Upon finishing his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at University of Reading, Paul went on to teach Primary school pupils at British schools in both Korea and Qatar. Paul wanted to become a deputy head and eventually become a head teacher. He was therefore very interested in further study to increase his knowledge and experience.
Having had such a positive experience previously, Paul decided to use the credits he had gained from his PGCE towards a Master's in Leadership and Management in Education at the University of Reading.
Paul worked in the day as a deputy head in Oxfordshire, and attended evening classes. Then just before starting his dissertation he was offered a deputy principal position at one of the top international schools in Tokyo. Consequently, he continued his studies long-distance.
"I found the university staff so supportive of my long-distance learning. They made it all so easy with regular Skype calls, emails, and face-to-face tutorials when I was in the UK."
Paul chose to do his dissertation on Leading Change in International Schools. He conducted semi structured interviews and spoke to highly experienced head teachers who had worked both in the UK and abroad.
" It got me thinking about how I wanted to be as a leader. Additionally, I feel my dissertation definitely had an immediate effect on my employability as people were interested in my research and how it could be implemented in their institution. I also put it into practice when leading my own team and ensuring my day to day management is as effective as can be. "
Upon completing his MA, Paul was offered a job as a head teacher at Panyathip International School, the British international school in Laos.
"Right now I love working internationally, experiencing different cultures and doing the job I love in different places. I won't rule out a PhD in the future but over the next few years I just want to enjoy living in wonderful Laos, and implement what I've learnt about leadership into leading change for learning improvement at the primary campus I'm responsible for."