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.
