Cathy Wells started teaching at AISB this school year, previously coming from the American International School of Zambia. She is a Secondary school learning support teacher, as well as advises a grade 9 homeroom. Here, Cathy shared her story of how she, as a teacher, feels, and her background.

What follows is Cathy’s story, in her own words:

“I believe students learn best when they have a voice in what they do. When they feel like they have choices, and when they feel valued, heard, and seen, they’re much more likely to engage. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy—each student is unique, and it’s about making sure they feel recognized and supported.

If someone is considering teaching, I’d advise them to make sure they truly care about kids. Some people think teaching is all about the summer vacations, but it’s so much more than that. You have to be passionate about helping young people grow and succeed.

When I started, I thought I wanted to teach little kids, but now that I’ve worked with high school students, I love it. I never expected to connect with high schoolers, but I’ve found that I really enjoy it. It’s such an important time in their lives as they figure out who they are, and I’m glad I get to be a part of that.

I never wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I was sure that teaching—especially in high school—was the last thing I would do. I thought I would be a writer. But now, I really love teaching and working with high school students. I love the subjects I teach now—especially learning support, which allows me to work with kids one-on-one. I also really enjoy co-teaching English and humanities. There’s something special about helping 12th graders navigate the transition to adulthood and college. I didn’t have the greatest high school experience, so I really appreciate getting the chance to help kids who may be going through similar challenges.

If I could think of a student I worked with last year who was really struggling with the IB program. They didn’t believe they could succeed, and many of their teachers didn’t think they’d pass. But this student came to me every week asking for different strategies to study and manage time, and they ended up passing the IB and doing really well. I was really proud of them for sticking with it and using the tools we worked on together.

Right now, I’m focusing on helping students improve their organizational skills and study habits. I’m researching how to assist students who may have more disorganized thinking patterns, so they can still succeed. It’s about giving them the right tools to thrive, even if their brains work differently.”