10 LUMEN | FEATURE
MostInspiring
Teacher
The Inspiring Teacher of English Award ( ITEA ) is a national award for English teachers in Singapore schools that acknowledges teachers who have been instrumental in igniting a love for the English language and are effective in helping their students speak and write better . These teachers are passionate about making English interesting and relevant to their students , and are innovative in engaging their students to help them learn English better . The Award salutes these teachers for their continual learning and constant efforts to upgrade themselves to benefit their students and schools . Two SJI teachers have achieved this award since it started in 2008 . Julian Teng speaks to Mrs Mishaelle Chua , one of the nine ITEA recipients for 2018 .
In the words of Mrs Mishaelle Chua , when we try to fill a pail , the learning stops when the pail is full . But if we try to ignite students ’ passion for the English Language , the learning will grow into a flame which continues blazing brightly even after they graduate from SJI . This has been a source of inspiration and motivation in her many years as an educator .
In her formative years , Mrs Chua was inspired by two teachers who left an indelible mark on her as a student . The first teacher , Mr Wong who was her teacher in Primary 3 , would always buy new books for his students to borrow and read . Mrs Chua always looked forward to his lessons as it was the chance for her to get her hands on the latest books . The second teacher , Mrs Yue who was Mrs Chua ’ s Secondary 1 teacher , would always come to class with a short extract of a book she was recommending . Mrs Yue ’ s lessons quickly became one of Mrs Chua ’ s favourites , having been mesmerized by her expressive and articulate reading . She learnt the power of imagination and the ability of literature to be a teacher in itself , inculcating values such as empathy and love .
Having been touched by her teachers ’ drive to motivate their students to read , Mrs Chua followed in her teachers ’ footsteps , funnelling her passion of reading into her lessons by gifting books as prizes to encourage her students to nurture a sense of wonderment and passion for reading . Her personal experience with other inspiring teachers of English in her formative years inspired Mrs Chua to join the field of education in an effort to promote reading and mould the future of Singapore . She is a staunch believer that her actions in the present can make an impact in the future and that the best environment for her to do so is in a classroom , nurturing students with life lessons and values . Her goal to nurture every student so that he can reach his fullest potential is in the hope that during their time with her , they will develop roots that will anchor them and allow them to find their wings so