Ordinary Teachers and Students

Simone was a teacher for 28 years, teaching in 3 Canadian provinces in urban and rural settings.  She taught a variety of curricula from grades 5 to 12 and her subject expertise was at the high school level in English and in History. Simone has a deeply spiritual connection to teaching, as she has the ability to see into the soul of every single student that she has ever taught in her career.  This ability has enabled her to create safe, and loving connections with her students. When her students felt safe, seen, heard and understood, no matter where they were at, their brains were able to engage in real, messy learning.

Resource:

https://www.structural-learning.com/post/how-to-use-dialogic-pedagogy-the-key-to-powerful-teaching

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Warning: This episode mentions suicide which could potentially be triggering.

Bobo has just graduated from high school and, at the time of recording, received her HKDSE results last week. Incredibly, she achieved 5** in English Language, which put her in the top 1% of all candidates in Hong Kong! I never taught Bobo, but I knew about her because of her various leadership positions at the school, particularly in the Choir. I also poached her for the English Debating Team. I’m excited to hear from Bobo as she’s about to embark on her post secondary journey.

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Christy is a full-time secondary school English language and literature teacher in Hong Kong. As a fresh graduate teacher, she has faced a number of challenges both inside and outside the classroom and has learnt to overcome them over time. Christy is one of very few students to have been taught by both me and my wife!

Resources that were mentioned (I'm not being paid to endorse these):

https://www.mentimeter.com/app/homehttps://www.polleverywhere.com/If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Warning: This episode has mentions of self-harm, depression and anxiety which could potentially be triggering.

Noah is currently majoring in Business at a university in the United States. And in the most recent semester, he made it onto the Dean’s List! His hobbies include thrifting, crocheting, reading, listening to music and playing with his two cats. Noah came out as transgender back in 2021 and uses he/him pronouns. I’ve never taught Noah before, but I was part of the interviewing panel that interviewed him for secondary school admission. Honestly, I still remember that feeling of wow…this student is going to be quite some student! If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amber started her teaching career as an Early Career Teacher (ECT) in September, having just completed her PGCE in Primary Education at the University of Cambridge. Prior to this, she did a Bachelor’s degree in History, and a Master’s conversion degree in Educational Psychology, at Nottingham and Manchester universities respectively. She has volunteered with more than 10 charities in the tutoring, social mobility, and fundraising sectors, and she has amassed a professional development portfolio of more than 400 courses.

Resources that were mentioned (I'm not being paid to endorse these):

https://www.history.org.uk/

https://geography.org.uk/

https://explorify.uk/

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Alastair is a first-year marine biology student at University of Chester, having come from an animal management course in Kendal college. She spends her time off as a self-taught artist and takes keen interest in all forms of obscure natural life, which is the reason why she started the university course. She hopes to go on to be a researcher, as she believes there is always a time and place to make a difference in the modern world. While teaching Alastair in the past year, I could feel Alastair’s passion for wildlife, especially the obscure ones. A resource that was mentioned (I'm not being paid to endorse it):

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUNYSwNARexFwxXp3oPAtvg

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ana is a certified life coach and fellow alumni from the Jay Shetty Certification School. In addition to life coaching, Ana has been a teacher for over a decade. She advocates for systems that give students more freedom and flexibility to choose their curriculum and learn at their own pace. She currently works with families who homeschool through the California Charter School network. Whether teaching or life-coaching, Ana is passionate about helping others learn how to break free from limiting beliefs and begin to live with authenticity, joy and purpose.

A resource that was mentioned (I'm not being paid to endorse this):

⁠https://kahoot.it/

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Alexia, born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, is about to graduate from an LLB (Bachelor of Law’s) at Queen Mary University of London. She’s now studying a LLM (Masters of Laws) at The College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA. Before university, Alexia undertook two years abroad, one in a small town in the United States and another in Hong Kong. That’s where I met Alexia as she was in my English class. She shocked me with her level of English and maturity. Unfortunately, COVID cut short her stay in Hong Kong and that’s why I’m so excited to have a chance to catch up with Alexia today.If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Alina is a professional certified career coach and an educator who used to teach for Nord Anglia Education in China. She’s now an entrepreneur and helps teachers to integrate coaching in their teaching. She also helps adults and teenagers design their career paths.

You can contact Alina on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alina-shmakova-ab8683248/

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

Yuna is a medical student studying at a university in the UK. She went to primary school in HK before moving to England for secondary, so she’s in a brilliant position to share her experiences of the different school environments. Yuna is actually my cousin’s daughter whom I’ve met only twice in her whole life!

A resource that was mentioned (I'm not being paid to endorse this):

https://www.in2medschool.com/

If you're interested in becoming a guest on this podcast, feel free to contact me at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠