Lara Miller (Teach First)
Name: Lara Miller
Subject: Geography BSc
Graduated: 2012
College: Fylde
Where are you now and what are you doing?
Following on from graduation in 2012, I went travelling around New Zealand and the South Pacific, I then completed a Masters in International Human Rights Law at the University of Leeds. I’m currently a Teach First 2015 Geography Participant. I’m in my second year of the Teach First Leadership Development Programme (LDP), halfway through my NQT year at a school in the centre of Bradford, West Yorkshire.
What would you like to do next?
I plan to finish this academic year in Bradford, and then relocate to Plymouth (personal circumstances have changed). I plan to continue teaching for a few more years to see how far I can go. I’m currently in the process of applying to be a Response Team Volunteer with ShelterBox, and would like to pursue a career in Disaster Response/ Humanitarian work in the future.
Why did you choose to study at Lancaster?
I chose Lancaster because I liked the idea of a campus-based, collegiate University. I also carefully researched how it fared in terms of student satisfaction surveys, and subject league tables. The main thing that appealed to me was the fact that all of my lecturers would be active researchers, working on their own studies while guiding me with mine.
What was your favourite part of your degree and why?
I absolutely loved researching and writing my dissertation (yes really!). I chose a tricky topic to research (Human Trafficking in the UK), but was very well supported by LEC, I really enjoyed being given the independence to study something I was so interested in, this led me on to my Masters in Human Rights Law.
How do you think your time at Lancaster prepared you for what you’re currently doing?
Whilst in my second year, I was able to participate in a module called “Teaching in Geography”, this allowed for me to work in partnership with a classroom teacher in a local school to deliver Geography lessons. I genuinely believe that this experience, and the support recieved from LEC while doing it, led to me successfully applying for the Teach First LDP.
What did you enjoy most about your time at Lancaster?
I was heavily involved in two extra-curricular groups which made my Lancaster University experience what it was. I was an active member of the Lancaster University Womens Hockey Club (LUWHC), participating in the Exec as both a Social Secretary, and Matches and Fixtures Co-ordinator. I also joined the University Officers Training Corps (UOTC), this was the BEST thing I did whilst at University, I got to go away with the Army every other weekend, and get paid to do it. I made lifelong friends through the UOTC, as well as meeting my partner through it.
