Hi there! My name is Gift. This academic year, 2022-23, marks 20 years of being in the teaching field. I have brought my love of literature and writing to high school scholars in three continents. I’ve taught them all, from the highest-achieving gifted and talented students, through native speakers to English as an Additional Language students.
MY MISSION STATEMENT
What every student wants is to be inspired, to learn, and to have some fun while at school. I hope my passion for learning and imparting knowledge and understanding of the world around us will come through in this website.
I literally live by the adage: “Be EMPOWERED and EXCEL” [BEE]. I don’t encourage competition among my students but believe that each one of them has different attributes they can bring to the classroom environment and, if they can excel in doing good for themselves, then I would have made a difference to society at large. Hence I have faith in: “We ALL win when WE help each other and work TOGETHER”.
MY PUBLISHED WORKS
My THIRD published book is now out and is called Analysing A Literature Text [published April 2022] (Essential Practical Ideas On Analysing Short Stories, Unseen Prose And Novels With Challenging Exercises To Writing A Brilliant Essay). December 2020 saw my first published book: Writing Elements @ High School. (The PROVEN Techniques to ace ESSAY WRITING at GCSE/IGCSE, SAT, ACT, AP English or Research Paper). My second book, published in September 2021, is called Good Manners & Other Life Lessons. (The Excellent Ways To Instill Life-long Lessons In Our Children & Students)
All these three books are available on Amazon.
I have also published ebooks available in my shop on these titles:
- Best Techniques On Tackling Comprehension Questions @ High School
- Common WRITING Mistakes Made By Students @ High School
- Trust Me – Credibility
- Networking In This Day And Age
EDUCATION CONSULTANT
My work as an Education Consultant is in developing great teachers and retaining great teachers. With over twenty years’ experience in learning, teaching, and assessment; my work is to help develop and improve the curriculum and instruction; increase teacher professionalism, change the culture of teaching, as well as working with organizations and learners to identify and support their needs.
I specialize in the teaching and learning of English at Middle and High School. This is equivalent to Key Stage 3 and 4, in the UK or Grade 7 to Grade 13. Among many, I specialize in the development of learning products, online learning; examination preparation, teacher training and development.
I do not necessarily always have direct contact with the learners, but often work in a role that supports an education organization to deliver teaching and learning strategies or to fix systemic issues. I also travel to meet clients and conduct in-school observations.
ENGLISH TEACHER & ACADEMIC MENTOR
I have twenty five years in the education field. I am currently working in Abu Dhabi. I left my work in the UK as a KS4 English Teacher and Academic Mentor (January 2022- August 2022), after having earned valuable experience working at an International School under the SABIS schools network in Egypt (September 2011 – December 2021).
I have experience teaching the Advanced Placement Curriculum (AP English), SAT, GCSE and IGCSE; Advanced Level English and IELTS. All these are reflected in my monthly newsletter: English@HighSchool Newsletter which is sent to all my students, friends and colleagues across the globe.
Among many skills, I possess
- a passion for education.
- coaching, mentoring and assessing the work of students
- good planning and organizing skills
- a willingness to keep up to date with modern teaching and learning strategies
- an ability to meet tight deadlines and communicate ideas
- excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMINER
I have also worked with the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) as a First Language English Examiner (2011 – 2019), rising to Team Leader position; PTE Examiner, and a short stint as a History Examiner with AQA.
I am currently working for Pearson as an English Literature Examiner at GCSE.
Team Leader and Examiner Main Duties
- participate in a team leaders’ standardization meeting
- coordinate the marking of a team; supervise and monitor marking standards.
- mentor new assistant examiners in the team
- prepare a report on the examination
- assist with any Grade Review and attend Grade Review Meetings
- undertake re-marking and report writing following result enquiries, when required
- stand in for, and perform the duties of, the principal examiner, if required
ONLINE ENGLISH TEACHER
Just recently, I have become an ONLINE English Teacher specializing in English@High School: Teaching and Examination Preparation at IGCSE, SAT and IELTS. It is such an exciting venture and I am loving every moment of it.
My Teaching Qualifications & Professional Courses
I graduated with a BA in English and History and immediately embarked on my PGCE leading to Qualified Teacher Status certificate (in 2005) from the Institute of Education in London. I also hold a Masters in Education: Leadership and Management; a Diploma in Freelance Journalism from the British School of Journalism and a Diploma in Life Coaching.
Recently, I completed a Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring which was really interesting and challenging at the same time. I am also currently studying for a Masters in Sociology & Research Methods with the University of Glasgow, I am hoping to be a fully-fledged researcher with the aim of researching and writing at a higher level.
Over the last five years, I have earned through self-study and attending career development courses various certificates. Some of the courses I have attended include: Safeguarding Children In Education; Developing Yourself And Others; Resolving Workplace Conflict; Inspirational Leadership; Effective Decision Making; Coaching And Developing Your Teams; Negotiating And Influencing People and Team Working Excellence Course, to name but just a few.
MY TEACHING PERSPECTIVES
I strongly believe in the Teachers’ Standards as spelt out by the UK’s Department for Education:
Essentially this means I:
- Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils.
- Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils.
- Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge.
- Plan and teach well-structured lessons.
- Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.
- Make accurate and productive use of assessment.
- Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
- Fulfil wider professional responsibilities.
In my teaching career, I want to see students being challenged while finding relevancy between the materials being taught and their own lives. I work continuously to refine and adapt my materials to reflect current events and trends with which the students are familiar with. When deciding how to present a lesson, I always try to think how I would have wanted to learn this material when I was their age and then move in that direction.
I also love engaging my students in various other extra-curricula activities, chief among which are, reading and debating.
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
I love work – learning and making mistakes, dusting myself off and correcting myself; and generally moving on with life. I enjoy walking – averaging fifty kilometres a week and cycling.
I am also an avid reader of biographies, memoirs, travel writing and realistic literature as well as self-help books. I am currently in the throes of learning how to play a guitar and a flute – a challenge I am taking seriously.
I am a family man – married to Hilda and together we have three lovely children.
My Hopes and Vision
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy my website and find a few seeds of inspiration that will make a difference in your life. My intention is to amuse, inform and occasionally provoke you; for I strongly believe that:
Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me. [A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]
Always remember, I want you to “Be EMPOWERED and EXCEL!” Never settle for second best because you have the potential to excel.
NEED HELP? Please contact me.
Whether you are a Colleague, a Student, a Teacher, a Parent/Guardian needing help with English@ High School, please use the contact form below. I would be more than happy to assist.
Keeping In Touch
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All the best.
