Great teachers who are experts in their field

“I refrain from giving our students lectures or lists of things they need to memorize by heart. It is their interpretation, their understanding, their reflections, and the links they make between texts that will lead them to produce their best work. I tend to emphasize skills over content since skills are forever and infinitely adaptable to all sorts of contexts.”

After earning a master’s degree in French literature in Paris, Emma Gernez came to Oxford in order to learn English and promptly fell in love with the city, the region, the language, and the people. She has been teaching French in Oxford for 12 years in various international schools and gained a PGCE before joining EF Academy Oxford in 2014. She enjoys learning from her students’ different cultural backgrounds and hopes to bring a little bit of France to the classroom.

“The most important thing for me as an educator is to develop a dialogic classroom in which answers are reached collaboratively. Creating an inclusive and supportive atmosphere is essential in doing this but it is also key that students understand the central role they play in their own learning. One benefit of this is that it encourages students to be more autonomous and prepares them well for what will be expected of them at university and beyond. On a more personal level, it makes my job far more stimulating. The same lesson can explore vastly different avenues of knowledge depending on the students in the room.”

Zen Fordham earned his Master of Arts from the University of Bristol, followed by a Certificate of Education from the University of Cambridge. He has taught in a range of schools, both in the UK and overseas. Prior to joining EF Academy, he was serving as the Head of English at an international school in Slovenia. In his role at EF Academy, Mr. Fordham aims to inspire students to share in his enthusiasm for language and literature.

“The beauty of teaching science is that your day centers around helping others to understand the world around them and to solve problems they see using evidence and logic. Watching our students persevere through a challenge and agree upon new and creative ways to improve an issue is a real gift. Even more rewarding is when our young people apply this approach to other areas of their lives. It’s easy to see how the scientists at EF Academy will use the skills they learn with us to truly become the next generation of global changemakers.”

Dr. Amy Webber's expertise is rooted in her journey, graduating with a master’s and PhD in physics from the University of Warwick, while her research has covered magnetic resonance physics in France and quantum computing at the University of Oxford. While still teaching physics at the University of Oxford, she is currently a STEM Ambassador and Head of EF Academy Oxford's Science Faculty. She incorporates innovative learning practices, like virtual reality to engage her students and share her passion for science.

“Students learn best when they find the part of the subject that appeals to them. That will be different for all of them, but the most important step they can take academically is to say, ‘I want to know more about this’. Once they want that, everything else follows.”

Matthew Foster brings considerable expertise to the role of IB Diploma Programme Coordinator from his commercial management experience, leading the school’s Humanities department, and from his teaching of history, law, and politics at the university level. Mr. Foster is a graduate of the University of Oxford, has a master’s degree from the University of York, and has practiced law at a leading international firm.