HOW WE TEACH

Mrs. Connor graduated with a LLB (Hons) in Law in 2004 and graduated with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Primary Education (3–11) from Bradford University, UK. She has 15 years working in education both in the UK and internationally, having taught in the UK, Egypt, and China. 

Mrs. Connor works very closely with her teaching team to ensure that Léman students are inspired to act and to embed the Global Goals for Sustainable Development within the curriculum. She believes that teachers have a responsibility to create challenging and engaging learning environments, where children can thrive by becoming leaders of their own learning.

Paul has over 20 years of teaching and leadership experience in both UK and International schools. Paul comes with a breadth of experience in implementing and launching both the IB Diploma and Middle Years Programme's.

Originally from Liverpool in the UK, Paul studied Mathematical Physics at the University of Liverpool followed by his PGCE at Liverpool John Moore's University. The first 6 years of his career were spent at schools around the UK before moving to the Bahamas for his first International teaching position teaching IB Physics and Mathematics.  The Bahamas was followed by Sao Paulo, Brazil where Paul developed his leadership skills in a number of positions spanning 9 years. These included Head of KS3 science, Pastoral Lead, and IB Diploma Coordinator. After Sao Paulo, Paul and his young family moved to Cairo where he worked as Head of KS5, IB Diploma Coordinator, and associate assistant principal at New Cairo British International School.

In his most recent role as Whole School Deputy Principal at the International School of Ticino in Switzerland, Paul launched the IB Diploma and saw the first graduates successfully completing the Diploma this year. Paul was also responsible for staff professional development and appraisals, school philosophy and culture, and leading the IB Diploma coordinator network across the Inspired group of schools.

Thomas has been a teacher of English Literature and Language, English Language Acquisition, and History for over a decade. His international experience includes working with the IB curriculum, the English National curriculum, Advanced Placement, ACT, IELTS, and TOEFL. He has held leadership positions such as IB Diploma Coordinator, EAL Coordinator, and Head of Modern Languages, and has taken on many other administrative duties supporting the senior leadership team. His pedagogical belief is that students should take ownership of their work wherever possible and make their studies relevant to their lives.

An adopted son of Chengdu, Thomas first visited the city in 2008 with the intention of staying for a single year teaching English, before returning to his native Yorkshire. Presently, Thomas finds himself still in Chengdu, married to a local woman, raising a small son, and paying off a mortgage. Having worked as a teacher in other cities in China and back in Europe, Thomas has no regrets about settling down in Sichuan; it’s the place he wants to be most, with its relaxed culture and spicy food.

Thomas’s passions are film, music, and food, and he occasionally finds time to go cycling and hiking in the mountains around Chengdu and beyond. He’s also a creative writer and harbours some vague notion that one of his short stories could eventually blossom into a commercially successful novel. Apart from that, he enjoys hanging out with family and friends.

Robert Dolan has a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of Lincoln, UK, and a postgraduate certificate in Education from Bangor University, UK. Since gaining QTS and becoming a teacher, he has evolved continuously as he’s adapted to new children, schools, and challenges. 

Robert started his teaching career in Bolton, in Greater Manchester in the UK. Every class of children he worked with left a lasting impact on him, and he has learnt extensively from all his students. Robert has always sought to create a nurturing learning environment, where his students feel confident to explore new topics and are inspired to develop their knowledge. 

Most recently, Robert has been leading school projects and has developed his role as a senior leader. He has spent the last four years as the Assistant Head of Primary at the British School of Nanjing, where he has guided the school and staff through challenges and has provided the stability and reliability needed.

Tina joined LIS as the Human Resource Manager since 2009, overseeing HR, including recruiting, compensation, benefits, training, performance management, employee relations, and the coordination of government affairs. She’s passionate about education and believes good education will make a difference to children’s lives. She has been focusing on admissions, marketing, and governmental liaison since 2017, and she continues to contribute to the development of the school.