By: Olivia Haycock

Kia ora im Olivia, I have recently been on a five-week teaching exchange in Singapore. I have been connected with the National Institute of Education (NIE), who have provided guidance and support throughout my entire experience. My time here has been absolutely incredible. I have had the opportunity to travel to new places, try amazing food, and meet people from all over the world. Although I have been very busy at school from Monday to Friday, I have still been able to travel and explore in my spare time, often with great recommendations from other teachers at the school.

In terms of workload, I have felt incredibly lucky, as I have been able to fully immerse myself in school life. We were given a small number of assignments and readings through NIE focused on Singaporean education. These have been very helpful in developing my understanding of the education system and the theory that underpins schooling in Singapore. As I am not studying full-time while over here, I have been able to take on lessons and put my full effort into observing and teaching. This has allowed me to invest time and energy into lesson preparation and delivery, and to fully embrace the school culture.

Outside of school, I have had the opportunity to see and do some amazing things. I have had time after school and on weekends to explore different parts of Singapore. After learning how to use the public transport system, it has been very easy to get around and access many different areas of the city. One of the highlights for me was visiting Universal Studios, which was easily one of the most fun days of the exchange. Being at school with locals has also been extremely helpful, as they have shared recommendations for places that showcase Singaporean culture. This has meant that, alongside visiting well-known tourist attractions, which have also been amazing, I have been able to see and experience places that people visiting on holiday might not usually see. The food has also been a standout and is incredibly accessible, with hawker centres seemingly around every corner.

Beyond life outside of school, my time in the classroom has been both challenging and eye-opening. There have been difficult days navigating school routines and student behaviour, but the teachers and students have been extremely welcoming and made me feel comfortable from the very first day. Students have been very interested in my accent and will often want to have conversations with me just to be able to figure out how I sound. While I was eager to learn from them, they were equally interested in learning about school life in New Zealand. This mutual exchange allowed us to learn from one another, and they were very appreciative of what I could share. These types of experiences are incredibly valuable, and although I came to Singapore to learn and expand my experiences for the classroom, I feel as though I have also made a difference by sharing how we do school life in New Zealand. The best part is everyone always tells me how they want to come and visit one day, as they all have seen how beautiful my country is. This really makes me feel so lucky to call Aotearoa home, but makes these experiences so significant.