Liza Phillips, Geography Teacher, B Sc (Hons), PGCE (UK), British.

What is your happy space?
Wildernesses – places like Iceland’s glaciers or the highlands of Scotland.

Tell us a less-known fact about you.
I was a trainee officer in the Royal Navy.

How and why did you get into the teaching profession?
A fluke – a naval career wasn’t for me, so I tried a PGCE. 20-odd years later and inspiring young people to care for our world remains more crucial than ever.

What is the greatest thing about being a teacher?
The ‘Eureka!’ moments are brilliant, but really it is the day-to-day buzz of a happy classroom that makes teaching a career like no other.

What is your favourite activity/project at GIS?
Langkawi GCSE geography field trip – paradise!

Describe GIS in three words.
Inspirational, innovative, inclusive.

I wish…
chocolate were a vegetable.

How do you feel about being a part of the GIS community?
Incredibly lucky! Working with such skilled and supportive staff, students and parents each day is a joy.