Richard first completed a PhD in Molecular Biology and became a post-doctoral researcher. Experience of university lecturing showed him that he had a gift for teaching and an enthusiasm for making science accessible. Thinking he would have most impact as a high school biology teacher, he decided to train as one.
His approach to teaching 16- to 18-year-olds A-level biology at Middlesbrough College in Billingham involves as much variety as possible to make lessons interesting, engaging and memorable. He uses experiments, fieldwork, videos, e-learning, models, role play, simulations, analogies, learning games – and the occasional poem, song and dance. He has found that performing biology songs and dances helps his students remember complicated biological processes and learn numerous new terms.
Richard has won several teaching awards, including the Salters Prize for Teaching Chemistry and two national STAR awards (Further Education Teacher of The Year and Outstanding Subject Learning Coach). He led his biology department to win a UK national Association of Colleges Beacon Award for Excellence in Teaching and Student Achievement in Biology. He was awarded Chartered Science Teacher status by the Association of Science Education & Science Council UK (2007) and Chartered Biologist status by the Society of Biology (2013). Richard was appointed Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year’s Honours List (2010) for services to science communication and was named as one of the UK’s Top 100 Practising Scientists in 2014.
He has contributed to a long list of national and international conferences and teacher training workshops. Richard has also provided numerous online resources for teachers as well as award-winning e-learning courses for students. Locally he has taken part in several initiatives that aim to generate enthusiasm for science in school children. He also implemented a highly successful before-school literacy program called ‘Breakfast with Books’ that increased academic achievement of ethnic minority and at-risk students.
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