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There’s a famous saying, coined by the activist Malala Yousafzai, that has always inspired me. She states that “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” Malala’s words perfectly summarise the power of education in both shaping individual thought and collective action. Learning English as a foreign language is especially important within this, as it gives us the tools to communicate and collaborate in a truly global language. 

My journey teaching English as an additional language began in 2016 when I taught on a British Council programme in rural Karnataka, a state in the south of India. Since then, my work has taken me to a diverse range of places, such as Australia, Scotland, Spain and Andorra, a micro-nation nestled in the Pyrenees mountains famous for its skiing!

Having loved reading about different communities and cultures from as far back as I can remember, when my schooling finished, I decided to go on to study English Literature and Anthropology in my undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen. Over time, I came to the realisation that my love of the arts, language and working with others could perfectly combine in a role as a teacher. Having reached this understanding, I returned to university, this time to the University of Glasgow in my hometown, to study a Master’s of Education in TESOL (Teaching English to Speaker’s of Other Languages).

Not only do I love reading (if I can squeeze it in, I like to read a book a week!), I’m also passionate about language itself and the ways in which it has been shaped by human history, migration and the passage of time. What I love most about language is that it could never be regarded as static; it is something which is constantly evolving and, because of that, there is always something new to learn within it!

I always aim to embody this sense of evolution and growth within my teaching- through using technologies to enhance the learning experiences whilst also making sure the content of my teaching is relevant to both contemporary life in general and the lives of my students. What’s more, I love to make the learning process as creative and interactive as possible, incorporating drama, literature and art into my classroom practices as a further means of facilitating language learning. 

I’m extremely excited to be joining the Whitgift team this summer and I look forward to meeting and working with such an interesting and diverse group of students. I’m certain we’ll not only learn a lot from each other, but also have great fun in the process! Best get those pens at the ready!