Richard has spent the past 17 years in Asia between Korea, China, and Hong Kong. He has over a decade of experience teaching DP Geography & TOK and is a qualified IB examiner. While his primary role is in university admissions, he retains a great enthusiasm for all humanities subjects.

On becoming a teacher:

After an intense time as a new graduate and political consultant, wanderlust took over and I seized an opportunity to spend a year off teaching in Seoul. Having no intentions of pursuing education, from the moment I set foot in the classroom, I felt like this is where I truly belonged. My teaching career has been a constant evolution, having progressed from teaching small children to being a lecturer at a major university in Seoul. Over the past 10 years I have lived in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Hong Kong and have worked for multiple international schools

I didn’t mean to become a teacher but sometimes the stars align and put you in the right place. I both have an unquenchable thirst for learning and an unstoppable tendency to find the right moments to share that knowledge with others. I seized the opportunity to teach geography as it covers the entirety of human activity on this planet. I firmly believe people cannot possibly understand the world in which they live without strong foundations in both geography and history.

The instant I see a spark of recognition and understanding in the eyes of a student whereby the world, to them, has just become a little bit bigger place. I vicariously live the triumphs of my students and am most gratified by their growth as members of society, far beyond the individual results they may receive.

Other interests that reflect on my personality as a teacher:

I read constantly, I cook obsessively, sometimes working on recipes many times over in an attempt to perfect the dish, I have a vast knowledge of the world and am definitely someone you would want on a quiz team. Major travel enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the many cultures found around the world.

People I find inspirational and why:

Hans Rosling, late, great Swedish statistician and the most awe inspiring lecturer I have ever encountered. He founded The Gapminder Foundation and Dollar Street as a way to utilize the power of data and imagery to illustrate how the world is a better place than it has ever been in the history of humankind. He also, for the first time in my life gave me a true sense of how disparities and wealth and development affects virtually every aspect of societies, from lifespan, fertility, education, health, and gender empowerment. No student of mine has ever left my tutelage without a watch of his YouTube lectures and strongest possible recommendation to read his books.

Anthony Bourdain, late chef and author of numerous books, inspired me to break out of the normal grind of the American Dream to discover then connections between history, food, and culture. The people he met across his television series instilled within me both a humility of where I’d come from and a desire to embrace everything I possibly can within my lifetime and to build a platform from which to impart that knowledge to others. He also inspired me to never be afraid to try new things, a trait I have most proud to have instilled within my own daughter.

Top tip to younger self:

Don’t Panic! - quote my favorite book of all time. Life is far too short for stress and regrets and given the opportunity to change anything, I think I would have told myself to take myself a little less seriously, have more fun, and travel as often as possible. Set your own course and don’t be affected by the expectations of others nor to conform to society.