Teacher Profile: John Dorrell
Year(s) and Subject(s) Taught
Year 7 to 13.
How long have you been teaching?
30 years.
Why did you become a teacher? Why did you choose teaching as a profession?
I found I had a passion for learning and developing creativity and enquiry in others.
Tell us about your own education journey.
I studied in North East London, then King’s College London.
What is the most memorable moment in your teaching career so far?
That spark moment when a learner becomes gripped by a topic, book or idea. Far too many to count, but that moment when they understand something that they never expected to understand and find they love it.
And teaching Hamlet to a class in Sri Lanka when a cobra fell out of the rafters onto my desk!
What do you like most about teaching?
That no two days are ever the same!
What is the best thing about teaching at your school?
The enthusiasm of the learners and commitment of the staff.
Who or what inspires you?
The unexpected.
Describe the ‘perfect’ student.
One who is not focussed on grades, but a genuine interest in thinking beyond what they normally expect. Someone with an open mind.