Anika Interviews Physics Teacher

Anika Green, one of our kiwi student ambassadors interviewed Mr Jonas Kortner, her Physics Teacher at Kerikeri High School.

Why did you choose to become a teacher?

Mr Kortner chose to become a teacher because he wanted to try something different, he was working as a Research Scientist at Massey University.  He was looking for a new challenge.

Why did you choose to teach Physics?

He initially applied to be a Chemistry teacher (that best matches his qualifications and work as a Research Scientist), but Physics teachers were in such demand that he was asked to teach Physics instead.  

What do you love the most about Physics?

Mr. Kortner likes Physics because it has lots of structure to it.  Unlike Chemistry where there are as many exceptions as rules, Physics is an exact science. He also likes the fact that Physics is the fundamentals of all other sciences.

What is the most challenging thing about teaching Physics?

The most challenging thing about teaching Physics for Mr. Kortner is that his feeling of success is dependent on how well his students perform, he likens it to one big team, all members of the team need to be at peak performance!

What made you choose to teach at Kerikeri High School?

Mr Kortner was teaching in Auckland and wanted to relocate his family to a family friendly part of New Zealand and thought Kerikeri looks like a nice place to live!  He feels that Kerikeri High School is a very supportive “community” and enjoys his time here.

More about Kerikeri High School…