Issue 51 Aurora Magazine October 2022

educate
I’m a qualified teacher now, and no longer with TFA, and I’ve been at Denmark Senior
High School since the beginning of the year.”
Ehsan, now 28, says the decision to become a teacher was influenced by some of his
own teachers.
“I had a teacher in Iran who used to buy us pens and bring us food. She genuinely cared
about us. One of my Australian teachers also inspired me through his sheer enthusiasm
for the topics he taught. It’s because of him that I went on to study engineering. I had
so much respect for him; he would lower himself to our level and wasn’t afraid to learn
with us and take risks by not using any pre-packaged lessons so we were all learning
together.”
What Ehsan learnt he now brings to his own teaching practice and having been a
volunteer support worker for refugee youths who’ve suffered torture or trauma he says
he was particulary keen to teach teenagers. It’s important to add that Ehsan’s youth
work also led him to be a finalist in WA’s 2014 Youth Awards.
“Teenagers are so authentic, genuine and without a hidden agenda. I love creating
‘ah-ha’ moments in the classroom and it’s great when my students succeed but it’s just
as important to celebrate mistakes as that’s the first step to learning. I also really enjoy
how they keep me up to date with popular culture,” Ehsan adds, grinning.
Ehsan says teaching is an extremely impactful job as you can make a big difference in a
young person’s life.
“Teaching teenagers means always bringing your A Game and matching their energy
and enthusiasm. It’s rewarding but some days I go home totally exhausted. I teach
physics and maths and I want studying these subjects to be like a work out at the gym
A teacher is far more than an
educator; you’re a psychologist,
carer, mentor, nurse and role model.
It’s a lot of hats to wear. Ehsan Warasi
mentor, nurse and role model. It’s a lot of hats to wear.”
Recognising when kids are struggling is important to Ehsan and he says teenagers are
very good at “flying under the radar” so his life experiences have given him incredible
empathy for students struggling with life and learning.
“Teaching is a privilege but so too is education. More than 100 million children
worldwide don’t have access to education. I’d like kids to know how fortunate they are
to be able to go to school.”
Half of Ehsan’s family have not survived to see his achievements – including one of his
brothers who lost his life in a separate attempt to flee to Australia by boat – but Ehsan
doesn’t talk much about this. Instead he’s trying to build a new life based on triumph
rather than tragedy.
There’s no doubt that Ehsan Warasi is more than a teacher. He’s a living-lesson in
resilience in the face of adversity.
Thank a teacher: World Teachers’ Day is celebrated in Australia on Friday 28 October.
- hard but good. A teacher is far more than an educator; you’re a psychologist, carer, BELOW: Ehsan Warasi in action teaching mathematics at Demark Senior High School.
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