Do you ever ponder upon the most memorable moment of your life?

By Nikita Arora

It was August 1, 2014 when I realised that my dream had become a reality.

It was that moment that has brought me to where I am today, a ‘Business, Economics, Computing and Travel and Tourism Teacher’ in one of the most prestigious international schools in Thailand – Bangkok Prep. The moment I attained the renowned “Qualified Teacher Status” from the University of Manchester is the moment that validated my academic journey: from completing high school to acquiring two postgraduate degrees: Masters in Finance and Masters in Educational Leadership. It was the moment I realised that I was going to be absolutely LOVING what I do every day.

Find your passion and love what you do! This is a mantra that resonates with me. Teaching is not my job, it’s my passion and constantly updating my skills and finding new ways to inspire my children are my responsibility. Teaching allows young minds to grow, to question, to inspire, to celebrate knowledge and skills. Teaching is about nurturing children, being their advocate and their voice, preparing them for their future careers, and learning from each other. Through innovative ways and unconventional techniques, I strive to spread the passion for the subject so my students can achieve their potential.

As a newly qualified teacher graduating from the University of Manchester, I embarked on my teaching career in an outstanding OFSTED rated High School and Sixth Form College in the UK. I was the embodiment of nervous excitement as I walked through the corridors; ready and eager to take on the world. It was there that I not only taught the A level qualifications but also led the introduction of BTEC Business qualification, a curriculum designed to support learning beyond the classroom for students at different ability levels. I took this opportunity to extend classroom concepts and transformed it into real-world experience. I encouraged them to participate in the annual Student Investor Competition led by The London Institute of Banking and Finance where they used £100,000 virtual money to invest in the stock market. The excitement and enthusiasm displayed by the students paid off when they topped the charts. As a team, we organised social enterprise events in school, raising money for various charities. I organised and facilitated enterprise education across our school, where learners as young as eleven years old, were given the opportunity to witness Business in action.

Teaching is most rewarding when a child’s eyes light up from mastering something new. They have learnt a new skill, a new piece of information, or even tested their own limits and ventured out of their comfort zone. One of those moments for me was when I introduced the School Network Partnership Program at Bangkok Prep and every student in the class wanted to participate. I was awestruck by these young learners in front of me, committing to an extensive 9 month long competition, and showing huge amounts of confidence and resilience along the way.

I am proud to say that Bangkok Prep now offers both the A level and the BTEC pathways. This will offer a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their knowledge and skills for an internationally recognised qualification. Not only that, but they will be given amazing opportunities for extracurricular participation. I am really excited to nurture students’ ambition both inside and outside of the classroom. I am also excited to see what I learn in return. As Dr. Mary Hatwood Futrell stated, “When the untapped potential of a student meets the liberating art of a teacher, a miracle unfolds.”