Singaporean Taking PDCE in UK! (Teaching English)

Melisa Min Start Date: Oct 12, 2021 - End Date: Feb 11, 2022
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My Travel Story

by: Melisa Min Start Date: Oct 12, 2021 - End Date: Feb 11, 2022
In Septemer 2022, I will be on my way to undertake a PGCE (Post graduate certicate in education) with the University of East London. This will be an integral step for me to be qualified to teach English in international schools in Singapore.

I'm never the smartest cookie in classes (although I occassionally get the highest score in English test haha). My current university grades are not stellar (second upper honours), and I never had huge ambitions since young. In 2019, when I entered university, and subsequently majored in Linguistics, things made a lot of sense. I was such an avid reader, and till now one of my greatest hobby is reading. I am proudly fluent in both my native languages, and I always had such an interest in learning languages. They all meant something. Finally, I feel like I have a goal to work towards to - becoming an English teacher. 

Why do I want to be a teacher? Teaching is an area where I feel like I can display creativity and confidently use my skills and knowledge. Being "untalented" my whole life, it's crazy to have something to work towards to. And why do I want to teach in international schools? As a Linguistics major, I am not only interested in different languages, I am intrigued by cultural diversity as well. And I am absolutely excited to teach English to a classroom of students of different nationalities. I managed to get a voluntary teaching position in an international school in early 2021, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Being a Singaporean, I am in a unique position in terms of language proficiencies. Singapore learns English as first language, and we are as fluent in it as any "native" speakers. But, many people think that the best English teachers are American, British, Canadian (you get the idea). One of my mission is to spread this knowledge, and defeat the notion that the best teachers are all from the major English-speaking countries. The options in teaching in Singapore is very limited, and going overseas to UEL is one of my biggest chance to become a qualified teacher. But my family is virtually unable to send me overseas, and I am already paying my undergraduate studies on my own (~SGD33,000). The cost of the PGCE program in UEL for international candidates is about £12,000.  A PGCE is crucial and certainly very useful because Singapore (even the international schools) recognises many UK qualifications. The PGCE (with English as Additional Language) in UEL is the most affordable ones I can find. I am working part-time as an English tutor. However, I have not complete my undergraduate studies, and my pay from tutoring is certainly not enough.

I sincerely hope that if you came across my post and read this, you will be generous and donate what you can, every penny makes a difference! Please know that you will be making such a huge difference in my life. Oh, and I have never studied overseas before, this will be an insane experience. Thank you for reading!
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