Janna Wilford

I joined Dubai British School Emirates Hills in 2020 after completing my Cache Level 2 Diploma for Early Years Practitioner EYFS. I am a MBA professional with over 12 years of corporate experience across Middle East and India. Being a mom of two wonderful boys, I have always wanted to start my tryst with teaching younger kids . It has been indeed a novel experience for me to be a part of DBS community. I aspire to be a change maker and catalyst for the budding minds to start their journey of learning and experimenting. In my spare time I love gardening, reading books and enhancing my culinary skills. Best moment : Each day in Foundation is special as there’s no better feeling than seeing happy smiling faces getting more confident and vibrant with each passing day.

My journey as a Learning Assistant began in New Zealand in 2010 with PORSE, an in-home child education company. During the five years I was a PORSE in-home educator I was able to build a strong bond with the children I educated and built my passion for helping kids on their life journey. In 2015 I moved from Auckland to Dubai with my husband and two daughters. My daughters started at DBS and we quickly become part of the schools community. Since 2017 I have been a Foundation Learning Assistant at DBS where I have been able to re ignite my passion for children’s education. One of the best moments as a Learning Assistant is seeing a child graduating at the end of the year and knowing I played a role in their development.

I grew up in South Africa with four siblings much younger than me. Being around children all the time led to my passion for teaching. I moved to Dubai and joined DBS in 2015 and have been a teaching assistant in Foundation since. I am currently studying towards my Batchelor of Education Degree, so that one day soon, I can teach classes of my own. In my free time I enjoy spending time baking, exercising and of course video chatting to my family and friends back home. Best Moment In Teaching: There is a best moment or moments everyday in early years education, it would be impossible to choose one. The rewarding moments of witnessing ‘ah-ha’ moments when the lightbulb clicks. To finding yourself in an imaginative, creative, and surprisingly intellectual conversations with 3, 4- and 5- year olds. The kindness, support and complements of parents and dress up days!

After graduating from my PGCE in 2014, specialising in Early Years education I got my first teaching job back at my old primary school! After two amazing years back where education all began for me I decided it was time for something new and moved to Dubai in 2016. After having worked in another outstanding International School in Dubai for three years, I was thrilled to join the team at DBS in 2019 at theYear Leader for FS2. During my career to date I have worked in Year Two, Year One and Foundation Stage Two and have held middle leader positions in each phase. I am very fortunate to be part of a school that has such a loving and nurturing environment where children can learn and experience new challenges whilst they play. I look forward to continuing to have a positive impact on the growth and development of our youngest learners at DBS. There is never a dull day in Early Years and I love my job! I am originally from a small town in Lincolnshire on the East Coast of England and I have also worked in California in America. Before becoming a School Teacher I have worked as a swimming coach, a dance teacher and a gymnastics and cheerleading coach. All of which have given me some great experience in my current job. Outside of school I still train in gymnastics and I love running. I have completed Dubai marathon and the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon to name a few whilst living in the UAE. I have a huge interest in educational psychology and I look forward to continuing my studies in this area. Even as teachers, we never stop learning! Best Moment In Teaching Every day brings lots of joy but I love seeing the children perform in their class productions. It is lovely to see children develop such confidence during these times. I will never forget the day when I had a little boy in my class who was hearing impaired and non- verbal from birth come up to the microphone on stage and say his line during the class assembly! It was a little miracle, such a special moment and a reminder to never give up!

I come from Glasgow, Scotland. I moved to Abu- Dhabi in 1988 with my family. I have watched this country develop and grow from the desert oasis it used to be to the cosmopolitan business power house we all see today. It has been my personal joy and growth to come into contact with all this beautiful country has to offer and it has deepened my love for the UAE endlessly. The residents of the UAE have such an impact on the tapestry of my life now, that I look forward to all worldly celebrations and endeavor to inject those into my own children’s lives so they may experience all the beauty the world has to offer. Being part of DBSEH and the Taaleem family only mirrors these values! WOW MOMENTS IN TEACHING: Every day I walk into the gates of DBSEH I feel a sense of pride. This establishment is one that I am very proud to be a part of. Each day, as faculty, there is something to be proud of in this school. All the children make us proud in one way or another. However if there’s to be a moment that sticks out to me, it must be when one of my non EAL students finally found her confidence to speak to her friends. She had spent many months listening, watching and mimicking her surroundings. This one day she sat down next to her peers and in a very confident voice spoke about her morning and gave clear instructions to her peers of what she would like them to pass to her around the activity table. The JOY I felt at this child’s progress was UTTER euphoria! Each child learns at their own pace and every milestone is worth a celebration. Children are the greatest resource for the future.

I am from a beautiful country called South Africa. I’m sure you’re all wondering if I have a pet lion… or a giraffe in my back yard? The answer is, no I don’t, but I do have some Vervet monkeys visit my garden from time to time! South Africa is a wonderful place filled with beautiful animals and stunning views and beaches. I love travelling, walking on the beach, swimming, singing and playing music on my piano and guitar. I have been married for 11 years now and I have a sweet, energetic, wonderful daughter called Daisy Belle. I have been working with children for over 10 years now and I absolutely love it. I taught in Durban, South Africa first, then in Doha, Qatar, and finally before coming to DBS, I was at an Australian School in Sharjah, UAE! It’s my passion to see children thrive! I love to inspire children to be the best version of themselves that they can be. I believe in values such as respect, manners, honesty, and kindness to name a few. My heart is to see children take on their own values and mould and shape into a well-rounded, whole person. Best Moment In Teaching My favorite memories of teaching always come from the times I coached sport, especially coaching field hockey. I remember once when 2 of my students told me they were playing soccer at their local soccer club. They wanted me to come and watch. When I arrived, the look on their faces to see their teacher ACTUALLY came to watch them outside of school, was priceless!!! It was such an amazing feeling seeing their faces light up! I always enjoy the atmosphere and comradery during tournaments and games and loved supporting my students during their matches.

I joined DBS in 2016. I taught in Newcastle for two years in an outstanding school after I graduated from Newcastle University before I made the exciting decision to move and teach in Dubai. I enjoy reading in my spare time and exploring new places. I remain incredibly close to my immediate and extended family whose love and support have always played a vital role in my decisions and successes. I have made many valuable friendships with colleagues here in Dubai and I am proud to be a part of the DBS family. Best Moment In Teaching There are just too many! I adore teaching and my favourite thing is seeing how much the children progress over the course of the year.

I am Irish but have now lived more of my life overseas than in Ireland. Having changed careers and retrained to become a teacher, I can confidently say that teaching is my true vocation. As a long-term expat, I have had the benefit of experiencing education, as a teacher and as a parent, in several countries, giving me valuable insight into what is effective and what is important to children and their development. I joined the Foundation Stage department at DBS as a teacher in 2012. Over the years, I have taught in both FS1 and FS2 and I have watched proudly as an already Outstanding department continued to develop and evolve, into an exemplary model of how to provide the best early years education for children. I hope you get the opportunity to visit us and see the rich, vibrant and happy space that we have created. I became the Head of Foundation at DBS in 2019 and I strive to ensure the practice of constantly reviewing, learning and growing in our department, to give the best environment in which to teach and learn. When I am not at work, I enjoy playing tennis, cooking (and eating) and travelling to new places or to visit my grown-up children. Best Moment In Teaching My best moments in teaching are the little things that happen every day and are too numerous to mention! However, if I have to pick two that bring me joy they would be: 1) the children who learn to share, speak confidently, read, write and count but tell their parents that they don’t do work at school, they just play! and 2) the emails that I receive every year from parents, whose children clung nervously to their legs in September, telling me that their children now ask why they can’t go to school at the weekend!

I come from a well-known city in England called Liverpool. I grew up as part of a large family and love to spend time in the company of others. I enjoy the sunshine and being outdoors, most of my weekends are spent at the beach. I also like walking, reading, and drinking lots of tea. After graduating from university in 2009, I began my teaching career in my hometown of Liverpool. I enjoyed teaching children of FS1 and FS2 age for many years, gaining valuable training and experience along the way. I have a real passion for teaching our youngest learners in school, and love to nurture and develop children’s skills in a purposeful and creative way. In 2017 I decided to try something new and moved to Abu Dhabi to work as part of a popular school in their EYFS department. Working in the UAE brought about lots of new opportunities and so I decided to join Taaleem and move to Dubai. I have taught in DBSJP as a Year One teacher, for 2 years. I am now extremely excited about joining DBS in September 2020, where I will return to work in Early Years, Foundation Two Class.