So I'm a 23 year old (yes that makes me a 90s kid!) Head of Geography and Business Studies Teacher at Bonus Pastor Catholic College.
I always knew that I wanted to teach. When you ask kids "what do you want to do when you're older" I had 3 answers; a MI5 Spy, a High Court Judge, and a Geography Teacher. The first one really is a pipe dream (though do try to persuade the kids sometimes that I am one, undercover...). I got as far as studying A Level Law then gave up, for my true passion, Geography.
Geography fascinates me. It touches every aspect of everyone's lives. It's multifaceted, and the complexity, the dynamicity and explosiveness of the relationships, processes and patterns between humans, environments and each other is what makes me not only want to delve into it, but teach it.
Having delved into Geography at Portsmouth Uni I began to explore my interest in teaching through my dissertation project, involving my work as a RGS Geography Ambassador, to understand why pupils, particularly those in inner city schools, picked, or as was often the case, didn't pick, Geography at GCSE.
From the endless reams of questionnaires, many said they didn't choose Geography for 3 key reasons. 1) A lack of enjoyment - "it's dull and boring sir!"
2) A poor understanding of how it would be useful and relevant to them later in life.
From my reading it came out that Geography is often a very much middle class, sometimes rural, white, subject. And this turned my attention towards Teach First. I wanted to make Geography fun, relevant, useful to kids who may not have the desire or opportunity to study real Geography!
Teach First placed me in an inner city school in Lewisham - Prendergast Ladywell School - with a high percentage of FSM and low GCSE results. Yet I worked with and trained under one of the most inspirational Geography Teachers ever: a crazy, ginger-haired Welshman called Simon Jones, who inspired a passion and enthusiasm within his pupils which was infectious.
Taking over from him as Head of Department during my NQT year was a rocky road - though I managed to increase our fieldtrips 5 fold, getting inner city Lewisham kids into the local river, building slums in the grounds, around the Crystal Exhibition, down to the sea (for many the first time ever!) and some even to the top of Skiddaw!
However as the school environment changed, I felt it was time to move on, and in January 2014 started as Head of Geography and Business Studies at Bonus Pastor Catholic College - where I hope to settle, grow and hone my trade.
Throughout this exploration my faith in Christ has helped guide me and kept my moral code in check as it permeates through everything I do, and models the relationships that I want to have both with my pupils, and colleagues.
But once the work is as done as it can be (it never is really finished) I spend time with my girlfriend, head down to the allotment, cook something we've grown, and explore the world further.
This is only the start of my career - and I started this blog as I began at Bonus Pastor - to document my experiences and Geographical Education Explorations as I further adventure into my Geographical teacher career.
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