HOW WE TEACH

A passionate advocate for education, I have worked with international organisations and schools for over 25 years in the Asia and Pacific regions to develop strategic plans to ensure that students are safe, supported and encouraged to challenge themselves both in class and at home.

I hold a PhD in Geography from King’s College London, and when not at BSB Sanlitun, you’ll often find me exploring and discussing the world with my own three children, or simply relaxing with them in our favourite local library or bookshop.

I qualified as a teacher in 2001 in the UK, then worked for two years before starting my international teaching adventure. I worked in international schools in the US, the Middle East and other parts of China before arriving at BSB Sanlitun!

I was a shy child, and disliked speaking in front of others. I overcame this through drama, which I now use to help children with their speaking and listening skills. As an adult I’ve pursued this love of drama outside school, having taken part in pantomimes and plays in every country I’ve lived in!

I came to China on holiday to see my family and I fell in love with the country. I decided I wanted to stay, and I’ve been teaching in China for 4 years now. I came to find that I am more patient and understanding of different people and cultures since been here. I believe that every child is unique and deserves a nurturing and stimulating environment to grow and learn. I am passionate about creating a safe and inclusive classroom where children can explore, experiment, and express themselves freely.

In my free time, I enjoy watching different language movies and reading mystery books. Since being here, I’ve found many new hobbies, such as, jujitsu, riding a bicycle and kick boxing. I am an extremely confident person. I enjoy learning new things and giving off the best energy possible.

I am honoured and excited to be joining The Tadpoles Class at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. I know that it will be a fun filled, amazing experience to learn from and give knowledge on the road to becoming an even better educator.

I have been fortunate to work for Nord Anglia Education in Qatar and The United States, challenging myself to widen my professional knowledge through Nord Anglia University and adapting my teaching to embrace new curricula and techniques reflecting best practice. I consider it a privilege to work with educators from around the globe and one thing I have learned is that a fusion of ideas always leads to more exciting adventures both inside and outside the classroom.

When I am not teaching, I rarely leave home without my Kindle and given the opportunity I like to Segway around cities to see all the sights in one day. I recently moved to Beijing with my daughter, who has also found her passion for teaching and together we plan to travel and experience all the wonders China and Asia has to offer.

I have been working at BSB Sanlitun for 8 years in Pre-Nursery and this is my third year of teaching Pre-Nursery children here. I absolutely love working with this age group of children and seeing them growing makes me feel very fulfilling. Sharing stories, enjoying singing and dancing with them, making them feel safe and loved are some of the many wonderful things about being a Pre-Nursery teacher. During my time at school, I have led training sessions in Behaviour Management and I am a Makaton (sign language) ambassador.

I am a dynamic and committed teacher who has a passion for learning and creating a global awareness through the teaching of the fundamentals of Early Childhood Education. I have a strong talent to develop and implement creativity in my classroom, through music and sensory awareness, that reaches every student’s learning style and ability. I believe it is important to empower children to succeed whilst helping them to achieve their highest potential and realise their individual goals.

In my free time I love singing, drawing, reading, travelling and learning to speak new languages.

This ignited my passion for teaching, and encouraged me to pursue this path further, I therefore completed my postgraduate certificate of International Education.

Upon arriving in China, I began teaching in different kindergartens, working with young learners of many different ages. I find the way they develop, grow and build upon their skills an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience. I take the responsibility of guiding them and helping them grow seriously, and approach it with passion and commitment.

I live in Beijing with my wife and young daughter. I enjoy keeping active and in my spare time play football and take part in yoga classes. I am currently learning Mandarin and enjoy my time travelling and experiencing new cultures.

I also play the flute and I am looking forward to introducing and playing this instrument with the children in my class.

I respect individual child’s needs, interests and learning styles. With a comprehensive understanding of the children’s stages of development, individual learning needs, and engaging teaching skills, I can provide quality play-based and inquiry-based learning programme to support children achieve whole-child development. I am committed to providing children with a safe, nurturing and holistic learning environment, combining international teaching and child-centred learning. I have a strong passion for Early Years music and movement and enjoy incorporating this into the classroom to maximise individual learning potential.

In my spare time, I enjoy singing and watching movies. I love travelling around and especially enjoy being at the beach and watching the sunset!

I love working with children. Every year, I look forward to welcoming new families and children, inspiring the young children and helping them not only discover, explore and create but to foster a love for learning and develop life-long skills and dispositions.

This is my third year at BSB Sanlitun, having previously taught for ten years in Shanghai and Beijing at different International Schools. Before moving to China, I taught in Las Vegas, Nevada at a Title I School. I have taught a wide range of students from different ages and from many different cultural backgrounds; here at BSB Sanlitun I have taught in Year 1 and Pre-Nursery.

In my classroom, you will find a positive, fun, and engaging environment. I am always continuing my professional development by learning new ways to engage and excite students about learning and developing the whole child.

Outside of school, I love exploring Beijing with my dog; her name is Noodles. Noodles is a great travel buddy around Beijing and the best-behaved pug you will ever meet. I am passionate about travelling and love learning about other cultures especially food! I love to eat and try new dishes!

BSB Sanlitun is a great place to develop professionally and I’m looking forward to a great year with the Clown Fish class.

After completing my Masters degree in Special Education in the United States, I moved to Spain to teach English in a Nursery School for two years. During this time, I undertook further training and certification focusing on teaching strategies for younger children. I then joined The British School of Guangzhou, where I worked in Nursery, and continued my professional development in core areas of Early Years curriculum such as phonics. I am so excited to bring my knowledge and passion for teaching to The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun.

When I am not teaching, you can find me with my friends eating lots of good food! I love to try new restaurants, especially ones from different cultures. You can also find me competing in many different sports, such as football and volleyball. I love music and hope to spread that love to the children in my class, so you will often find us singing, moving to music or exploring instruments.

Being from a Commonwealth, I hold the mixture of Caribbean and British lineage, this base began my curiosity for the different cultures of the world which led me to Beijing,
China.

As an energetic and patient educator who integrates learning with activity, I’ve bonded well with my students in and out of the classroom; whether aiding them on the playground or the comprehension of literature. I strive to assist students in achieving their goals, by creating an inclusive and encouraging learning environment, that is full of interaction, creating activities and lesson plans that engage them. I believe it is integral to aid young students in developing morals and life skills, which help them blossom into critical and ethical thinkers.

Out of the classroom I am an avid cyclist and badminton player, not to mention, a lover of different types of cuisine from different cultures. Continuously building on my international cookbook collection. I look forward to meeting the young minds and sharing in their learning journey.

I spent the majority of my growing up years in several countries including Kenya and Ethiopia, which has shaped my passion for continuing my teaching experiences abroad. I remember spending time with our next-door neighbours in Ethiopia as a 6-year-old, doing my very best to ‘teach’ them English while playing ‘school’. It seems I have naturally entered into what I couldn’t have foreseen to be my lifelong passion! As I continue my teaching journey, I also enjoy hiking, writing, and singing in my spare time. I also love to travel, meeting new people and trying new things.

As an educator, I have a passion for making learning exciting, to stimulate a love for learning as I support young children’s early educational experiences. I believe that if I am having fun, so are my students! I enjoy implementing new ideas, researching and trying new teaching strategies, and above all, providing a warm and caring environment for my students. I am excited to see all that this year has in store.

However, it has been the last 11 years working in Early Childhood where I have found the most enjoyment, fulfillment and creativity.

I am a dedicated, innovative teacher who strives to provide a safe, caring and challenging student-centred learning environment. I believe that every child learns uniquely and ‘mistakes’ are steps on our path to knowledge.

I am also a mother of two young children which gives me the perspective of both parent and educator.

I am a lover of stories, people and art but my true love is travel. As a global citizen, I have spent my life dabbling in learning different languages. I have studied Greek, Italian, French and Chinese to varying degrees of proficiency. I love language and believe cultivating a love of books and stories is a fundamental way to impart language, spark imagination and build confidence in young learners.

This is my third year teaching Reception at BSB Sanlitun.

After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education with Qualified teacher status, I went on to teach numerous primary classes in the United Kingdom. As my career saw me take positions all over the world, including Beijing, Bangkok and Oman, I became indoctrinated in the 'Early Years' way that views children as capable and confident learners with an innate curiosity in the awe and wonder of the world. Engaging with children in their learning journeys has painted awe and wonder into my own professional journey, and for that I am most grateful.

I am excited to leverage my experience, passion for Early Years Education, and commitment to each child's unique journey to create a stimulating and nurturing environment at BSB Sanlitun. Together, I know we will embark on a journey of discovery, growth, and joy for your child.

This is my second year in Reception class, and I love teaching in Early Years. Teaching younger children has helped me to see the importance of creating a nurturing and fun environment to promote development and curiosity. I firmly believe that every child needs to have opportunities and experiences that allow them to flourish and learn to make positive relationships. The most important lesson that I want all children in my class to learn is to be kind citizens of the world.

Since arriving in Beijing, I have enjoyed learning the Chinese language and exploring the different food that the city offers. I also love music and travelling, and I look forward to exploring other parts of China in the future.

I started my career in Scotland, before moving to the Middle East to work at Kings School, Dubai and then moving to Qatar at Dukhan English School. I worked across all Key Stages in the primary school as well as being Literacy Coordinator and establishing and leading Psychology at GCSE and A level.

I then joined Nord Anglia and was appointed Head of Early Years at The British School of Tashkent. I also established two highly successful toddler groups.

My strengths are language acquisition and literacy, and I have led numerous workshops on EAL and Phonics development.

I have travelled extensively and was thankful for having the opportunity to study full time at university in the US and the UK.

My passion for Early Years began when I had the opportunity to work in a Pre-School based in Katy, Texas. I already knew that I loved creativity and the opportunities it provides for self-exploration and expression. Following a career in Early Years has allowed me to engage young minds through creativity and a mindful approach to learning.

I am now looking forward to experiencing all China has to offer including the culture, food and above all, BSB Sanlitun. I will be moving to Beijing with my beloved dog Zoey, who is a seasoned traveller and wins hearts wherever she goes. In my spare time I enjoy painting, kickboxing and reading and hope to continue these in Beijing. Moving to Beijing and finding my place among some of the world’s best teachers is a dream opportunity for me and I can’t wait to land!

I love learning new languages, but teaching is definitely my passion. I love the idea of being able to inspire a child to take a different direction or look at something in a different way. Watching children grow and seeing how far they have come in their learning is priceless. I really enjoy being on that journey with them.

I have taught in Beijing for the last 6 years and I am now going into my second year as a Year 1 teacher at BSB Sanlitun. I have really enjoyed every moment of it so far and am looking forward to seeing what the next academic year brings.

When I am not teaching, I love to play football. I am part of a women’s team here in Beijing and love how active and motivated it keeps me. It has been great being able to teach the children some of my football skills so far and I am looking forward to continuing to do so!

After this, I worked in a primary school in London for 3 years. During this time, I taught in lower primary as a classroom teacher. I particularly enjoyed working with children who have a range of learning needs.

After teaching in London, I moved to China and I have enjoyed teaching here for 6 years in Beijing. Within the 6 years, I have taught at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun for 2 years as a Year 1 class teacher. Working in international schools in China has been a great opportunity to learn different teaching methods, especially for children who have English as an additional language.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy travelling and exploring. I’m very interested in learning about different cultures, so I have visited numerous cities in China and many other countries in Asia. I am really looking forward to starting my journey as the Year 1 Leader at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. I hope it will bring more amazing experiences and opportunities to become an even better educator.

Since then, I have worked in South West London as a primary school teacher in both KS1 and KS2. After teaching in London, I came to Beijing to teach at BSB Shunyi.

Growing up in Korea and living in the UK, it has enabled me to appreciate the very different yet interconnectedness of both cultures. It is my utmost belief that in every classroom, the foundations of learning are constructed interactively between the teacher and pupils. I believe that a child should always be put first in whatever a teacher does.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing badminton, reading or watching movies. I have a black belt in Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do) and I also have a passion for drawing and painting. I have enjoyed exploring Beijing during my time in China, and I look forward to joining the school alongside talented teachers at BSB Sanlitun.

I have been working with children for over 15 years. During this time, I have worked with a range of ages from 3 months old up to 6 years old in a variety of roles in nurseries and schools. I have worked as an au pair in Australia for many months which I loved, this combined with my love of travelling spurred my interest in working with children abroad.

I am going into my 5th year in BSB Sanlitun and my second year in Year 1. I have really enjoyed developing and teaching within an international school and being a part of BSB Sanlitun. Moving to Beijing and having the opportunity to explore China, meet new people and experience the culture has something I have really loved. I love to travel, and I am looking forward to exploring lots of new places and ticking them off the list.

I then decided to complete my PGCE at the UK University of Sunderland. It was an excellent opportunity to further my knowledge of pedagogy and widen my experience as an educator. I have been working in Beijing as a Year 2 class teacher for several years, working with students of diverse backgrounds and ages has been incredibly rewarding

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time living and teaching in China. Working with various age groups has allowed me the opportunity to learn from passionate and diligent educators. It has been wonderful to learn different teaching methods, participate in excellent personal development activities and help facilitate the students’ individual needs.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy playing football for a local football club here in Beijing, which allows me to pursue my love for the sport and build connections within the community. During my free time, I enjoy studying Chinese, which has been an enriching experience. I am really looking forward to starting my journey as a Year 1 teacher at The
British School of Beijing, Santillun. I hope it will bring more opportunities for growth as an educator, and foster student engagement by creating captivating and stimulating lessons that ignite curiosity and enthusiasm in the classroom.

I have now been at BSB Sanlitun for 4 years and have loved every moment of it. I started my time here in Year 3 and now I am in my third year of leading Year 2. I have also led Art and DT while being here as well as being Learning Support Coordinator, but now I have taken on a new challenge and opportunity in becoming the Phonics Leader. I am very much looking forward to helping support the children within our wonderful school with their Phonics learning and give every child the opportunity to flourish.

Outside of school, I enjoy playing football for the Beijing Bats and also take part in a Flag Football and Softball league too. I have loved exploring everything China has to offer and look forward to continuing that too. I enjoy reading, drawing, spending time with my friends and my dog Hugo who I adopted here in 2021.

I am greatly looking forward to continuing with BSB Sanlitun in August. The school’s ‘Be Ambitious’ ethos, emphasis on global citizenship, inclusive curriculum, and the importance given to developing a child’s individual talent chime nicely with my own educational beliefs.

As a teacher, I believe it to be very important that students are not restricted in any way, constantly being challenged and supported whilst developing important life skills and a healthy social conscience. I am a big advocate of 21st century skills and try to integrate these into all my classes. This has the positive effect of demonstrating to students that talent and excellence can manifest itself in lots of different forms and that there is more than one road to success.

In my free time, I enjoy swimming, cooking, film, and travel. I am currently taking part in a clay modelling class, though my miniature terracotta warriors don’t quite capture the beauty of the originals unfortunately.

As a primary teacher, I have taught across KS1 and KS2 in an outstanding school in Devon and successfully embedded the mathematics mastery approach. It is a subject I am very
passionate about and it is rewarding to see children work collaboratively and make connections for themselves. I aim for all of my students to become independent and resilient, life-long learners.

I am originally from Northern Ireland and my love of other cultures and languages encouraged me to teach English in countries throughout Europe and Asia. While teaching in an academy, I also embraced the opportunity to lead an exchange trip to India. In my spare time, I enjoy playing the piano, travelling and charity work which is why I am particularly excited about Nord Anglia’s collaboration with UNICEF.

Since I have previously lived in China and visited regularly in recent years, I am eager to return with my husband, who is from Beijing, and our two young children. I am looking forward to embarking on our new adventure as a family!

I am from the United Kingdom and have been teaching in Beijing since late 2013. I am about to start my second year at BSB Sanlitun and I loved my first year here. I am
passionate about education and find inspiration everyday through working with young children and knowing that I am part of their school and life experience.

I am a firm believer that every child is unique and differentiated instruction is crucial to completely follow the child. I strive to make learning experiences fun and stress the importance of a positive learning environment for students and teachers.

I love running, dancing, and being outside in nature where I can explore new places. In my spare time I play football with a local women’s football team called the Beijing Bats. I love to travel, learn about different cultures, and try new and exciting foods.

I have had the pleasure and privilege of teaching in South Africa, South Korea, The United Arab Emirates, and China. I have had the opportunity to work with different curricula and students from vastly different cultural backgrounds, broadening my understanding of how students learn and adding valuable experiences to my teaching career. I am
delighted to continue my journey at BSB Sanlitun as a Year 2 Teacher.

I am a passionate teacher and take my responsibility in educating children very seriously. I believe that students should be given the best opportunity in life by giving them a solid foundation of life skills. My favourite part of being a teacher is observing the joy children experience while learning new, fascinating things and seeing how proud they are when they overcome obstacles. As an educator, I believe that we are lifelong learners and continuously seek out opportunities for professional development that will result in improved learning experiences for children.

My hobbies include reading, watching K-Dramas, and baking. I am a foodie and love trying out new dishes and learning how to cook them. I also enjoy travelling and visiting my family as often as possible. It is always special to see new places and experience different cultures!

I have been working at BSB Sanlitun for 4 years. I previously taught in Year 5, which was a fantastic year to teach and I am now looking forward to the challenges that Year 3 has to offer. I am currently the Maths Leader at BSB Sanlitun.

Living in China is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I have loved embracing. It is a unique country with so much to offer and do! I have been lucky enough to travel around the country and visit numerous places. My favourite was the Avatar Mountains. Now that Covid restrictions have eased, I am looking forward to visiting the rest of South East Asia and beyond over the coming year.

My sporting passions include playing badminton and tennis. I am also a huge football fan and support Liverpool, the club and city I am from. In my spare time, I have also started to write my own songs (sadly I am no John Lennon) and I am developing ideas for comedy TV show!

I am an experienced educator who has taught as a class teacher and a PE teacher. After two years as head of the PE department in BSB Sanlitun, I felt it was time to returnto the classroom. Transitioning back into the classroom setting was an easy decision for me. I love to adapt and change to suit my many interests and gain different teaching experiences in my career. Along with sport and fitness, I have a keen interest in art and technology. I studied web technology part time in 2017 and believe it is important to keep up with modern advances that can excel learning and enhance understanding.

I love the outdoors. I started playing sport and engaging in physical activity at a very young age, it has been a huge part of my life ever since. I have played basketball, Camogie and Gaelic Football (Irish national games) at a high level. In Beijing I play football with the Beijing Bats women’s team and have recently joined a men and women’s Flag Football League to try something new. I love to travel and hope that I will be able to see more of the world in the future.

I was awarded my PGCE Primary Education (with QTS) from Northumbria University and upon qualifying, I taught Year 1 at an inner-city primary school. I have taught at BSB Sanlitun for five years, with time spent in Year 1, Year 4 and Year 3. I am really enjoying teaching in Year 3 and leading the Year 3 team as Year Group Leader.

In my spare time, I love to go hiking and at home you will regularly find me in the Yorkshire Dales on a long walk with friends. My favourite walk is Pen-y-ghent, which is one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I have a passion for travelling and have been very lucky to explore many different places around the world. I’m also currently studying for my MA (Education), but when I’m not doing that, you’ll find me in the gym or out and about with my adopted toy poodle, Pablo!

After completing a Bachelor of Music in Manchester, I began my teaching career in 2012 in the field of English language teaching, and since then I have been teaching in schools and academies across Asia. More recently, I have been involved in teacher training and managed a team of teachers within several private bilingual schools in Vietnam. During this time, I also completed a BA in English through the University of London’s external programme. My diverse academic background across a range of subjects helps me to facilitate learning across the whole primary curriculum, and my prior experience in language teaching enables me to support children who use English as a secondary language.

As a classically trained pianist, I have a passion for music in schools and can often be found playing the piano in assemblies, school plays or supporting children to perform music. I have also been fortunate enough to take part in Forest School and outdoor education in schools in Cambridgeshire. I am very interested in educational research and its capacity to improve experiences and outcomes for all pupils.

Aside from music, during my free time I like to stay active and enjoy hiking in the countryside, long distance walking and running.

I have been teaching since 2013 when I gained a PGCE in Primary Education. I began my teaching career where I finished my training, at a small school in England. Prior to moving to Beijing, my international journey started in Qatar, where I spent three years working as Head of Year 2.

What stands out for me, working internationally, is how resilient and determined the children are. Many are studying in a second, or even third or fourth language and it is humbling to see how they adapt to different ways of life and cultures, and how they embrace the world around them.

Outside of work I love to travel. I have been fortunate enough to have lived in a number of different countries in different parts of the world. This has enabled me to explore more of the surrounding areas and experience different cultures. I like to keep active, but can also be found curled up with a book.

I am an advocate of improving student metacognition. Understanding why we are learning and how we do it can be a huge motivator. I have found that if lessons are engaging and students understand why they are learning the content, it makes for a happy learning experience.

Outside of school, I have two main passions. I love music and languages. You will catch me around school playing music with the students. I also love languages. I am very happy to continue my journey with the BSB Sanlitun family.

I was born in Devon, England and lived there for most of my childhood although have also lived and attended school in Singapore. Additionally, I spent six months living in France
as part of a language development/exchange programme. This has helped me to become culturally adaptable, resilient and aware of some of the challenges that pupils may face in various circumstances.

I have always been interested in how people learn and apply knowledge and enjoy seeing the excitement that children experience as they discover new knowledge and ways of
expressing their thoughts. I believe that teaching is more than just imparting knowledge - it involves motivating learners to ask deep questions and creating a safe and stimulating environment, which allows deep thinking to happen.

When not working in school I enjoy travelling, visiting new and interesting restaurants and playing squash.

While in Thailand, I studied to get my PGCE with the University of Nottingham, UK and once I finished that I continued to earn my Masters in Education from the same university.

Next, I moved to Malaysia where I worked in a government programme as a mentor to primary teachers in rural Malaysia to improve both their teaching skills and English proficiency. It was an amazing experience where I didn’t just mentor, I learned so much about my own teaching and had the opportunity to also learn from so many teachers and to teach many kinds of learners. Then I moved to the UAE and worked as a Curriculum Specialist for the Ministry of Education. I learned so much during the 7 years I worked there but I missed being a classroom teacher. It made me realise that it was time to get back to the classroom.

I am passionate about teaching and learning and I hope to inspire learners to love learning too. I strive to make learning relevant and interesting and for learners to feel safe, comfortable, and actively involved in the learning process. Each unique learner is given the opportunity to grow and excel when under my care. I am looking forward to starting this new adventure teaching Year 5 in BSB Sanlitun. I am really excited about working as the Year 5 Science Specialist this year - the lessons will be full of interesting investigations and fun experiments.

When I’m not teaching, I love to travel and experience new things and cultures and I am excited to explore all that China has to offer.

I also spent two years working as a specialised learning support teacher. Prior to commencing the Year 5 Leader position in August 2020, I had led the PE department here since August 2018, as ‘Head of PE’.

I believe learning is a lifelong process and I am always keen to develop my skills and knowledge. Since my undergraduate degree, I have been conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership from the National University of Ireland Maynooth. This aided me when taking on various leadership roles in my school such as becoming a mentor to newly qualified teachers (NQTs). I also have received a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Public Administration in Dublin. In 2021, I completed the Nord Anglia Middle Leadership Programme.

Having previously worked for the Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth in USA and the Centre for Talented Youth in Dublin, I have seen how ‘Being Curious’ can lead to fantastic learning. This year, I look forward to developing this curiosity in all the Year 5 children in their specialised Humanities lessons. I am looking forward to delving deeper into the History and Geography topics that we will be covering.

In my spare time I like to keep active. Going to the gym and tennis are all great ways to stay fit in Beijing. I am a huge Liverpool FC fan which has meant that I have found myself getting up at 3am to watch live football matches here. I love to travel and living in China has allowed me to explore places that I never dreamed I would visit.

My early love of art and creativity led me to first pursue an education in media. As a result, I earned a BA and an MA in creative media. After completing my college education, I discovered that I could share my knowledge with others. The love I felt for this new art quickly overcame that for the old, which finally prompted me to return to college to earn my teaching credential so I could fully immerse myself in the educational process. Bangor University awarded me a PGCE in Primary Education (with QTS).

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I spent several years working as an international school teacher. While there, my roles included art teacher for secondary school as well as class teacher for primary schools. After a year here in China, I am entering my second year at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. In my first year at this school, I was Year 3 Class teacher and served as the subject leader for Art and Design Technology. I was able to influence how Art & DT are used, produced, and presented across the school.

I am transitioning to be a Year 5 Class Teacher and I am thrilled to continue my role as the subject leader for Art & DT in the upcoming academic year. In addition, I will be the Art Specialist for Upper Primary. This allows me even more chance and flexibility to make a creative contribution to the school. The ability to integrate the ideas and lessons I learned from my early education in creative media into education here at BSB has been a true privilege, even though teaching is and always will be my number one love.

Moving to Beijing in 2018, I began working at The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun. I feel privileged to work in an environment that puts particular emphasis on two values that I hold dear: creativity and kindness. Aspects of teaching that I am passionate about include making high quality literature accessible to all and facilitating and developing critical thinking in my classes.

In my free time, I take the opportunity to travel as much as possible. I love the great outdoors and long distance walking and hiking in China’s incredible natural environments are some of my favourite pastimes. When not teaching or travelling, I like to read, primarily novels or history. I also enjoy global cinema. I look forward to starting the year as Year 6 Falcons’ teacher and hope to instil a love of learning in all my students.

I believe that learning should always extend beyond the classroom and that lessons should embrace and encompass the whole child, whatever their background, talents or ambitions. Learning should enable each pupil to fully express themselves in their work with others and see their learning reflect who they are.

Prior to commencing my role at BSB Sanlitun, I was Head of STEAM at a bilingual school in which my primary role was to incorporate a skills-based and entrepreneurial approach into the English National Curriculum. I am proud to now be part of the team here at BSB – a campus of like-minded staff and pupils. A school small enough to allow for a dynamic and responsive team whilst still being part of a global organisation.

Growing up in the UK, I enjoyed an early love of sailing and have been fortunate enough to compete in regattas around the world. I also hold a PADI Divemaster scuba licence which I made good use of as a student teacher, running courses in underwater photography during the holidays to help fund my training. Some of my other pursuits include running and cycling as well as indoor climbing. I also love to cook and enjoy seeking out new ingredients and recipes to try.

My passions have always been music, dance, painting and acting. The vast experience gained in various international schools from different countries gave me the opportunity to become a good pedagogue and a music teacher who understands children and their ways of learning. Thus, the teaching methods that I apply in my lessons are leading to positive results.

Over a period of more than 29 years as a teacher and performer, I have had the opportunity to hold a number of professional roles including music teacher, vocal coach, lyric artist - soloist, musician instructor, and private music instructor. My teaching experience span across ages, different curricula and cultures. Through these experiences I felt very fortunate to educate and lead musically a diverse group of primary and secondary children, ABRSM students, stage performers, professional singers. I have worked with inspirational teachers and my policy about teaching is - it is not all about teaching, it is about coaching life skills.

Throughout my artistic career I sang on famous musical stages, participated in numerous international tours, and collaborated with many world-renowned musicians such as Zubin Mehta, Dan Mizrahy and Sergiu Celibidache. The achievements of my artistic career gathered numerous ballet and dance performances, choral concerts, soloist recitals, participation in national and international chamber and symphonic music festivals. From the age of 16, I conducted numerous children’s choirs with which we participated in music festivals, winning first places.

I strive to continuously raise my own standards and those of the people I work with to guarantee that every student receives the best possible chance to succeed.

Since coming to China, I’ve been learning Chinese which has provided an on-going insight into the difficulties of learning a new language in a new environment. While our students may not be able to communicate effectively in English when they first join us, I strongly believe that it should not stop them from enjoying what they’re learning. I am firmly committed to instilling in children a passion for learning and the courage to use what they learn in their future endeavors.

My favourite aspect of being a teacher is exactly that, seeing our students grow in confidence and participating in everyday activities without the hesitation that stops most people. This can take the form of them joining in a new playground game, constructing sentences to describe their favourite restaurant, or sharing about things they have accomplished.

When I’m not in school, travelling and reading top the list of things I enjoy doing. I’ve been fortunate in life and have travelled to almost every continent in the world and have enjoyed many a sunny day with a paperback in one hand and a local coffee delight in the other. My only other distraction would be jigsaw puzzles!

I previously taught German for many years in the university sector with Masters students and in primary schools with German speaking children.

I enjoy the challenge of teaching a language and find it very interesting to work with different students, because each group needs to be taught in a different way and has completely different targets. I have many teaching ideas and I like creating new resources and games for children.

I am a friendly and creative person, I love my job and working with children. The students like to say, ‘Frau Song liebt die Kinder.’

In my free time I love to sing in a choir and travel around China. I also like to learn, new cultures, new languages, new cuisine. I love foreign languages and want to learn a new one in my free time.

Before joining BSB Sanlitun in 2022, I spent 8 years working at two different international schools in Beijing gaining valuable experience teaching English as a second language to children whilst also building long lasting relationships and creating great memories along the way. What I love most about teaching is how self-rewarding it feels to see your students grow and develop to not only reach their goals, but then go one step further. This year, I am both thrilled and very excited to take on a new role and become the Head of PE.

Outside of school, apart from spending time with my wife and two children, my biggest passion is football and supporting the mighty Newcastle United Football Club in the Premier League and Champions League. I also currently run and organise the China International Football League in Beijing which consists of both men’s and women’s leagues for adults and has over 800 expat players involved.

After graduating from Beijing Union University, I had a chance to be an exchange student and went to study in UCLA and played for the basketball league which gave me more experience of playing and teaching after I got back.

Before joining BSB Sanlitun, I taught sports in an international school for 6 years which gave me experience to teach and know children better. I think teaching children is the best thing in the world and watching them making progress and get better has also been the most achieving moment in my life. It has been a wonderful time to teach at BSB Sanlitun in the past two years and I am looking forward to more challenges next year.

Outside of school, I spend most of my time trying and playing different kinds of sports and enjoy meeting different people from different countries because I believe sports could connect the world better and I expect to go further in the sports industry.

I gained a Bachelor of Food Science and Engineering in Beijing in 2005. After that I furthered my study in the UK and received a Master’s degree. It was there I got my first experience assisting in a primary school as a volunteer. I was attracted to the British education system, because of the big comparison between my own experiences in China and how this differed.

After moving back to Beijing I decided to start my career in an international school. I obtained my Chinese teaching certificate and psychological consultation qualification. I hope my efforts can help every child to thrive in their childhood.

During my spare time, I enjoy cooking with my young daughter and having fun with art and craft activities, whether food related or not.

As a teacher teaching Chinese as an additional language, I’m particularly happy to see the children use what they’ve been learning outside the classroom. It’s always the highlight of
my day when hearing my students speaking in Chinese to cleaning ayis, kitchen staff and even helping younger students in their bus lines. That makes me feel so proud as a teacher. In addition, I’m a firm believer that teachers are lifelong learners who are constantly growing and evolving. Our school is full of professionals who are in the midst of taking courses, participating in professional development sessions, and earning degrees. It’s almost impossible to stagnate because there are always new things to be learned. Keeping up with new research, data, and trends requires a dynamic approach and an adaptable mind, so boredom about teaching is defiantly out of the question!

In my spare time I believe the most important action you can take is to not only seize every opportunity to try new things, but to make opportunities for yourself. I love anything creative, and I am always looking for new skills to pursue and develop. Like diving, archery, tufting and any upcoming new experiences!

I am looking forward to the new school year in this passionate learning community here at BSB Sanlitun. I’ll strive for the best possible outcomes for children and I will use the passion I hold for teaching to ensure we grow and develop our traditional language.

I graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Before joining BSB Sanlitun, I taught all levels of students from different countries and cultural backgrounds for more than 8 years, which helped me to get a better understanding of cross-cultural communication.

I believe every child is unique and I am passionate about motivating every child in learning Chinese language and culture. I try my best to help children to experience Chinese culture as much as they can, as culture is an integral part of language.

During my spare time, I like reading. I am interested in cooking and travelling. I also like practising Chinese calligraphy.

Before joining BSB Sanlitun, I had six years teaching experience in international schools and local schools. I love working with children and believe that every child is unique. I am passionate about using different learning strategies so that every child enjoys learning how to speak Chinese and is able to experience Chinese culture to the best of their abilities.

In my spare time I enjoy watching films, reading books, cooking and travelling. I am enjoying living with my husband and daughter in Beijing.

I am a lucky person because I have been able to do a job that I love to do for so many years. When I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to further my career in teaching, joining The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun definitely gave me the opportunity. It makes me happy to see the children improve their Chinese day by day and I do hope children enjoy learning Chinese in my class.

Cooking and tasting delicious foods are my favourite things to do. Spending time with my family also brings me happiness.

I began my teaching career in Wuhan at the ShuiGuoHu Middle School where I taught music. I also managed the Student Affairs Office, working with top students at the school and overseeing teaching standards. Though at times incredibly challenging, I enjoyed helping students thrive in the arts and hone a sharper appreciation for music and dance.

From 2006 to 2009 I volunteered as an art and social studies teacher at the Zhuzhen Middle School in Xiaogan where I worked with children having special needs on a Hubei Educational Department programme aimed toward raising education levels in underprivileged villages. I worked with large class sizes and individual students. I choreographed an impressive sporting demonstration with over 1000 students and supervised morning physical education as well as teaching a range of subjects.

In 2010 I moved to Beijing to realise my dream of teaching Chinese language to foreign students, and quickly fell in love with the city and the job. During that time, I earned my graduate degree. While studying in Beijing, I wrote for Guojiadajuyuan Magazine and worked part time as a Chinese teacher.

I began teaching at BSB Sanlitun as a teaching assistant in 2017. I quickly grew fond of the working environment and was excited by the continued education opportunities. My experience here has broadened my understanding of and appreciation for education and likewise, I try hard to be a positive, kind and energetic part of each child’s education. I’m as happy as ever to be a Chinese language teacher here at BSB Sanlitun.

In my free time I enjoy weekend trips out of the city with my husband and two boys. I love camping, hiking, and exploring new places. I also love to dance! And I love my dog, a tenacious yorkie called Bing Bang.