Leadership & Core Team

Life is a journey not a destination

From a young age, I spent much of my time on a farm, developing a deep connection to the outdoors. Growing up in Australia, I cultivated a love for nature and an innate curiosity to explore other countries and environments. My passion for education took root early, and after graduating from university, I spent several years teaching in primary schools. However, my adventurous spirit led me to seek new experiences beyond the classroom. Having made many Japanese friends in Cairns, I was inspired by their kindness and culture, which sparked my decision to move to Japan 20 years ago. What began as a journey of discovery quickly became a lifelong love for the country, its people, and—most importantly—the opportunity to educate and learn from children every day.

Empowering young minds through inquiry and imagination

I believe education should empower children to think independently, ask questions, and make meaningful connections. By fostering inquiry-based learning, we encourage students to take ownership of their education, develop critical thinking skills, and approach challenges with creativity. More than just gaining knowledge, I want students to become open-minded, reflective, and compassionate global citizens who are prepared to navigate an ever-changing world. Above all, I hope to instill in them a lifelong love of learning and encourage them to continue to develop their imagination—because, as Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

From Curiosity to Calling

Growing up with my grandparents and extended family taught me to appreciate and embrace the differences in family dynamics, even among people who share the same nationality, culture, and beliefs. Through these experiences, I learned early on that every person is truly one of a kind.

From a very young age, I was naturally curious about the world around me. I was fascinated by facts, especially the solar system when I was only two years old. That curiosity inspired me to ask questions, explore new ideas, and continue learning throughout my school years. While I always did my best academically, deep inside I felt that something was missing. No matter how well I performed in school, I longed for something more meaningful and fulfilling.

Like many young students in the Philippines, I once dreamed of becoming a doctor or a lawyer because these professions were often viewed as symbols of success and respect. However, during high school, one of my teachers shared words that deeply changed my perspective: “You give value to what you do and who you are.” Those words taught me that fulfillment does not come from titles or status, but from understanding your worth, embracing your purpose, and using your strengths to positively impact others.

Since then, I have come to see life as a lifelong journey where we each add colors to our own story through experiences, choices, and the people we inspire along the way. Looking back now, I smile at the thought of a two-year-old child holding a solar system book upside down, filled with wonder about the universe. Years later, that same curiosity continues to grow and is now shared through meaningful conversations, learning experiences, and connections with young minds. In many ways, life gently led me to where I was always meant to be: a path centered on learning, caring, and inspiring others to discover the world for themselves.

My passion for teaching started unexpectedly when I was about to turn 18 years old. By the time I was still studying English as a second language when my private language school teacher invited me to become a teacher at the same school. I was surprised at the time but decided to take the challenge. I wasn't sure I could do it, having never taught before, but somehow it felt natural as soon as I started. After that, when I wasn't sure what to do for college, a very good friend invited me to try the same course he was doing: pedagogy. By the time I still wasn't sure about what path I wanted to take for my career, so I decided to apply for that course. Forward almost 20 years ahead, and here I am, teaching at an international school in a country 17,000km away from where I grew up.

My life so far has been about education and all the things that happened in between. But most importantly, it all couldn't have happened if I hadn't had those key people in my life who nudged me in the right direction. And that's what I take as my inspiration for education. If I can be that key person for even one of my students, that would be a huge achievement.

In my perspective, a teacher's role transcends mere instruction; it is that of a facilitator. We exist in the classroom not just to impart knowledge but to empower our students to reach their aspirations independently. A teacher should function as a bridge, facilitating the students' journey to self-discovery rather than carrying them along a predetermined path. The essence of facilitation lies in nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I aspire for my students to question the world around them, exploring it socially, emotionally, and academically.

I believe that one of the main roles a teacher has is to cultivate the natural curiosity and sense of wonder that young learners have. As the famous scientist, Carl Sagan once said, ‘Young learners ask deep questions. What is a dream? Why is the moon round? What is the birthday of the world? Why do we have toes? Why is grass green? These are profound, important questions that just bubble right out of them.'

By encouraging students to ask these deep questions, and by asking deep questions of them in return, teachers can enable our students to develop ways of thinking that will empower them to approach any future challenges with confidence and skill. As a teacher of young learners, I have always felt that it is a privilege to spend this special time in their lives with them, and to help shape the way they see the world. I enjoy working with, and learning from, all the students at CGK!

Inspiring the next

Education is a wonderful thing; personally, I am very fortunate to have been inspired by some great teachers in my life. Because of this, I am motivated to be a similar figure in my students' lives.

My ultimate teaching goal is to help my students become better people, because learning is not simply studying academic matters. The IB curriculum is a great facilitator for this as it focuses on academic and personal growth. Working with young children means I am with them at a critical stage in their lives when they are learning all facets of life as they begin their journey to becoming the best person that they can be.

Similarly, as a teacher my learning is lifelong; with personal reflection and learning from my students and those around me I can become a better teacher and person. I thank you for the opportunity to work with and witness the growth of our future leaders.

What's the story?

One of those teachers who inspired me was my English teacher in middle school. Whilst teaching us the skills and components that were set out in the English curriculum, he incorporated a lot of cool things into his lessons that got a class full of teenage boys really engaged: things like ghost stories, Jack the Ripper, the John F. Kennedy assassination (still on my bucket list is to go to Dealey Plaza and the Book Depository), films, and music. Music opens a whole new world for any impressionable teenager. But for me it really was the gateway to everything that I love to this day and along the way I learnt a lot of different things.

And this is why I am enthusiastic and excited about CGK because of how we encourage the children to explore their interests even from a young age. Along the way things may change. But there is a lot of learning and new discoveries along the way as well. Traditional education has a rigidity that restricts the freedom for such new discoveries at school or any learning that may not be associated with academic learning. At CGK we facilitate this and are keen observers of each student's path of discovery. And as we all know, people with interests are interesting people.

A friend shared this observation on his music podcast and I feel that it is great advice for all lifelong learners: "Fall in love with something. Fall really hard for it. Don't stop falling. Even if people tell you it's not cool. And then see where that takes you."