Under the NIE Global Exchange Programme, student teachers are given the invaluable opportunity to be attached to one of NIE’s overseas partner institutions and be mentored by experienced teachers for a five-week Teaching Assistantship stint.
This year’s International Practicum (IP) saw the first batch of student teachers travelling to Griffith University in Australia, Queen’s University in Canada, and University of Stavanger in Norway – our newest partner institutions. All in all, a record-breaking 60 student teachers travelled for IP this year – a sizeable number compared to the first batch of 11 in 2012 when the programme first started. Here’s what two of them had to say about their experience: | Read More |
“I had an unforgettable time at Griffith University, Australia. Besides learning immensely from the IP experience, I had heartwarming offers to train in Ultimate Frisbee with two local sports clubs, join a tournament and even coach a police academy team for their tournament. I took on the offers and have no regrets; each of these opportunities has become a treasured memory of the amazing people I’ve had the good fortune of meeting. A special shout-out to Mark and his team from the Queensland Police Service Academy – it was an honour and great fun coaching and playing Ultimate with you guys!”
Joshua Lee Shanwei
Bachelor of Science (Education) (Secondary), Year 2
“I went to the University of Stavanger, Norway, and was given the opportunity to be attached to a local school for five weeks as part of my IP. Norway was truly an exciting and enjoyable experience for me. The warm welcome from the school community made me feel right at home. The immersion has allowed me to observe and learn from the teachers and students, and gain a better understanding of the similarities and differences between our education systems. What impressed me most was the global perspective on education, which I gained through this trip. The short teaching stint in Norway has been a valuable learning experience that will aid my journey as an educator in the future.”
Rina Tan Yi Qian
Bachelor of Arts (Education) (Secondary), Year 2