Making A Positive Difference Through Geography
Noah Zhang is a final-year Bachelor of Arts (Education) student under the NTU-NIE Teaching Scholars Programme, an accomplishment that did not stem from childhood ambitions “As a kid, I was quite negative and self-centred in my outlook. I saw little meaning in what I was doing and started to give up on things,” he shared.
It wasn’t until junior college when a service-learning experience changed his perception of life. “I was a volunteer at a family service centre, where I worked with children of single parents and had to understand the problems they faced at home. The conversations with these children made me realise that there was so much more to life than just myself. That was when I made a decision to lead a life where I can make a positive difference to others. I wanted to lead, inspire and care for these students, and to be a supportive partner to parents in ensuring their holistic development.”
As the ambition started to crystallise, the passion to teach and decision to pursue Geography slowly came through thanks to the patient guidance of three individuals – all of who happen to be Geography teachers.
“Back in secondary school, I always looked forward to Mdm Tan Pek Cheng’s Geography lessons. I remember how she would teach about volcanic eruptions along the convergent plate boundaries, and then surprised us with a video showing that there are no volcanoes along the Himalayas Mountains. She challenged us to suggest reasons for this mismatch, and to reconcile general laws with real world complexities. The process triggered in me an appreciation of the many dynamic factors that shape our world,” Noah recalled.
Ms Helena Ting was the source of inspiration during Noah’s junior college years. “Ms Ting offered extra consultations to make up for lessons that I missed, and actively made it a point to impart the joys of learning Geography. I seriously thought I wasn’t going to make it in college, but she instilled in me a sense of hope and confidence and believed that I could do well. Even after college, she was key to helping me shape my teaching philosophy and gave me advice on becoming a better Geography teacher!”
Then,there is Dr Tricia Seow, whom Noah calls the “cornerstone” of his undergraduate life. “She’salways taken time to check on my understanding, consolidate my learning and provide constructive feedback. As my URECA supervising professor, she challenged me to think critically about my research objectives, and gave me opportunities to publish my work and make presentations at local and international conference. She could communicate the most impactful research insights using the simplest of words! I owe her a debt of gratitude for my research achievements at NIE, for believing in me even when I was doubtful of my own abilities. Thanks to her mentorship, I’ve developed the skills for a lifelong career and the confidence to be a better Geography educator.”
Not surprisingly, it was also the study of Geography that enabled Noah to realise how he could make a difference to his students. He explained, “This is a subject grounded on interactions between individuals, societies and the physical environment. It provides us with many opportunities to learn about the ambiguities and complexities of our inherited earth. For instance, many of us take for granted the fact that Singapore has access to clean drinking water every day,while more than half of the world’s population has to contend with contaminated water. Studying Geography provides us with the lens to better appreciate the natural and human processes that perpetuate such disparities.
“Oftentimes, Geography is associated with the memorisation of facts. As a Geography teacher, I hope to equip my students with the ability to think more critically about global issues. My personal goal is help students find joy and purpose in learning the subject, and to make it come alive by translating abstract concepts into topics that are representative of the real world,” Noah asserted.
