60 Seconds With Mrs Luther, Teacher in Charge of Sociology and Psychology

I am Head of the Sociology and Psychology department and an Upper Sixth form tutor.  I greatly enjoy preparing pupils for A-Level subjects and assisting them with UCAS applications as they start to envisage their life beyond school. Before training as a teacher, I worked for the National Trust and as a solicitor.  I grew up in Brussels and have lived in Hong Kong and Singapore with my own family.  I have written poetry since I was a child and I am now a member of the Kent and Sussex Poetry Society. 

Favourite thing about teaching 

Teachers are the original influencers and have been for millennia.  We have an extraordinary opportunity to introduce pupils to new concepts and perspectives on the individual and society.  We can assist pupils to make sense of the world and to think beyond themselves as to how they can make a positive contribution to society.

Top tip for students studying Sociology and Psychology

Read the news and read novels!  Read the news to develop awareness of the structure of contemporary society, the existence of culture and gender bias, inequality and the effect of government policy on particular groups.  Read novels to develop historical understanding of the context in which socio-economic and psychological theories have been written and to develop empathy for the lives of those we will never meet.

Department highlights and Upcoming Events 

The Lower Sixth pupils have conducted a Sociological research project and are going to share their findings and conclusions with Year 10 AIMS pupils at a Sociology Workshop.  They have been investigating how gender impacts the socialisation of children, peer pressure, the formation of identity and gendered language. 

The Lower Sixth Sociology and Psychology classes will be attending a day of hearings at a Magistrates' Court this term.  This trip enables pupils to see the criminal justice system in action and how compassionately and carefully cases are handled.  It highlights the effects of  the lack of opportunity on the lives of individuals, substance abuse, relationship breakdown and unemployment.  Education should be transformative and experiences of this nature give pupils a broader perspective on life and society.