Santander Universities helps fund incredible placement opportunity

Thanks to the help of the International experience fund, our Education BA student Shannon Reed recently experienced the placement of a lifetime in Nepal. Following her successful application and impressing the panel, Shannon was awarded £750 towards her international placement.

During her six-week stay, Shannon taught English in a Nepalese secondary school just outside the capital and visited the School for Maligiri. She told us all about the incredible opportunity and her experience.

“I chose Nepal because I have always been interested in international education and with the university having a sponsored school there it seemed like a good decision and place to start. My main source of support came from lecturers/professors on my course simply pointing me in the right direction.

“The experience initially felt overwhelming, but after even one lesson you began to feel your own progression as well as that of pupils. This is not to say that it was simple, it was a very creative experience and you had to become very resourceful. It was challenging but that only made the results all the more enjoyable and worth while.

“From schools that I have taught in within the UK; Nepali schools are under resourced and I had to really focus on making lessons relatable to their culture as cross-cultural encounters became an issue whereby pupils would not recognise items or discussions that they could not use directly.

“I have learnt how to be more resourceful, as well as learning how to embrace a new culture. My placement has helped me to become a more organised and self-reliant teacher. It has dramatically built up my confidence as an individual as it has made me feel as though I am capable of a lot more than I ever
initially considered.

“This placement has dramatically influenced my decisions, as previously mentioned I have always had an interest in international education as this was the first step into this profession. Therefore, after graduation I want to gain my PGCE or NQT status and then with any luck progress onto teaching in various countries internationally. This placement has helped reinforce my professional aspirations and where I want to be in my future.

“The Malagiri School was very nice and the staff members were very welcoming. It was impressive to see what the university’s sponsorship has been used towards. The school facilities were dramatically better than any other I had taught in while in the county. The school appeared to have multiple facilities and the pupils appeared very happy and aware of the advantages they were being given despite being so young.