New MS and HS Staff in their own words
One of the wonderful things about working in an international school is that new colleagues come from local or far flung locations across the globe to bring new insights into teaching and learning and enrich our community both personally and with their families. This week, as a warm up to open evening when you can meet all of your children's teachers, I am handing over the blog post to the new staff to introduce themselves in their own words. So in alphabetical order, let me introduce you to our new staff.
Paul Candler
I have been teaching Mathematics and Computer Science for the last 30 years in international schools around the world. I have worked in the following countries: Belgium, Portugal, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam and now Scotland. I started off travelling with a backpack and now have a shipping container along with a family of four. When we saw the post at ISA, we thought that this may be a good opportunity to settle down in a country where there is limited pollution, a bit cooler and where they speak English in a great school. It is definitely a lot cooler than Vietnam 🙂
Claire Gore
I’ve joined ISA after working at an international school in Hong Kong for the past thirteen years. Prior to that I lived in Singapore and before that I taught at an international school in China for eight years. I’m excited to join ISA as a middle school English, Social Studies and Learning Support teacher. My elder son is about to start university in England, having just completed his IB diploma, and my younger son has joined Grade 11. It’s exciting to join an international school here in Aberdeen. I’m also really looking forward to exploring the outdoors in this part of the world!
Robert Morris
Prior to joining ISA, I worked in various international schools in Europe and East Asia as well as independent and maintained schools in the UK. I have led many drama departments (which stemmed from a ten-year career as a professional actor after university and drama school) but have always taught English and drama interchangeably as my passion for both subjects has always been balanced. I was attracted to ISA by the positive staff and student centred school culture which is refreshingly very different from any school in which I have worked in my career. So far, I have most enjoyed listening to the holistic approaches to education and collaboration and the philosophies that underpin them.
Innes Murray
I have taught various subjects under the Design and Technology umbrella at different schools in the North-East of Scotland. I began my teaching career with the intention of helping others pursue a subject area that I myself was passionate about. I enjoy the fact that nothing sits still in technology and there is a need to constantly assess subject content to ensure relevance. I was attracted to the ISA initially due to the emphasis they place on developing international learners but I also value the strong emphasis on both staff and student well-being and happiness.
Mercedes Ugbe
I have taught science abroad and locally totalling 10 years at both university and secondary level. I ran away from my lab four years ago to join Scottish Secondary education after feeling lonely and unproductive. ISA is my first international school and non uniformed school experience and I am happy to have the opportunity to experience both systems. My career revolves around relationships and the students here are very polite and just that - students!
And finally, the celebrity gossip column
If someone mentions they were a professional actor, then one feels compelled to ask for those stories of back stage encounters from the sparkling world of the glitterati. So I had to ask Rob. Here are some highlights from Rob's career in the limelight.
Acting at the Bristol Old Vic in both a contemporary and a Shakespeare play - where, as a sixth former I had watched sir Ian McKellen do his one man Shakespeare show - was the fulfilment of a dream. I also toured with Olivia Coleman who exuded star quality even back then ... well before she made her first movie (she was a delightful, funny and humble person to work with too) ... but my quirkiest job must have been playing Dylan Thomas in a pub which he used to frequent (alongside Augustus John, George Orwell and others), called the Fitzroy tavern in Charlotte street in London.
Comments
Post a Comment