Teacher Sandra Fenzl is into her 13th year at GESS, with a 4-year break in between. Find out what motivated her return and her passion working in GESS and for our students.
Tell us about yourself, your academic and career background. How long have you been in Singapore and in GESS, and what made you join GESS?
I grew up on Lake Chiemsee, studied biology and chemistry in Regensburg and lived in the USA for three years during my school and university years – in the three “C “s – Connecticut, Colorado and California. I am now in my 13th year at GESS – with a 4-year break in between.
It all started in 2007, when I applied as an ADLK* and received offers from all over the world. My dream destination would have been Chile, but it would have been difficult for my husband to find a suitable job there. That’s why we finally settled on Singapore. I didn’t know much about this small country at first, but I quickly fell in love. The initial plan was to stay for 3 years, but we finally remained here for 6. After 4 transformative years in Seattle, USA, I really wanted to return to Singapore and GESS. I returned to GESS in 2017 and have been supporting our Head of Middle School since 2021.
*ADLK (Auslandsdienstlehrkraft) are teachers who are appointed by the German government to undertake educational positions overseas.
Tell us about a typical day at work for you at GESS?
I’m the class teacher of 7B and my day at GESS starts at 7.50am with our registration. Regardless of my mood when I wake up in the morning, after the always cheerful 7B class pours into our classroom, their spirit is contagious and I start the day just as cheerfully as they do. All my students bring a lot of sunshine, new energy and ideas into my life. I teach middle and high school, attend many meetings (not only within the German section but also cross-sectionally) and regularly exchange ideas with my colleagues: about new ideas for lesson and talent development, student wellbeing, and support for students who need more assistance.
What are some challenges that you encounter in your role at GESS? And how do you overcome them?
GESS is a vibrant school with colleagues, students and families from many different backgrounds who bring a lot of unique experiences and insights to our campus. What I consider best practice and the correct approach might not be shared by my colleagues and students and vice versa. I keep an open mind towards new perspectives and ideas, and am willing to compromise and support decisions that I would not have made myself in order to move the school forward and provide the best learning environment possible for our community.
Working successfully in team structures requires listening carefully and respecting other people’s opinions, making everyone feel valued and heard. If a difficult decision needs to be made, I find it important to clearly state the reasons for it and give proof of thorough contemplation of all aspects.
I still find it hard to say goodbye to treasured colleagues and students, which is, unfortunately, quite regular at an international school. Nevertheless, the sorrow I feel when it is time to say farewell is also testament to the bond that I was allowed and able to form between myself and my colleagues and students.
What motivates you in your working with children?
Young people are full of new ideas, energy and enthusiasm. Being able to grow with them is a great privilege. The essence of my work with young people is to make sure that they are doing well and are thoroughly prepared for their future, academically and personally. It is very important to me that all our students feel valued and supported, that they believe in themselves, find a goal that they can and want to pursue, and that they learn to overcome difficult hurdles and not give up quickly. With the many adverse situations we are confronted with in the daily news, we can sometimes lose hope. The school should be a place where our students feel at home and safe. That’s what I work for every day.
How has GESS empowered you to dedicate your best to our kids?
At GESS, we are surely all lifelong learners. As such, I was given the opportunity to complete a very rewarding course from Harvard Business School and its School of Education on “Leading People”. Many takeaways from that course help me in my new role every day. Moreover, I attended my first EARCOS leadership conference in the fall of 2023 and was able to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues and board members from prestigious schools from the Southeast Asia region. Here at GESS, I am blessed with many wonderful colleagues from many different backgrounds whom I can learn so much from.
Lastly, what do you find time to do in your leisure time away from work?
I love to travel and as I grew up in the Alps, I am still drawn to places where hills, mountains and volcanoes enrich the landscape. I’m also interested in politics, art, music and enjoy being outdoors in nature.
