A Woman of True Grit

by Shahd Rashid

She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. A female with two eligibility, a licensed Chemical Engineer and a Professional Teacher. A mentor who taught in the Philippines, her home country for 15 years before moving to Indonesia where she spent 7 years teaching Mathematics under the Cambridge Curriculum. She then moved to Taiwan and taught under the International Baccalaureate Curriculum for 2 years.

In 2020, heights of the pandemic, her expertise was tested as she was hired to be the Academic Directress of Shorouq AlMamlakah International School’s Girls Section.

A polymath who is guided by the mantra, “You cannot give what you don’t have”,. This female polyhistor holds high thoughts on the academic side of an educational institute, believing that teachers must have mastery of the subject matter they teach. They must not only be one page ahead of their students but a whole book if possible. She believes teachers should understand the relevance of the topics they teach. “As they are now, and how relevant it is when they [the students] grow older, and how relevant it is in the coming years for them.”

She also considers the heart of education is the teachers. “While there cannot be teachers without the students, … as we define students as children coming to school, as teachers, we can teach anyone. And if well treated, teachers will deliver the best they can be and sometimes go beyond what is expected of them. They will extend the time for the students, give extra lessons and help, and find time to communicate with parents.”

She sees her greatest strength as foreseeing what she needs to teach her students. “Our students are very intelligent and most of them are very inquisitive, so you have to be ready for whatever untoward questions are it’s putting its name on the map of educational institutes, especially here in Taif. There had been challenges and, to be honest, in the first six months, I was struggling to adjust to the system and the culture, which is different compared to the other countries that I had experienced teaching, so I had to test the waters before introducing changes.” she highlighted.

With a legion of ideas to develop a brighter future for run smoothly and there would be no disagreement or questions as both sides understand what is written in the handbook” “What we’re looking forward is [having] parent orientation in the start of the school year, ...a general assembly of parents, be it online or in person, introducing what they should expect in the coming school year - to make things clear. That would lessen the problems, complaints, or some disagreements that we may be receiving between the school and the parents.” asked, even if the questions are not related to the subject matter” She also shared her experience of teaching a class with a diverse group of minds, saying “It depends. Sometimes, some students keep on asking relevant questions, but some students will try your patience [when] trying to get your attention, so you have to understand where these students are coming from, ” she added.

“Of course, one of the primary concerns was the weather!” “I’m enjoying my stay. People I have encountered, [such as] the locals, are quite nice people - they are accommodating and helpful. And with my co-expats, there really is no difference [than anywhere else]. Living here is simple,” she emphasized as she shared her hap moving to KSA.

As a first-time directress at SAMIS, she has had her challenges. “SAMIS is a growing school. It’s a school with a lot of potentials and

SAMIS, this female leader shared her ordeal. “We already have the student handbook in place, but implementation is not yet to its fullest… To me, I consider the student handbook as the [guidance book] for each student and of the school, so that any violation or problem can always go back to a provision in the student handbook that would address the problem. Parents and students should really know the content of the student handbook, so that in the future, the relationship between the parents, students and the school will

She had a beautiful vision for the students of SAMIS. “I would like them to dream. And they should dream big… We cannot fulfill these dreams by simply dreaming. We have to work on it. Even [if] we are going to start little by little until success. They have to picture themselves in the next five years and ask where will they be. They have to picture themselves in the next ten years and ask who am I or who will I become. So dream, dream big, and work hard.”

Indeed! Ms. Marivir ModestoMercado - is an embodiment of grit and fortitude!