Sophie Dand – Meet the Teacher

Before starting at Bangkok Prep, Sophie worked at two independent schools in West London teaching Geography, History, the EPQ and was also responsible for coaching sports teams.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Geography (Royal Holloway London, UK)

PGCE (University College London, UK)

Please can you describe your responsibilities as Head of EPQ and Geography teacher?

As Head of EPQ I run, plan and deliver the taught element part of the EPQ course. I am in charge of delivering training to other teachers, who act as supervisors, as well as approving all the project proposals for the 80 x Year 12 students who are currently embarking on their EPQ journey. I have to ensure we run a program that gives students the skills they need to write a fully researched and referenced 5000 word report in just a few months, a challenging task! I also do all the administration regarding the running of this qualification and its future role in the Sixth Form curriculum.

As a Geography teacher I plan and deliver lessons to students from all Secondary age groups from Y7 to A-Level. I have the pleasure of teaching ten different classes so have already got to know lots of students!

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I enjoy the varied nature of the job the most – you just never know what a day is going to bring. Teaching a subject like Geography is so diverse and it changes all the time, for example with geographers always getting a little excited when they hear of a volcano erupting or an earthquake! Likewise with the EPQ the range of topics the students choose is fascinating and they never fail to amaze me with the creative and detailed research and reports they manage to submit.

Why did you decide to become a Geography teacher?

I actually found Geography super easy at school, I did it as an additional GCSE in my spare time! During my final year at university I was looking at graduate schemes and jobs in the city of London and found the idea of doing a job which didn’t directly involve Geography every day so boring. I thought what job allows me to research, discuss and share geographical ideas every single day? This is it!

How do you make teaching Geography fun?

I think the best way to make Geography fun is to make it relatable. Bringing examples and case studies into the classroom by using a range of media were always the most interesting and enjoyable and memorable lessons for me as a child! I have run multiple trips all around the world from Iceland and Malaysia to San Francisco and Las Vegas. The beauty of Geography is that you can find it anywhere in the world so the trip possibilities are endless!

What do you enjoy outside of teaching/work?

Outside of work, I love to travel. In the last 18 months I have climbed the tallest sand dunes in the world, traversed the most dangerous stretch of impassable jungle and interviewed locals at the world’s largest laundry, feats that stretched 4 continents. I am a keen football fan and although my playing days seem to be over I am hoping to see the mighty Fulham FC return to the premier league this season!