A Conversation With... Mr Neil Adam

In today's 'A Conversation With...', we caught up with a new, yet familiar, face from the Maths Department! Mr Neil Adam previously worked as a temporary member of staff at Shiplake at the start of the last academic year and we were delighted to welcome him back on a permanent basis this year! In this feature, we learn more about how he got into teaching maths, what makes Shiplake stand out, and more!

What is your role and how long have you been at Shiplake? 

I am a maths teacher and a tutor with the fantastic Burr House! This is my second appearance at the school, having been here for the Autumn Term last year as a fill-in until Mr Bob Jones arrived. I am now here on a permanent basis having retuned to Shiplake at the start of this academic year. 

What were you doing before working at Shiplake? 

I have taught maths and computing in a variety of schools and spent some time out of the classroom supporting the introduction of IT systems in school administration during the early days of MIS. I have always been interested in computing since we had a very rudimentary mini-computer (a PDP-11) during my time in Sixth Form. However, my programming has never been good enough as I made too many simple mistakes. I have been much more attracted to the problem-solving and support functions, which are essential skills in teaching too. 

I have also spent some time in a consultancy role, training teachers and writing about educational use of IT. That work was largely funded via a government agency that was closed in 2010, so I felt that a return to teaching was the most viable option. My initial training had been in geography and maths, and I had originally taught maths in inner-city Leicester. As ever, there were plenty of opportunities for mathematicians. Although busy, working at Shiplake has been a highlight of my career. 

This is your second stint here; is it fair to say that you missed us enough to return?

Yes, and it seems the pupils missed me too! I was made very welcome on my return by both staff and students, which was quite an unusual feeling! I was working at a girls' school when Mr Howe rang saying, "You know, Neil, how we said that there were no positions here...". After some persuasion - maths teachers still being in short-supply - I agreed to return. This worked out well as the teacher I had been covering at my previous school recovered to return. While the other school was very good and achieved excellent results, it had a very business-like atmosphere that couldn't make up for the warmth found in the Shiplake community. Furthermore, it's been great to have a co-ed Year 7 - it feels as though the girls have always been here and really belong to the school community. 

What is a day in the life like for you here at the College? 

Mainly teaching! Looking at emails first-thing, before tutor time, assembly or chapel; with school lessons throughout the day and activities in the afternoon. I remain stunned by the quality of the school food served by our kitchen staff at lunch, and I would probably benefit from engaging in the weights room activities that I supervise. However, that is most definitely not my natural habitat! I did manage to do some swimming before the summer, so it is a shame that our pool cannot be open year-round. 

What does Mr Adam do in his spare time? 

I like walking with friends. Although living onsite during the week, I often return "home" to the Dorset area at weekends for the walking group that I run on Saturday mornings. We normally cover around six miles, which feels like sufficient justification for the pub lunch that follows. I also attend an evangelical church in Blandford Forum, where I cover my share of "media" duties - largely projecting the words for worship songs. The village that I live in has quite a lot of events, so I can be found as a helper at the fete or participating in quizzes, as duties allow. 

What does the future hold for you? 

That is quite open, although the horizon for formal work draws in as I get older. I have thought of teaching overseas, but that seems increasingly unlikely. However, it would be good to "get out and see the world".