“I did not expect to be nominated for teacher of the year. It was not my goal, which maybe helped me to get it in the first place. I had some great experiences with some lecturers as a student and they were very powerful and have stayed with me. The teachers, what they were able to do even with traditional lectures then … the essence can be magical. It’s always stuck with me.
‘I dabble in self-deprecating humor’
I make a lot of jokes in my lectures and most of them are politically correct. I dabble in self-deprecating humor, and the students seem to enjoy that. It makes the experience more human. I really want them to know what a complicated formula means, to understand it like it’s in their DNA. They know that I want that for them and it goes a long way, and sometimes it actually works.
I started lecturing full time in 2008. Before this I was providing strategy and finance advice to government and companies in London, so this is a very big change. That was interesting for a while, but eventually there was an end to the challenge for me. I couldn’t be motivated by money alone. That’s not what makes me tick. Eventually I wanted to find something that I like more and that’s how I ended up back here.
This is kind of a way that I can make a difference in the world. My lecturers made a difference for me so I think if I can help people be more open-minded, more critical, that’s an investment in the future.”
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Heather Montague / Freelance writer
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