Derek L. Elliott is excited to be joining the LIS community as the new MYP Individuals and Societies teacher. He believes that curiosity and inquiry are the foundations for learning and knowledge creation. As each answer begins as a query, or moment of curiosity, it is through honing the skills of how to ask purposeful and meaningful questions that lead to the best answers and solutions that our learners will need to meet the growing challenges of our ever-changing world.
Before moving to Slovenia in 2022, Derek and his family lived for over ten years in Morocco. There, he taught courses in history and politics at a liberal arts university located in the Atlas Mountains. Originally from Canada, Derek holds a PhD in History from the University of Cambridge, master’s degrees from LSE and Universität Leipzig, and a joint BA (Hons) in International Development Studies and Political Science from Dalhousie University.
Derek began his career in education as a wilderness and alpine instructor, leading climbing and wilderness backcountry expeditions up and down the Americas, from Alaska to Patagonia. While age has somewhat tempered his outdoor activities, he still enjoys time in the mountains and the occasional via ferrata with family and friends. Derek has been visiting Slovenia regularly since 2002 and is very happy to now call the country his home, and for the opportunity to improve his Slovene, korak po korak.