfied on the ‘away from home’ front.

What other jobs did you have before becoming a teacher?

In a past life I was a storeman at a Fonterra site, driving forklifts on the night shift. I was an auto electrician for the better part of a decade before making the transition to university to study physics and mathematics.

Why did you decide to be a teacher – and what drew you towards becoming a science teacher specifically?

Ever since I was a little fella, I had a fascination with space and all the things that make the universe unfold the way it does. At school, I always wished I had teachers around me that fed my passions and gave me the tools I needed to follow those passions.

I became a teacher of science, (a) because it is a very fun subject, (b) I want to share my passion for physics and science with everyone, and (c) to help give our ākonga the critical thinking tools needed to engage in some of the huge social and environmental issues that we face either now, or in the future.

What do you like about teaching, and teaching at Nayland specifically?

The bit I like most about teaching is getting to know the students in front of me, year in, year out. I also get to share a part of myself with so many people and it is so cool knowing that you have made an impact on so many lives.

It’s awesome to have active and engaged students. But it is also equally awesome to have an active and engaged staff which Nayland has in spades. Knowing that you have a like-minded group of leaders, teachers and support staff makes all the difference.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I play a little guitar and (try to) sing. I like to get out on a bike. Either cruising the beach front or on a mountain bike trail. Until I busted up my knee recently, I was quite a keen skateboarder. I like making things with my hands, especially with wood. Lastly, everybody’s go to.... reading. Although since becoming a teacher and a father, I find I have far less time for this.... strange, right?

What is one book everyone should read? 

I can’t choose one, but I can cut it down to two:

Fabric of the Cosmos – Brian Greene

A Briefer History of Time – Stephen Hawking

These two books introduced me to ‘popular’ physics (if there is such a thing) and managed to put highly involved concepts into simple terms so that even I could understand them. Mind blowing stuff!

What were you like as a student at school?

Putting it bluntly, I went to school to eat lunch and hang out with my mates. I stuck it out to the end of 7th form (Y13), mind you. I wasn’t a very engaged student but thankfully ended up realising my educational prowess in my mid-twenties.

When I retire, I want to..

Go off-grid and live in a back-country mountain hut. Give me a bow and arrow, some rope, a knife and send me on my way.

How are you coping with the lock down?

Physical condition.... blob. Mental condition..... seem to be holding up. It helps to have a wife and child that take me away from the computer and work when I know I should.

Question from Nicole (last interviewee) What will be the first place you’ll go to eat in Nelson after lock down?

Nahm Thai restaurant. Pricey. But the food is amazing.

Give me one question to ask the next teacher we profile…

What is your favourite food and what’s the furthest you would drive to get it?