I am an English and History High School teacher currently residing in the northern suburbs of Perth, Australia. I began teaching in 1990 in South Africa in a public / government school on the East Rand of Johannesburg (Benoni). During these early years of my career I saw the Berlin Wall collapse followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the release of Nelson Mandela from prison. The internet was being born and teachers were afraid that students would stop reading and that society would fall apart. Now, thirty five years later, people still read, there are still fears that students do not read and people still fear social collapse.

Having taught on two continents in a variety of schools from public, alternate to private, I am confident that young people have always been smarter than their parents have assumed, societies endure tragedy, but generally emerge stronger than they were before. Since the advent of the printing press, the emergence of steam power, the novel, the motor car and aircraft, there have always been those who see in their wake the destruction of humanity, and yet we are still here.

People all over the world are experiencing immense emotional, physical and existential crises and we acknowledge their pain. In the face of this, those of us who have the means have the responsibility to maintain hope. Oftentimes we feel helpless when fellow human beings suffer in far away places. We can honour them by making the most of life where it proceeds without the threat of harm. Optimism is more than an attitude, it is a way of living.
My philosophy in life and teaching is simple: the world is small. It’s the one square meter beneath our feet. If each of us takes care of that we take care of the world.

I have a website called suburban leaves where I post writing and Art. https://mikescallan.com/

In 2019 I was short listed for the Overland Fair Australia Short Story Prize.
In 2023 I was a finalist in the Furphy Literary Award and one of my short stories was published in the Furphy Short Story Anthology.

Bio stuff.

Day job: English and Modern History secondary school teacher.

Self-taught artist: exhibited my art at the 1997 Grahamstown Festival.

2019 – short-listed for The Overland Fair Australia Short Story Prize.

2023 – short-listed for the Furphy Literary Award.