How did you come to study with Tes Institute?
After several years of teaching in the Caribbean, Ecuador and Vietnam, I reached a point where I wanted to refine my classroom practice and ground it in contemporary pedagogical approaches. Tes Institute felt like a natural choice – it offered a rigorous pathway to QTS while allowing me the flexibility to remain embedded in my current school community and continue working with the students I serve.
The iQTS programme aligned closely with my context: a dynamic, multilingual classroom where students contribute as much to the learning process as I do. My school supported the decision due to Tes’s strong reputation, its deep understanding of international education settings, and its emphasis on professional autonomy and reflective inquiry.
Why did you choose to undertake this course? What did you want to achieve?
This course marked both a personal and professional turning point. I wanted to formalise my teaching credentials while continuing to teach internationally, with a particular focus on developing an inclusive, culturally responsive and research-informed practice.
Although I had previously minored in education during my BA in Visual Arts, my goal was to deepen my pedagogical knowledge and align my teaching with international standards making it both meaningful and empowering for diverse learners. I also saw the iQTS, alongside the Postgraduate Certificate in Education I completed concurrently, as a stepping stone toward postgraduate research and potential leadership roles within international schools.
Undertaking the course was a deliberate commitment to growth and an opportunity to reframe my creative and cultural background into a foundation that is both research-informed and pedagogically sustainable.
How has this course supported you to achieve your goals?
The course provided both the structure and theoretical lens to critically examine my teaching practice. Engaging with frameworks such as Cognitive Load Theory and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy deepened my understanding of how students process information-particularly in a visual, multilingual classroom.
Through ongoing reflection, data collection and feedback, I was able to identify where my teaching was effective and where it required refinement. It also affirmed that my instinct to use culture and storytelling as scaffolds for learning was not only valid but grounded in evidence. That realisation has given me greater confidence and clarity moving forward.
This research has already influenced my curriculum design and classroom strategies in meaningful ways. The course also helped me define my next steps into further postgraduate study and broader curriculum leadership. In addition, it equipped me with practical tools to scaffold EAL learners, differentiate assessment and build stronger connections with parents and carers.
How did you find the application process?
The application process was clear and well-supported. From the outset, I felt that the team genuinely understood my context and professional motivations. They asked thoughtful questions, not just about eligibility, but about fit and intention.
It gave me confidence that I was joining a programme that valued both where I was in my journey and where I aspired to go.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
What I enjoyed most was the process of transforming lived experience into structured inquiry. Assignments and tasks didn’t feel like a checklist; they felt like holding up a mirror. They revealed patterns in my teaching, highlighted gaps in my practice and opened up opportunities for deeper engagement. Being able to build assignments around real classroom data made the work immediately relevant and impactful.
I also deeply valued the professional dialogue with my subject coordinator, mentors and colleagues, which the course actively encouraged. It reminded me that teaching isn’t static – it’s always evolving, and that’s what makes it meaningful.
The programme pushed me to question my choices, adapt my strategies and think critically about inclusion and progression. It wasn’t just about improving my teaching – it was about growing as a teacher.
