Having lived and worked in Doha in the past I am now looking forward to returning to Qatar to join NAISAK. Before becoming a teacher I worked for several years in the water sports industry in Spain, Greece and the UK, teaching all ages of students to sail, windsurf, paddleboard and drive powerboats. This led me to becoming a secondary school teacher, combining my love of teaching with my passion for mathematics. I completed my PGCE with Hull University whilst training full time in two different schools in Lincolnshire. My first teaching job after qualifying was in Doha, after which I moved to my current school in China, which has been a fantastic experience.
After a year in China, to gain further experience, I decided to return to Qatar, as a country which I love being a part of. This led me to looking at NAISAK as a school within the global community of Nord Anglia. I wanted to move to a school that is well run, with clear aims and visions, promoting collaboration and excellence. I am a teacher who likes to try different types of resources, offering chances for students to work together to solve problems. I look forward to trying new things at NAISAK, such as a version of the escape rooms, which I first tried in China, to help capture students’ attention and engage them in learning.
I pride myself on setting a good example and leading an active lifestyle. I am looking forward to getting back to Qatar to continue with some of my favourite hobbies, windsurfing and paddle boarding, as well as learning new sports, such as kitesurfing and wakeboarding. This passion for the outdoors is something that I would like to pass on to the students at NAISAK. I love to travel to different countries and enjoy learning more about different cultures, styles of music and types of food. Alongside this I enjoy being outside exploring different hiking trails and spectacular scenery. In the past year I have hiked up several mountains in Australia and China, such as Cradle Mountain, Tianmen Mountain and Hallelujah (Avatar) Mountain. I have also supported the students of my school in China by organising their trip to Hong Kong to complete their Silver International Award. I have recently been appointed to the role of Deputy Leader of NAISAK International Award and I am looking forward to getting stuck into this role and helping expand it as the school continues to develop and progress.
Having lived in Qatar before I know a fair bit about the country and although I lived and worked in Doha, I often ventured outside of the city. I like the community feel in the smaller towns and villages in Qatar, with Al Khor and the surrounding area having a lot to offer, particularly for an outdoor enthusiast like myself. As NAISAK is part of the Nord Anglia family, it is a great school to develop my teaching further as well as fulfil my goals and aspirations. All schools have unique sets of teachers and students with different outlooks and ideas. Having been teaching in a school with mostly Chinese students, I am looking forward to moving to NAISAK and teaching at a school with a greater mix of nationalities and diverse backgrounds again.