Alison Manjyoume

1.Position at the School

Elementary Milepost 3 (MP3) Teacher (grades 5 and 6)

2.Nationality

Australian

3.Where were you born?

Malaysia

4.What year did you come to HIS, and where were you working prior to HIS?

I started at HIS as a part-time teacher in 2012. & then became a full-time teacher in 2013. Before coming to HIS I was teaching in schools in Western Sydney. Before returning to university at 40 years old to become a teacher, I was a social worker & worked for the Department of Health & Community Services Child Protection Unit

5.What attracted you to come work at HIS?

I was interested in teaching in a small school so that I could better give personal attention to each of the students. In Australia I had taught a Year 5/6 class that had 52 students! I was also interested in HIS because the students & families came from many different countries & cultural backgrounds. This was important to me as I come from a culturally diverse family.  

6.How important was it to choose an international school with an emphasis on the outdoors?

I love the outdoors. I have been a camper, hiker, & nature lover since I was a child. I wanted to be able to provide outdoor experiences for the students of HIS so that they may learn new skills & to love being out experiencing nature.

7.How important was it to choose an international school with an emphasis on experiential learning?

Experiential learning provides students with so many benefits- both academically & socially. Since it has a very 'hands-on-minds-on' approach, it fosters teamwork, increased engagement, communication, and adaptability.
Experiential learning is particularly beneficial for children because it aligns with their natural curiosity & hands-on approach to learning.
Other benefits include enhanced problem solving skills, the opportunity to apply theory to real world problems & improves critical thinking. It makes education more engaging & enjoyable which helps to maintain interest & motivation.
What is of importance to me is that experiential learning encourages children to explore & discover their own interests fostering a love of learning that can last a lifetime.

8.How long have you been teaching? How does teaching at HIS compare to other schools you've taught at?

I have been teaching for 17 years. 12 of which have been at HIS. I started at HIS as a part-time teacher in 2012 & then became a full-time teacher in 2013. 
What I love most about HIS is the community. The parents & teachers work together closely to provide the best learning environment for the students. I also love having small class sizes as I can really get to know my students. 

9.When did you first know you wanted to be a teacher?

I went to University straight out of High School to become a Social Worker. I always knew that I wanted to work with people & particularly families & children. So after 20 years of working as a social worker, I decided to go back to university to become a teacher because I thought I would like to work with children & families in a different way.

10.How would you describe the students at HIS?  

The students are curious & hardworking. They have a 'give it a go' spirit.

11.What's your favorite part about living in Japan? How about living in Sapporo, Hokkaido?

What's your favorite part about living in Japan? How about living in Sapporo, Hokkaido?
My favourite part of living in Japan is the beauty of the nature including the flora & fauna. 

12.What do you get up to outside of school?

I love going camping, biking & hiking — especially in Hokkaido. I like to travel & have visited most of the prefectures in Japan. I have cycled around many parts of Japan, climbed many of the mountains & canoed many of the rivers.  
I like to cook & BBQ on the weekends. 
I enjoy reading in the school holidays.

13,What's your favorite book of all time? Alternatively, what's your favorite movie? Why? What do you love about it?

My favourite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird. 
I love this book because of its rich vocabulary & fluid conversations, the lessons & morals it teachers, the social justice & right & wrong it highlights, the characters. 
It really is a MUST read for EVERYONE. 

14.If you could interview any past-living historical figure, who would it be, what would you ask them, and what do you think they'd say?

I would like to interview Truganini.
I would like to ask her what can Australians do to build a better future for First Nations Australians & their communities.
I think she might say that we need to insure that First Nations children have connections to culture & to support youth for leadership positions.

15.What advice would you give to teachers looking to work in Japan?

Come & visit Japan first & travel to as many places as you can to get a feel for what it is like & where you think would be a good fit for you.