James Lanser
Study Type: School Leaver Academic
Study Location: Joseph Wright Centre
Subject Studied: A Levels
Former JWC A level student set to become geography teacher.
Inspired by Derby College’s innovative teaching methods, former Derby College A level student James Lanser is about to start a new job as a geography teacher.
James, who took A levels in Government and Politics, Geography and Law at Joseph Wright Centre, takes up his new role in September at The Farnley Academy in Leeds.
After college he first considered pursuing a political career, taking a politics degree and working as a parliamentary research intern at Westminster.
But experience in assisting disadvantaged young people via an outreach programme while an ambassador at Hull University – and his interest in climate change – led him into teaching instead.
Now 24, James took a post graduate degree in renewable energy at Hull and went on to take his PGCE at Leeds University.
Describing his time at Joseph Wright as pivotal in helping him explore his options, James still draws on what he learned from his Derby College geography teachers.
He said: “Kat taught us A level geography and I’ll never forget her using Oreos to demonstrate how tectonic plates slide over each other. That lesson stayed with me and I used the biscuits to perform the same demonstration at my interview for the PGCE course.”
James has a particular interest in human geography and the effects of climate change on people and the planet.
He added: “Geography occupies a unique place on the curriculum and climate change sits neatly within it. As part of their studies, pupils can engage with this issue and explore its effect. A lot of secondary school pupils aren’t yet aware of just what a massive impact climate change is going to have on them by the time they reach the mid part of their lives.”
Kat taught us A level geography and I’ll never forget her using Oreos to demonstrate how tectonic plates slide over each other. That lesson stayed with me and I used the biscuits to perform the same demonstration at my interview for the PGCE course.