Introducing Teacher Tuesday!
From now until the end of the academic year, we will focus on a different member of staff to discover more about their role, their personality and what they like about Ealing Independent College - giving a unique insight into the people who help to make the College a special place.
The magnifying glass has been pointed first at Guillermo, our Head of Biology and Spanish GCSE Teacher.
Guillermo has been teaching at EIC for five years. So we wanted to know what has kept him at the College for so long and what he enjoys most about working here.
He previously worked at a state school around Willesden Junction. Moving to a small College that only allows 12 students per class was understandably such a positive change for a teacher who was used to teaching 30 students at the same time as he could have almost three times as much time to spend with each student.
Guillermo appreciates the small classes, and especially the fact that in such a small environment, teachers truly have the time to really get to know their students, and therefore finding the best way to support them through their academic life.
As a consequence, behavioural problems here are little to none.
He says: “The small class sizes give the teacher a chance to fully understand the students’ needs, and for the students to fully know you as a teacher as well, so you have a relationship with them. If you give me the name of one of my students, I would be able to tell you what they like and how they have performed academically in the past few years; I remember even the marks they got in their mock exams.”
Guillermo also adds that to him, the strength of the College consists of giving the students the chance of becoming fully independent. The fact that the students can go out during their lunch break, wear no uniforms and be trusted in so many ways creates a University-like environment where students can fully grow, both academically and socially.
The fact that he is so passionate about his job might make one wonder if he has always been so interested in Biology - and he confirmed that’s exactly the case. He was only a boy when he announced he wanted to become a Biologist, whilst all his primary school friends dreamt about being a firefighter, a police Officer, or even a pirate.
Guillermo was fascinated by the study of Biology, the Science that allows people to understand the real essence of human nature and the world around us. Thus, after working as a researcher in Glasgow, he decided to spread the passion for Biology and start a dynamic and challenging career in teaching.
So, outside of College life, what does Guillermo get up to?
Biology is not the only interest that Guillermo is passionate about; would you have guessed that he is part of a musical theatre company that performs once every three months at Alexandra Palace?
Finally, a fun fact: Guillermo can reproduce exactly the sound of a flute just by using his hands on top of his mouth - and whilst this isn’t what he does at Alexandra Palace, if you don’t look at him whilst he does it, it really sounds like a flute!