Meet the New Teacher – Samira Vance Foundation Stage 2 Teacher

Samira earned her BA in Law and Human Rights from the University of Essex and her PGCE from the University of Brighton, after which she taught in Brighton for a few years before moving to Thailand with her husband who works in the counselling department of another international school.

“I used to play competitive national league basketball in the Under 18 and represented London. I started coaching children at the age of 15 and in university I coached and played for my university team.

I studied law and human rights and I really enjoyed that but after coaching I realised that I loved working with children, so I took a year out and worked as teaching assistant to see if that was what I really wanted to do. I travelled during that year, it was the first time I came to Thailand and really loved it here.

I decided that working with children was what I really wanted to do so I did my PGCE and went into teaching. I first taught in Brighton and then moved to Thailand with my husband, I had my son here last year. I was at home with him for a year and decided it was time to go back to work. Because I have a one year old, so I don’t have a lot of outside hobbies, but I do enjoy cooking and doing things outdoors with my family.

I think a good teacher is someone who has a good relationship with their students and a good awareness of what their interests are, where they are at with their learning. Someone who can promote them to be independent learners and nurture them.

I had never been to Bangkok Patana before even though I have been in Bangkok for two years. The campus is really beautiful. I have only been here a few weeks, but I feel like there is a real sense of community amongst the staff and the students, even though it is such a large school.

I think Foundation Stage is really a crucial time in their lives as it is their first experience of schooling. I think it’s really important that we get that right – that they enjoy school. They come in so curious and inquisitive and wanting to learn. It is really important that we nurture that and help focus it, help them build those skills because they will be using those skills for the rest of their lives.”

Read about all our new teachers here: https://www.patana.ac.th/new-teachers-2019-20/