TEACHER TUESDAY: Jessica Carter

Name, position at Stonar and when you joined

I joined Stonar in 2019 as the Houseparent of Hart. After a stint as Head of Drama, I am now the Head of Key Stage 3 & 4 Pastoral.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I grew up in Oman and went to boarding school when I was 11 in the UK. Following my Drama degree at Loughborough university, I spent a year in South Korea teaching English. This experience inspired my decision to pursue a career in education. After my first year of teaching, I moved to Thailand to teach in an international school where I was a Drama teacher and Houseparent. 

What do you like to do in your free time/hobbies? 

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, particularly my family in Malta, where I spend much of my summer holiday with my children and parents. In addition, my children are History enthusiasts and the weekends often see us taking in a historic site. As a thespian, I can often be found at the theatre where I enjoy everything from stand-up comedy to Pinter.

If your life were a movie, what would it be?

I think I would describe my life as more of a soap opera than a movie and I am leaning towards Eastenders rather than Dynasty! I can see myself as Peggy Mitchell, looking after my family, pouring drinks and offering useful life advice to folk.

What pedagogical approaches do you use? Are there any that you have learned since being at Stonar? 

I believe that education should be child-centred, recognising that all young people are unique, with individual strengths, interests, and learning styles. By embedding this ethos into daily practice, we as educators can create an environment where every child is empowered to reach their full potential. One of the aspects of my role at Stonar that I relish so much is that we celebrate each member of our school community and encourage all pupils to take enjoyment in their learning whether it's inside or outside of the classroom.

What is a fun fact about you? 

During Sixth Form, I discovered I had an incredible talent for making a very life like sound of a goat. My teachers at school did not enjoy this talent!