Jas Kaur Karamjit Singh

I found my passion in teaching after realizing how much I had benefited from my excellent
and passionate teachers. They exuded a real sense of enthusiasm for learning which inspires
me to pass on that passion. My love for Mathematics developed during my high school after
discovering an aptitude for calculations, analysis and numerical formulations which drove me to study more, gained a first class degree in Bachelors of Education (Mathematics) from the UNITAR International University. Studying in university developed my passion for mathematics and taught me a range of academic skills which I believe are fundamentally important to teach young people. This is demonstrated in my dissertation, looking at teaching in secondary schools, opening my eyes to how teaching mathematics give students a greater understanding of mathematical formulae and its place in our diverse world and daily life. I was interned as a Teaching Assistant at Dignity for Children Foundation where I was given the responsibility of my own class and gained experience by helping senior teachers within the classroom. I also represented the foundation at the Annual Teacher Summit in KL in year 2012. While volunteering as a teacher, I saw the skills needed to be a great teacher one of which is leadership and communication. Not just strong classroom management skills, my own leadership skills have developed over the years, from attending a youth society to gradually going on to lead small groups in activities. This has given me the confidence to volunteer as a teaching in a mainstream school during my degree. I gave intensive revision classes to students sitting for their Final Year Examinations since I have good understanding of current trends in my subject specialism and was given an appreciation award on my farewell day by the school Principal. By my final year of degree, I was able to take responsibility for running activities in the classroom, balancing the needs of each child and being able to manage good behaviour consistently. In working with potentially more vulnerable students such as secondary learners I saw the role played by support staff in maintaining control of the classroom, particularly with those who can be disruptive when under stimulated. I learned the importance of differentiating lesson plans to educate and engage students with special needs and the power of strategies such as a well thought out seating plan and friendly competitiveness in learners. I made sure to use ICT appropriately to support learning. I saw students develop within the classroom as a result of my determined support and these good working relationships are beginning to result in higher grades. So far, I managed to develop positive and meaningful relationships not just with my students but also with my colleagues and the feelings has always been mutual. Among the reasons are that I have flexibility, resilience and good teamwork skills. I am very much reliable and can be counted upon most of the time which makes me a favourite of my mentors and colleagues. Initially, the classroom of students I was assigned to teach Mathematics did not score well in their exams as only twenty-five percent was obtaining good grades. However, due to my teaching style, methods and a range of assessment for learning approaches, I managed to promote good progress of these students during their final year examinations resulting in sixty-five percent of students scoring good grades. The parents and guardians of my students personally appreciated my efforts which gave me a sense of satisfaction. I made sure to communicate effectively with students, parents and colleagues concerning student’s progress and development from time to time. Not only that, I have liaised well across a number of departments to communicate information about students in a much organised and diplomatic way possible. To support my professional development, alongside my studies, I undertook unpaid work placements in KUMON centre. There, I managed a classroom on my own teaching students of Year 10 in Mathematics. I began to develop stronger skills in communication, leadership, behaviour management and knowledge of the national curriculum. During my placement throughout my PGCE course, while balancing deadlines and dissertation research, I developed time management and organisation skills. I was exposed to a range of pedagogical models and teaching methods which is something I gave more emphasis to during my NQT year. I enjoy reading and learning about contemporary ethics and society, considering how I can use this to benefit the students I teach. While in schools I have seen the challenges and rewards present in a school environment so I personally feel that teachers need to be resilient particularly when working with students who find school difficult, do not want to engage and do not want to accept support. I have always reflected upon my past approaches to develop my skills for the better present and future as I am very ambitious to develop both professional and personal skills. I look forward to working in the education system and believe I could help and inspire students to develop their future aspirations.