See Guan – PE Teacher
See Guan enrolled in the BSportHPE to broaden his perspectives as an athlete, sports coach and PE teacher, and enrich his teaching experience and expertise.
“After working as a primary school physical education teacher in Singapore for a few years, I was looking for ways to develop my professional knowledge and gain skills to further promote health and wellness in my community. The University of Auckland’s BSportHPE had the diversity of subjects that I was looking for – it was a programme that would broaden my perspectives as an athlete, sports coach and a PE teacher, and enrich my teaching experience, as well as build my expertise.
“I liked that many courses in the programme consisted of a combination of both teaching to give me a strong understanding of research theory, coupled with opportunities for hands-on learning.
“One of my most memorable experiences was organising an outing to Forest Adventure as part of the Sport and Recreation module. This gave me the chance to learn practical skills like risk assessment, coordination, organisation and planning for outdoor learning activities. The friendship and camaraderie forged during the process was very meaningful!
“I really enjoyed my 60-hour placement at Auckland Normal Intermediate School, which gave me insight into how the enquiry-based learning model is applied in schools. I observed and participated in lessons, taught PE classes, helped out in the school production, supported the football, basketball and water polo teams, and even participated in training sessions. Rich learning experiences like these are invaluable for broadening my perspectives of teaching and learning in both schools and the wider community.
The programme offers you not only knowledge and skills, but also experiential learning experiences and the opportunity to develop yourself holistically.
“On top of developing my cultural sensitivity while teaching diverse students, this programme has helped me to develop critical awareness of my work which, along with application of research theories, is crucial for decision-making as a PE teacher. I have also come to appreciate and adopt the health model of Te Whare Tapa Whā which now shapes my teaching philosophy – the principle which focuses not just on the absence of diseases, but on holistic health, involving the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical aspects of a person.
“I’m now working as a PE teacher in Singapore, which involves planning and organising educational experiences for students, teaching Physical and Health Education lessons, organising health programmes, building positive teacher-student relationships and conducting basketball training sessions. I am passionate about imparting knowledge and skills to my students, planning purposeful school events and interacting meaningfully with my colleagues and students.”