Teacher Feature – Miss Rachel.
Briefly describe your journey as a teacher.
Before I became a teacher I worked in various positions mostly within offices, whenever possible I offered to help teach new systems that were being introduced and assist with training new staff members. The passion for teaching was always there, so in 2013 I decided to have a change in career and I was given the opportunity to work in a small Preschool in Bahrain as a Classroom Assistant and got started with my teacher training straight away. Once qualified I was given my very first class to teach, I taught various year groups between ages 2 – 5 years old. A few years into teaching I found myself researching more ways I could make my classroom more inclusive for various needs, this was when I decided to do my SEND Diploma. This year I’ve been very lucky to join the Inclusion department at Nadeen, everyone has been very welcoming and I’m grateful for this new opportunity.
Why did you decide to specialise in your chosen area?
I decided to specialise in this area as I wanted to use my SEND Diploma to allow children of all different abilities to attend mainstream schools, to have the support and guidance they need to be included in the classroom. It’s not just about supporting them academically, it’s also about helping children with communication, social skills and to teach them to become more independent. I believe all children, no matter their ability, deserve the best learning opportunities and the Inclusion team at Nadeen allows me to do this with the support of the rest of the staff at the school.
What makes Nadeen such a unique place to work?
What I think makes Nadeen such a unique place is that feeling you get as you walk through the gates and around the school, what I like to call the “Nadeen buzz”. It’s like you are being welcomed into a big family, it makes you feel happy and safe. All the staff members are welcoming and ask how your day is, the children have lovely big smiles on their faces and are excited to get to class, even the cats come to say hello.
How would you describe a typical day at Nadeen?
Every day at Nadeen is different, but I’m always guaranteed to be greeted in the morning with big happy smiles from the two wonderful girls that I shadow. Throughout the day I support and guide them with their school work, we sometimes go for a walk around the school for a ‘brain break’ or play educational games in the playground. I try to make our time together fun for them both and just before we finish the school day I always ask them if they’ve had a good day and what they enjoyed most.
