We are Wellington | Anna Varina, a dual perspective

When I think back to the beginning of my working relationship with the College, I vividly remember my Skype interview with Emma Button and Alexandra Newell, followed by a visit to the Wellington UK campus to meet more of the team. We were living in London at the time and I was looking for an international teaching job because I felt it was the right time for my family and I to make that kind of change. I think I knew from those initial meetings that Wellington was the place I wanted to be, both for myself and my boys. Of course, I was already aware of the Wellington Values and ethos of holistic education, but when I actually met Emma and the others, I understood instinctively that these were ideas that were deeply held and naturally practised. I knew that these were people who lived up to what they were trying to teach. That has continued to be my impression of my colleagues throughout my time here in Shanghai. I felt entirely accepted and supported from the moment we arrived, I couldn’t stop smiling! I don’t think that Wellington could have been more welcoming or inviting overall.  

Experiencing this welcoming attitude was an even bigger relief to me as a parent than as a teacher. It’s very often the case that children will have some measure of difficulty adapting when lots of big changes are happening. For Aaron and Adam, they were changing schools, countries and friendship groups all at once, so it was a relief to know that they were in such good hands from the start. I believe that one of Wellington’s greatest strengths is that it has the right people and policies to make sure that new children are able to find their feet and settle in very quickly. From the house system, to the CCAs, whole-school events and so on, there are many opportunities for new pupils to get involved from the moment they arrive. I truly think that this helps them find their natural rhythm early on, letting them relax, lose their nervousness, make friends and come to love their school life in a very short space of time.

This is how it went for my boys. They were a little nervous at first, as you’d expect, but it only took a few months before they were feeling happy and established here. They love their football, and sport in general, as well as enjoying a widening range of studies and other activities. For any parent, this is the most important factor and it was wonderful to see them settled so quickly after such a significant change in their lives.  

I’m amazed and extremely proud when I think about how much my sons have progressed in the past two and a half years. There have been so many milestones but I think that overall the biggest change has been in their maturity and confidence levels. Their attitude towards learning and taking opportunities has greatly improved; they both throw themselves into their sports and are determined to keep trying and progressing no matter what.

This attitude goes for academia as well as sport. As much as this is due to their own excellent efforts, I think the learning environment at Wellington also plays an important role. Everyone is trying to better themselves here – it’s both respected and respectable to be studying, rather than being considered ‘boring’ or ‘uncool’ by one’s peers. There’s no stigma attached to trying to improve at anything you’re into, quite the opposite in fact. It doesn’t matter if you’re into sport, academia, performing arts or anything else, the pupils here are always respectful of any ability and of any effort made to better yourself. I really think this kind of environment has encouraged Aaron and Adam to try new things and give everything they try their best shot. I am really happy to see Adam enjoying drama more this year, and even making his debut in the lower Prep production. This is all thanks to the encouragement he has been getting from his teachers. Naturally, there’s always more work to be done, but they have grown up so much in just a couple of years. Their academic skills, social skills, personal confidence, linguistic ability, all of these things have come along significantly.  

To summarise what I’ve already said: the children really want to be here and they want to do well! I think that this partly stems from their awareness that Wellington is a special place and we’re all fortunate to be a part of it. This makes them very eager to learn and they consistently demonstrate excellent behaviour as well. As you might imagine, this kind of attitude makes daily life both easier and more enjoyable for any teacher. Crucially though, every day is still challenging and exciting, because every child is different and needs to be challenged and motivated in their own way. Here, I have the time and the resources to let me do just that.

I’ve already spoken about the pupils’ willingness to learn and the College’s ability to support them, but the parents are the other vital part of the equation. Since the beginning, they’ve always been supportive, approachable and willing to work with teachers to do what’s best for their children’s education and wellbeing. I love every parents’ evening because I get to build up a better picture of the family as well as a deeper understanding of where that child is coming from. We’re lucky to have parents who are always willing to listen and work with us. This also goes for my colleagues. They genuinely have the same values as we teach the children. They’re also great fun to be around! I miss them when we’re on holiday and enjoy catching up when we return. It’s a little community, one which makes my work that much more enjoyable and memorable.  

There are so many elements that make Wellington such a great place for both learning and teaching. However, I think it comes back to this overall sense of community, it might sound a little bit cliché but there is a clear family vibe here and it does positively influence everything we do. For example, the highlight of our week is football on Saturdays, because it’s a very special time for both the children and their parents. I’m a football mum so I get to meet a lot of parents this way, and it’s lovely to all be spending our own time together, informally, relaxing and having a great time. Even when the children go away to tournaments we all still share that experience through WeChat. Whenever one of our Wellington children scores, the word immediately spreads on the groups!

This sense of community applies to everybody and you can see it wherever you look. The whole-school events are an obvious example of this, particularly the International Food Fair and parade on UN Day, which is my personal favourite! I’m from the Ukraine originally, but my family and I lived in the UK between 2001-2015. Our first IFF was also the first time that my boys walked under the Ukrainian flag and they felt totally comfortable doing it, even though it was just the three of us. They had no hesitation and I was really touched by that. Clearly they felt that you can be accepted here no matter where you’re from. Being ‘inclusive’ is not just a buzzword, it’s actively practised along with all of the Wellington Values.  

It’s important to look toward the future no matter what you’re doing. I’m excited to see both for my boys continue to thrive and explore what’s important to them in academia, sport and other pursuits. I’m curious to find out what new things they will discover a talent for, because Wellington is very good at saying “yes, go for it,” if you want to pursue something you’re passionate about. This applies to the teachers as well as the pupils. My own example is that I’ve taken on the role of mathematics coordinator for Pre-Prep. This has involved developing the curriculum and running a variety of parent workshops about how we teach mathematics and how to challenge their children. I’ve had such an amazing response from the parents and I’ve felt empowered and supported by the College every step of the way. Even though Wellington has grown steadily even in the time I’ve been here, we are still a very close-knit community. That’s what makes me happy to be here, to see my children study here and to think about the following years we will enjoy here.  

More relevant articles :

• We are Wellington | From Tianjin to Shanghai
• We are Wellington | Joseph Hua, Class of 2017
• WeareWellington | From the beginning