Global Sustainability Institute
David's research explores creative methods and stories for engagement in nature from neurodivergent people’s perspectives. He has a studentship under the CAM Doctoral Training Partnership, and is co-supervised by Dr Sarah Royston (Global Sustainability Institute) and Dr Tim Jarvis (Cambridge School of Creative Industries).
David is a keen reader, writer, developer of fantastical worlds. He has written 100 sonnets in 100 days (and appreciated, maybe, three of them). Comedy is something he loves, and his soft heart enjoys the occasional moving drama.
His research history has been, primarily, focussed on the value of the written word in society. This began as an appreciation and developing understanding of how fairy tales have been used throughout history (from mocking the monarchy, to making millions for a chap called Walt). It further developed into examining the logic and the negativity within Barthes’ notion of mythologies: his developing stance being that poetry and short stories do have a role in challenging a hierarchy in society. He has also explored how using questions aimed the metacognitive development of the student is one of the best ways to help educate and develop pupils. He then went on to experience the tough realities of applying that to an academy classroom.
He has had the privilege of working with babies and toddlers in a nursery setting. This provided him with an insight into early years communicative development. He went on to being a support worker for asylum seeking individuals: this gifted him with a rich understanding of their harrowing journeys across to the UK, and the difficulties that are present in the UK legal system for those seeking asylum. He moved onto working as a support worker in a SEND setting, where he had the advantage of working across the school from primary to secondary school age students. Following a short-time as a teacher-in-training, then teacher, he has returned to working as a support worker in a SEND setting: this time supporting adolescents and young adults stepping into collage and other work settings.