Zander Lyvers

Upper School Social Science Teacher

Zander Lyvers grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. After graduating from the College of Charleston he moved to Brooklyn and began teaching Global History in Astoria while working on his master's degree at Queens College. 

In 2015 he got married and moved to Hong Kong to teach Middle School Humanities. Zander loved designing units that merged social studies and literature. After three years he moved again to Madrid and began teaching in the Social Science department. 

His two babies were born in 2020—his son and his novel. Zander is very excited about the mission and vision of ASM!

What are you proudest of in your life?
I am proud that my son's first word was "agua."

Imagine a day with no responsibilities, how would you spend it?
I would walk around the city and revel in the flânerie, consuming pastries along the way.

Fun fact about you?
One night in New York I stood beside Quentin Tarantino in line and danced beside Melvin Van Peebles.

Any special projects outside of ASM?
I have a son (who definitely deserves the designation of "special project") and I just wrote a novel about gentrification, cultural appropriation, and settler colonialism. 

When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
When my AP US History teacher told me I wrote a good essay. I realized I liked History. Once I began teaching, I fell more in love with pedagogy than teaching.

What do you want students to take away from your class more than anything else?
The ability to read critically and analyze texts, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and think creatively.

Favorite ASM memory?
It lies somewhere between observing the most engaging Socratic Seminars and watching kids cut loose during Open Mics.