Karina started her primary teaching career in Scotland, where she qualified with a Primary PGCE specialising in bilingual learners. She has more than twenty years' experience working in international schools, using the English National Curriculum, which is modified and enhanced to meet the needs of pupils learning in an Asian context. Karina has taught all primary age groups and also has experience as a specialist EAL teacher. She has undergone ongoing professional development, most recently with a focus on English and literacy to ensure language learning is engaging and enjoyable while progressively developing skills.
Karina has extensive leadership experience, with whole-school responsibility for curriculum and assessment in her most recent role. She is adept at using varied assessment strategies to ensure that pupil progress is monitored on an ongoing basis and that modifications and interventions are quickly put in place, ensuring each individual has the correct level of challenge and support. Karina supports the children in her class to understand themselves as learners, reflecting on their strengths and areas for improvement and setting themselves achievable targets. She encourages her pupils to be risk-takers, embracing challenges and seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn. Karina believes that developing caring and friendly relationships with the children in her class is the foundation for successful learning. She takes time to ensure she knows each individual in her class well and supports them in developing their emotional literacy, helping them to overcome any social and emotional challenges they may face. Karina dedicates time to ensure that the children develop a range of transdisciplinary skills while learning, such as collaboration, research skills, social skills and self-management. She ensures her lessons are varied and fun so that the children enjoy learning.
In her free time, Karina loves to travel, exploring new places and new cuisines. She is looking forward to exploring more of China during the school holidays.
