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For today's Meet & Greet session, we interview Natalie Brown, our lovely Year 1 Teacher from EtonHouse International School Sentosa. Natalie was born in England and moved to Singapore 11 years ago. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, and she has had two enjoyable years of teaching at EtonHouse, with many years of prior educational experience.
Let's hear from Natalie!
1. What inspired you to become a teacher?
I've always loved children and started my family prior to my career, which at the time was accountancy. It was having my own children that inspired me to change careers and become a teacher. I first embarked on my educational journey as a parent helper when my eldest son started school. I then engaged in teaching assistant roles but decided to take my Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood so I could be a classroom teacher. I couldn't be happier with my decision!
2. What excites you most about teaching?
Being with the children because they always make me smile with the interesting and funny things that they share. I enjoy seeing and being part of their progress and development - that is really special!
3. What is your favourite part of the school and why?
I'm not sure if I have a favourite area, as we are extremely lucky with the location and facilities that we have at EtonHouse Sentosa. "The Island Is My Garden" extension allows us to visit the pond, beach and other parts of the island for further explorations. However, if I have to make a choice it would be the outside garden because the children love this space and there are a number of learning opportunities for the children to engage in, such as water explorations, imaginative play, gross motor skills using the climbing equipment and the swing. There are also opportunities for collaboration and negotiation with peers during these play experiences. It is always a privilege to spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine that we have in Singapore most of the time.
4. Top 3 favourite children’s books?
This is a tricky question! I'm not sure that I have favourite books but the following books are some that I have shared with children for certain purposes:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - Exploring days of the week and the life cycle.
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aesop Fable - Exploring consequences from lies.
- We're going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen - Connections to a variety of literacy opportunities.
5. Most memorable moment in your years of teaching?
Every year is memorable when you see the children in your class making progress, enjoy coming to school, becoming ready to move on to their next school year and being acknowledged by the children and their parents.
6. A quote/saying/belief that inspires you? How does it inspire you?
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new" - Albert Einstein. This quote to me means that we are always learning even from the mistakes that we make!
I want children to try new things or take risks and I want them to know that it doesn't matter if we make mistakes, because that's how we learn. I say this often to the children because I want them to think of mistakes as new learning, which we can do together.
7. How do you think parents can best support their children in their education journey?
Having a good home/school partnership shows children that both parties are interested in their well-being. Parents can support their child's learning at home by spending time with them engaging in talking, playing, listening to them. Encourage children to take responsibility for themselves and to do things independently with support and guidance. Seeing them as capable unique beings.
Read our interview with Lisamarie Hughes, principal at EtonHouse Sentosa here.
Meet Natalie Brown and the team of dedicated teachers at EtonHouse International School Sentosa.
