Can you tell us about your role at Blackheath High?

I am Geography Teacher and have been here since September, so 6 weeks! I teach Geography to all year groups and attend field trips. I recently went with the Year 11 Geographers to Juniper Hall for their field work, which was really enjoyable.

I am really looking forward to going to Iceland in February and to the Jurassic Coast with Year 12 in April. I’ve never seen Durdle Door (a sea arch) before so I am really excited about seeing that. My Year 9 classes are learning about coastal landforms at the moment, and I use photos of Durdle Door when I teach erosional landforms, so it will be great to see it!

What did you do previously?

Previously, I was teaching at a large international school in Bangkok, Thailand. It is nice to work in a small school, my last one had 2300 students, so it has been easy to get to know a lot of the students here in a short space of time.

I have taught a range of students from a range of backgrounds and, having used Firefly to teach in my previous school, I am developing the Geography curriculum on ours to make resources easily available to our students.

What do you like most about your job?

When I am in the classroom, teaching and interacting with students.

What makes working here at Blackheath High so rewarding and enjoyable?

Excellent students and staff to work with. I really enjoy being a form tutor so time with my form is also really rewarding.

When did your passion for Geography begin?

When I was studying Geography at A-level. I found it really interesting and I have found it hugely beneficial when travelling to different places. Geography is everything, so it is a really great subject to study. For example, I was able to explain to my friend all about volcanoes when we visited Mount Fuji in Japan. She hadn’t studied Geography since she was in Year 9 and wanted to know all about why it formed and what made it erupt.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love travelling. Last Christmas I went to New Zealand and did a glacier walk, which was amazing! This summer I travelled along the West Coast of the USA, which was brilliant.

What are you most proud of?

Running a 10km race around Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I had never run properly before and signing up gave me the focus to start. I now enjoy running (well, mostly!).

What has been your biggest challenge?

Moving to a new country has been the biggest and most exciting challenge.

Tell me something surprising about yourself.

I lived in Yemen for a year when I was 6 years old.