Educational Philosophy
I am an experienced international educator, having worked in South Korea, Vietnam, Mozambique, Laos and now Thailand. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Walsh University. I also hold an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Stark State College. I have also completed a specialization in English as a Second Language (ESL) from the American TESOL Institute. I received my TESOL certification while studying in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In addition, I am currently halfway finished with my master’s degree through the State University of New York.
This year is my sixth year of working within the IB and the Primary Years Programme as an early years teacher and Kindergarten teacher. My current roles and responsibilities at United World College have not only allowed me to sharpen my communication and collaboration skills but, I’ve also learned how to positively give and receive effective feedback to other educators as a mentor and a coach.
Specifically, my experience with Digital Pedagogies and Digital Citizenship have allowed me to lead workshops for students, teachers, and parents. I also played an instrumental role in developing a Digital Citizenship scope and sequence for our primary school teachers & students. As part of the school's technology committee, I also helped with the implementation and roll-out of a new 1-1 iPad program for upper primary students. Inside the classroom, I am passionate about developing positive, knowledgeable, & responsible citizens. I consistently focus on embedding digital literacy and authentic creative experiences for student learning. Outside the classroom, I cooperated with the Leadership team design and transform the ECC outdoor learning space. I also foster a culture of global connectedness within my school community and PLN.
In Vientiane International School, I continued to gain PYP leadership as the Early Years coordinator and as a member of the Primary School Leadership Team. My role on the PLT was revolved around being Technology lead for the Primary School. While there I provided opportunities for teams and individuals to collaborate in order to achieve maximum meaningful tech integration with the ISTE standards and the Primary PYP curriculum.
My IB experience began at The American International School of Mozambique, also an IB World School, where I taught ELC using the Primary Years Programme. I was also a part of the Primary School Leadership Team where I oversee all Kindergarten and ELC teachers. In addition to managing those seven classrooms, my role on the Primary School Leadership Team allowed me to actively contribute in our fortnightly administration meetings. The goals of these meetings were to make sure board, school, and teacher expectations were aligned with the IB framework and promote international-mindedness throughout the community.
I started working at Singapore International School in 2011 as a Year 1 Teacher. In 2012 I took on more leadership roles and became the Head of Studies. I was in class for half a day and for the other half of the day I helped implement best practice reading, writing, and oral language programs in the classroom. As Head of Studies, I’ve conducted professional development seminars about integrating technology into the classroom and created our Guided Discovery program, which introduced the use of Samsung Tablets into the classroom for educational purposes.
In 2013 I was promoted to Interim Deputy Principal. At the end of our 2012-2013 school year, our Deputy Principal was promoted to Principal, but shortly after that fell ill and had to take a medical leave. He is still currently away from the school. I left the classroom and took on this role to help make sure that the school ran smoothly during this unfortunate situation. Although my passion is being in the classroom, I took on the added responsibilities for the best interest of the school.
The keystone of my educational philosophy has always been to the social and emotional well being of the students, as I strongly believe that without this in place, students are unable to learn. I believe that it is my role as a facilitator to create a safe, inclusive, supportive learning environment for my students so that they can feel at ease experimenting, inquiring, and being risk-takers who are not afraid of making mistakes. I also strongly believe that children must be taught to think creatively and independently in order to become global citizens. I believe in positive behavior management, where I empower children to make positive choices and take responsibility for their own behavior.
My various roles at The American International School of Mozambique and Singapore International School have allowed me to have a new perspective on what it means to be an effective teacher, communicator, and leader, both in and outside of the classroom. My dedication to professional development has allowed me to stay innovative, sharpen my collaboration and communication skills, and deliver quality projects that have the best intentions for student learning. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you require further information.
Kind regards,
Nicholas Garvin