Teacher Tuesday : Mr Andrew Clifford
‘Teacher Tuesday’ is back after a 3-year hiatus! In our first interview of the year, we feature a new member of our community; Mr. Andrew Clifford! A qualified teacher with 20 years of experience and with a BSc (Hons) Zoology from University of Southampton under his belt, Mr. Clifford started teaching in KIS secondary school since August 2022 . Find out more about him, his favourite football team, and Netflix recommendations!
You’ve mentioned that you’ve visited Sabah before and ‘instantly fell in love with the place”, would you mind sharing with us what made you feel that way?
How can you not? The first time I came to Sabah was about 5BC (Before Children) but the main things haven’t changed: from a fantastic coastline to incredible rainforests, it ticks all the boxes for me. I feel happiest when I’m surrounded by nature. KK itself has changed a lot, with many more tall buildings but the melting pot of cultures is still here and of course, that means the delicious food as well!
How is your family adjusting to life in KK? Is there a place or activity that you/ your children have recently discovered?
Very well! Obviously we miss our family and friends in the UK but everyone has been so welcoming towards us, including the students at KIS, which has made the transition easy. It’s becoming more and more difficult to think of life away from KK. We all enjoy a stroll down to Gaya Street on a Sunday morning to have some bao and dim sum for breakfast and pick up another plant or two for our balcony.
Why did you choose to teach Biology as a career and is there a specific topic in Biology that interests you the most?
I have always loved nature and so it was an obvious choice for me. If I can instill a bit of that passion into the young people I teach then I am happy. Evolution is an academic passion of mine but I’m also a keen forager so love mycology and have a greater appreciation for botany than I did when I studied Zoology at university.
How do you feel about CRISPR-cas9? Do you think that there would be any genetic consequences that might occur further down the line?
I think it’s an incredibly powerful piece of technology which could revolutionise many aspects of our lives, from curing genetic diseases to bridging the world hunger gap, but as a great sage once said, or it may have been from a Spiderman movie, with great power comes great responsibility and this has never been truer than in the case of CRISPR. We need to ensure the technology is well regulated because if it’s not humankind could open up a Pandora’s box that could be very difficult to close.
Some burning questions from the students! What type of student were you when you were in high school?
I loved learning but hated the way I was taught at school. It was very much ‘copy from the textbook’ every lesson.
By any chance, were you part of a band?
Ha no I wish! Unfortunately, I have as much rhythm as a dead duck which is why I am always in awe of anyone who is musically talented. I have already been treated to listening to some incredibly gifted young people here at KIS and I look forward to listening to many more.
You have mentioned that you played football, do you watch football matches often? If so, what is the team that you are supporting?
Play is a very loose description of me on a football pitch, but I do love to do it. One of the hardest things to cope with about moving to Sabah is the time difference with the UK which means I watch very few live Premier League games anymore. I have always been a Liverpool supporter as is the rest of my family.
Any Netflix show recommendations?
David Attenborough is my all-time hero, so Our Planet is a must-watch. I also like crime dramas and I would recommend Line of Duty for our older students.
