Meet the New Teacher: Lisa Mallett
Lisa has followed her passion in Music from Birmingham and India on to Thailand.
Primary Music Teacher
Lisa Mallett is our new Primary Music teacher, she earned her Bachelor’s in Music (Hons) from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, one of only nine conservatoires in the UK that is also the faculty of a university.
The Journey to Bangkok Patana
“I studied in Birmingham where I worked as a musician, often freelance with bands but also a peripatetic teacher. I would go into different schools to teach music, mainly primary at that point. I was working with a lot of theatre and dance companies. I went to India for a holiday and discovered music there and decided to go back and study the Indian flute, the bansuri. I went India twice as I really wanted to immerse myself in Indian music.”
“That experience opened doors for me to do different performances, working as a musician with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Indian Dance companies and contemporary British Indian musicians. I worked with orchestral musicians to put together projects at schools – especially for kids with special needs. I was also a specialist teacher going into schools around Birmingham and the Midlands.”
“I came to Bangkok Patana for my interview and I loved it. For a music teacher this a dream. It is wonderful to have our own Primary Music building with its huge spaces and performance spaces. The atmosphere is really nice, I get a real sense that everyone is really enjoying their work here.”
“Eventually I decided I should get back into CE and went back to university and obtained my PGCE as I knew I wanted to end up overseas. I worked in Birmingham for two years and then went to India where I worked as both a Primary and Secondary Music teacher. I’ve been working by myself as an educator for a really long time and I knew I wanted to work collaboratively as team. I knew that Bangkok Patana was the place to do that, the facilities and resources of this school are really outstanding. I want to develop myself professionally and learn more.”
Opportunities at Bangkok Patana and in Thailand
“Because I’ve worked by myself for so long, I need to get used to working in team, on the one hand but on the other that is the opportunity of it all too. Working in a huge school like this, my last school was only 220 kids, so the style and workings of the school is totally different. I really wanted that opportunity to be in some place different.”
“I like to exercise quite a bit, I really got into yoga during the lockdown but not in India. I like kickboxing, I just started Muay Thai lessons too. I love travelling. When I move to a country I want to live in the culture, meet the people, eat the food, experience different places and have adventures. I like to go to the markets and try different foods that I don’t know. I became a part of community where I lived in India and want to do that here. I plan on starting Thai lessons soon. I love trekking in the mountains and going to far off places, staying at home stays and meeting the locals and eating local food, I love the simple life.”
