I started my career in my home town of Liverpool, England where I developed my passion for teaching.
I caught the travel bug early and decided to leave the UK to teach in a small, rural elementary/middle school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This was a bit of a culture shock, moving from the football obsessed city of Liverpool to the Basketball crazed college town where Michael Jordan rose to fame. But this was a welcomed challenge that allowed me to evolve personally and professionally.
I arrived in Dubai in 2008, and admittedly I knew little about the middle east and the U.A.E. I was employed by an international school which delivered the IB programme. Working with students and colleagues from 86 different countries was such an enriching experience and made me realize the value of internationalism and intercultural understanding in education.
After 6 years in Dubai, I spent a short spell in a prestigious international school in Bangkok, as a fitness/strength and conditioning teacher. This was fantastic experience in one of my favourite cities but decided that I missed Dubai too much, and returned to the Emirates to my position here at DBS. I am currently the Director of Sport and ECA Coordinator with an aim to deliver a broad and balanced extra- curricular program where students can develop holistically through physical activity and sport.
Through these teaching experiences I have been able to fulfil my 2 passions of travel and sport. I enjoy all types of live performances and on the odd occasion, you may find me playing guitar and jamming along to some classic 80’s poodle hair rock!!
Best Moment In Teaching.
The majority of my best teaching moments revolve around competitive sport. One of my most memorable was right at the start of my career when my U15 football team reached the Liverpool schools cup final. The opposition was the school I attended as a student, and their coach…. my dad, who was also a PE teacher at the time. He was my PE teacher as a schoolboy and it was surreal being on opposite touchlines competing against each other. Unfortunately, my team lost on penalties after extra time and we shook hands at the end of the game. There wasn’t much conversation around the dinner table that evening.
Emma Pennock
Graduating from Loughborough in 2004 I spent a few years teaching in Aspley, Nottingham at a school with an Autistic Centre on site. I have such fond memories of my time working there where I would go from leading 1 to 1 physical therapy sessions across campus to deliver Year 13 A Level Physiology. From early on I was interested in pastoral care and gained the roles of Head of House and Assistant Head of Year. During my leisure time I played volleyball for Loughborough Ladies and Coached the U17 Girls East Midlands Volleyball Squad. The decision to move to Dubai was, in all honesty, not entirely planned. I visited a teaching friend in Abu Dhabi and fell in love with the country, lifestyle and prospect of teaching in the heat! With Maths and PE jobs available at DBS, Mr Pennock and I headed to the Sandpit and are thrilled we made this choice. DBS really is a close community and I feel fortunate to be raising my daughters in a school where young people of all nationalities and backgrounds are valued and differences celebrated. I am Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Pastoral Care in the Secondary school and teach PE across the Year Groups and Psychology at GCSE Level. In my free time I love to be outdoors, travelling and exploring new places. I enjoy a range of sports and just spending time with my family. Best Moment In Teaching Alumni – Keeping in contact with ex-students and hearing about all their amazing accomplishments and the close friendships that started at DBS and still remain some 10 years later! Sporting - Rounders City Finals gaining wins over all Dubai's top schools and watching the girls go on an impromptu lap of honour.
Head of Sixth Form, PE Teacher Kerryanne Cartwright
I am the Faculty Head of the very busy PE department at DBS. In our department we aim to foster a sense of enjoyment from sport, whilst providing our students with the skills that will enable them to participate in physical activities throughout their lives. I began teaching here in 2008 and have enjoyed every minute. It has been an absolute joy to watch the progress of all the students in our school, especially those who I have had the pleasure to teach from FS all the way up through secondary. I am heavily involved with the extra-curricular activities and I love taking the DBS teams to sports fixtures where I get to witness the skills, talents and competitiveness of our students. I adore the community feel surrounding DBS and its a pleasure getting to integrate with so many families and to see them grow and flourish. Best Moment In Teaching I think one of my funniest moments, was during a swimming lesson when a little boy in FS2 shouted at me from across the pool, mid-width, that he "was not a fish"! It was a challenge trying to explain to him that children can swim too, but I think he finally got the message by Year 6.
Head of PE / Faculty Leader / Director of Sports and Activities Marie-Claire Gibbs
I knew from a very young age I wanted to be a teacher. I come from a family full of teachers, and I couldn’t imagine doing any other job. I love the buzz of working in a classroom and how every day is different. I have been a teacher for over ten years, the last five being in Dubai. During my career I have taught every year group from Year 2 – 6 and held several leadership positions. I am really excited to be joining DBS as the Year 5 Leader. Originally from Devon, England, I followed my sisters (who are both teachers in Dubai!) out to the Middle East five years ago. I love living and working here: living in a diverse, multi-cultural city with endless sunshine is incredible. In my spare time I love reading, especially while lying on the beach or by a pool! I also enjoy lots of crafts such as sewing and knitting and make a lot of my own clothes. Best moment in teaching I love the feeling of community that develops in a classroom over a year, almost like an extended family. Watching the children celebrate each other’s successes and support their classmates when faced with challenges makes me feel so fortunate to do the job I do!
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