Vol. XI No. 26
Friday 27 June - 3 July 2003

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Updated every Friday
by Parisa Santithi

 

WHO’S WHO

Local Personalities: David Lowder

by Dr. Iain Corness

The Head of School at St. Andrews International School, Rayong, is a gently spoken Englishman, David Lowder. He is a man who has made education his passport to the world. He is also a man who was lucky to find his correct career choice early in life.

David was born in Essex in the UK, the eldest of three children, and whose father was in the Guinness Book of Records! Not for fathering three children, but for scoring three goals in his debut as a professional footballer. His mother was a teacher.

David went to a Secondary Modern (State) school and went right through till the end of school education, but described himself as being only an “average” student. Despite having attained his “A” levels he still had, in his own words, “no idea” of what he wanted to do. Forsaking the books, it was pick and shovel for a year of manual labouring for the young David.

Following this he gravitated towards the teaching profession, rather than selecting it, despite his mother being a teacher. “Teachers Training College was a common area for people to apply for,” was his simple explanation of how he found his career path. That was to fill up the next three years of his life.

His first job, following graduation, was to a State school in Doncaster, an industrial area of the UK. It was a baptism of fire for the young teacher who admitted, “You get some tough children there. It was a great challenge.” I felt there was some degree of understatement being given!

I asked David whether he had thought of following his father into a football career, but despite playing some football himself to county level, he knew that a profession as a footballer was not for him. He did, however, receive qualifications in football coaching, and played for the amateur “Sunday League” teams.

Following Doncaster, a college friend who was working in London suggested he join him in Enfield in North London, where he spent the next two years. “It was tough - but good fun.” He also spent one year in a Special Education Centre at Enfield, where many types of children were catered for, including pyromaniacs! “It was a huge learning experience for me!” It was additionally at Enfield where he met another teacher, who was to become his wife, making a professional and life partnership that is still very strong today.

Their next school was outside the UK, in Kuwait. Like many young couples, it was time to look at their finances (two never live as cheaply as one, no matter what they tell you). “We found we were never going to earn enough money teaching in England. It (Kuwait) was the opportunity of tax-free money and travel. We quickly learned how to brew our own beer and wine!” he said with a grin.

However, one year in Kuwait was enough and they moved on to Dubai for the next two years. This was much less restrictive, and the illicit still was not required, with ex-pats being given vouchers to be able to purchase alcohol. In fact, David said that the allocation was quite generous and only an alcoholic would need more!

Like most professions these days, it was necessary to continue to upgrade your qualifications, as well as experience, so David and his wife returned to London where he finished his Bachelor of Education degree, but then they returned to Dubai. This was for another three years, where David worked in the prestigious Raschid School for Boys, a royal project school.

By this stage, David and his wife had experienced SE Asia on holidays in this region and when he was offered the post as head of the primary school in an international school in Penang, he took it with both hands. This was a rewarding experience and they stayed there for three years, before moving on to Jakarta to be head of a new school there for 12 months.

After Jakarta, they returned to the UK, to Northern Ireland, his wife’s birthplace. “It’s a lovely country,” said David, “but the education system is too narrow.” The sectarian problems from the adult society carry through to the education system for children, with segregated schools being the norm at that time. “I did not want my children to be educated in that system,” said David, so they began looking elsewhere that he could use his ‘education passport’.

That turned out to be Sweden, where he worked for the next three years in Stockholm. “It is a beautiful city. We had a great time there, skiing, skating - the outdoor life.” David also spoke of the education system in Sweden, which places the child and his or her needs at the centre of the education programme. “This allows the children’s spirit to grow,” he said enthusiastically.

The next move was to return to Northern Ireland where he became the vice principal of an ‘integrated’ school for children of both the Christian faiths so doggedly followed in that country. It was also the time for professional upgrading again, where David completed his M.A. in education. However, there was still that very strong attraction for SE Asia, and when the position became vacant at St. Andrews here, he took it.

Working in the education system here he describes life as “day-to-day excitement” and he enjoys it immensely. “You are working with children who are amenable to education, educating them to international standards, taking advantage of an open ended curriculum.” The enthusiasm that David has for his school coming through so much that I felt sorry I had no school-age children I could give him!

When he is not involved with his school, there is a little time for tennis and swimming, but for football, it is only a spectator sport. “Too old, too hot, too hard,” he said.

David Lowder truly is an educator, and as such will be an asset on the Eastern Seaboard.



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