In the second of a series profiling new ISP faculty for 2021-22, the focus is on Ms. Rebecca Clark, Middle School Learning Support Teacher, pictured above on a forest walk with Grade 6 students. Ms Clark is originally from the United States but arrives in ISP with her husband Michael, Learning Innovation Hub Teacher-Librarian, son Charlie and daughter Hazel after 13 years spent teaching in Singapore. Coming to Europe represents something of a return as Ms. Clark spent her teenage years in Germany. Here are Ms. Clark’s initial thoughts on life in Prague and at ISP.
- Where in the world have you come from?
Michael, Hazel, Charlie, and I came to Prague this summer after 13 years in Singapore.
- Obviously the last two school years have been exceptional – but what positive experiences will you bring to being an ISP educator?
The last two years have shown us how important it is to connect with each other and feel known. That has always been at the center of my classroom, and I can’t wait for my students to feel that way here in Prague. No matter how hard the last two years have been, they have affirmed what matters the most. Relationships are vital – when we feel connected to a place and believe in ourselves, we can learn alongside each other.
- Why ISP? What influenced your decision to join the ISP Community and the city of Prague?
I have known so many people who have lived here and loved it. The city is amazing! For me, it’s returning home a bit, as my teenage years were in Germany — I’m going from Prague-on-weekends to Prague-24-7! For our family of four, having a smaller community was important to us. ISP allows us to go from a campus of 4,000 students to a campus of 900 (believe it or not, our Singapore community felt tight-knit to us, though!). The community of ISP has welcomed us with open arms, and we can’t wait to give back. A bonus is that one of my sisters is also moving to Europe from Asia. She’ll be in Northern Italy this year!
- What has been your favourite learning moment from your short time at ISP so far?
Giggling with my students about where to meet up with our sixth grade team for our forest walk was definitely fun! There is nature everywhere here, so we were on the wrong side of the school! But then, as soon as I turned around, there was my team of sixth grade teachers ready to scoop us up and take us to the right place! They are awesome!
- What have you learned about the city of Prague so far, what are your initial impressions?
I am just amazed by the public transportation system. It is so efficient, dependable, and affordable. I just hop on a tram and explore with such ease and confidence that I’m sure to have adventures every day.
- What are your hopes and dreams for your students and you personally this year?
I hope we can enjoy being on campus as long as possible, given the pandemic’s twists and turns — and take it easy on ourselves and each other as we ease back into this “new normal.” We just have to be there for each other and enjoy every moment we have in-person. For me, personally, I hope I can write a little more than I could in Singapore. My hope is that with the cooler weather and parks, I’ll be more inspired to take my notebook outside — even when it’s dark and cold, I’m going to try, and if it’s too chilly, I’ll find new coffee shops. They are EVERYWHERE, which is dreamy to me.
