Taylorian 2020

10 Andrew Hare Andrew Hare joined the Physics team fresh out of Leeds University towards the end of the Summer Term in 2019. Within a few days of arriving, and having had it pointed out to him that his hair suited his surname on numerous occasions, he had already settled into school life. He shadowed the legendary David Hivey and was eager to help in lessons and get stuck into teaching right away. He left for the summer holidays having procured a large number of resources and ideas and returned in September having planned most of his teaching career in huge detail; I think it is fair to say that on the first day of the new school year Andrew was the most prepared out of the whole Physics Department for the year ahead! The Department had seen a fair bit of change this academic year with three new members of staff. Andrew was the only member who had not had any previous teaching experience, but this was never once noticeable. It quickly became evident that he was not only a very intuitive and natural teacher, but also an incredibly organised one with a passion for post-it notes. He took on a significant teaching timetable with ease and confidence. Andrew has never once seemed fazed by being thrown in the deep end. He delivered innovative lessons, always looking for interesting ways to present new concepts, always aware of potential misconceptions. He was never afraid to try new ideas and could often be found undertaking activities such as pushing a student around his classroom on a wheelie chair while the rest of the class plotted a graph of the journey. He would readily spend a significant amount of time helping students outside of lessons and maintained high expectations of them. He was meticulous with the rules he laid down, and students always felt they knew what was expected and where they stood. In his usual fashion, he readily took on the organisation of the annual trip to Greenwich with very little fuss, happily got stuck into his first Field Day (the 4th form paintballing trip), and dedicated his time to football, both as a Games option and as part of the staff team.   Andrew is going on to complete his SCITT at Parmiter’s School, and along with this milestone is looking forward to getting married next year. The Physics office will hugely miss his incredibly tidy desk, his unflappable demeanor, and his real enjoyment and passion for teaching the subject. It seems that within a year he has already become a proficient and exemplary teacher, which is a testament to his hard work. I am certain that he will make a huge impact throughout his teaching career and I know that his students this year are very grateful for his commitment to their success. Ms K N Hustwitt Lizzie Whaley We have been incredibly fortunate to welcome Lizzie into our Geography department in her final year with us at Merchant Taylors’. She has risen to the challenges that have come her way and always maintained a professional outlook. Her cheerful, proactive nature has been an inspiration to boys and staff alike, and the hours of work that she has invested in her lesson preparation and follow-up have provided an exceptional service to our pupils in the Lower School. She has worked hard to develop her teaching skills and I hope one day she pursues this as a career. She has been a delight to work with and has shown a willingness to adapt her teaching to an online version with style. Lizzie is a woman of many talents and not one to boast, so it may come as some surprise that she was so active in so many other areas of the school.  Originally employed in Learning Support in 2018, Lizzie has been invaluable in her capacity supporting the boys. Lizzie’s friendly and calm manner led to her being highly regarded by pupils, colleagues and pupils’ parents. During her time at the school, Lizzie has shown herself to be quick and keen to learn, highly motivated, reflective and reliable. She also has contributed much to Drama in her two years, accompanying numerous theatre trips and assisting with the stage management for the Lower School plays. She showed creative flair and was a great help in the backstage and make-up departments for Les Misérables, becoming an amazing member of the team, always willing to give her time to help in evenings and weekends. Her calm, positive presence brought a good influence to every production.  Lizzie was also heavily involved with the Outdoor Education Department. In CCF Lizzie was a non-uniformed volunteer (NUV) for the Navy section and was involved in a number of exercises on Field Days and during summer camp in Bala, Wales. She went on naval visits including Valete Valete Staff Leavers