Johanna Pon-an

Hello! My name is Johanna and I’ve been teaching at HeadStart since 2017. I spent 2 years as a shadow teacher and this will be my fourth year as a deputy teacher. I am extremely excited to meet you all and begin teaching children at our fantastic school. As a special educator, teaching exceptional children is my passion and I can't imagine doing anything else. We will find exciting ways to learn and grow together every day! Looking forward to a year of fun-filled learning adventures. I am from the Philippines but I have been living in Phuket for six years now. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Special Education focused on children with Intellectual Disabilities as well as the Gifted & Talented. Currently, I am finishing my master’s degree in Education major in Educational Management. I am a licensed professional teacher and have experience with organising learning activities tailored to students with special needs, learning capacities, standards, and Intellectual Disabilities. I’ve been a Homeroom Teacher in a Bilingual School here in Phuket and my two-year broad experiences exposed me to many different teaching philosophies that have ultimately helped to shape my own personal philosophies for teaching and education. I love learning new things and always try to stay up to date on the latest teaching practices. As a special education teacher, I believe that every child is special, unique and has the ability to learn in distinct ways. Every student can learn best when he/she is engaged and having fun. It is the responsibility of the teacher to discover each child's strengths and weaknesses and use this information to promote learning and development. I believe that parents and teachers should work together as partners to help provide an education that encourages students to pursue academic excellence to the best of their abilities. In addition, it is important to provide children with a warm, safe, and inviting learning environment where they can play, discover, and grow. With an appropriate classroom and the proper guidance and instruction, I believe young children will develop a positive attitude towards education, along with the self-confidence and independence necessary to become successful adults in the future.