Our GIS Alumni support a broad range of events organised by staff across our school. Keen to engage in conversations about technology to support their recent learning, our Year 3 students were given the opportunity to interview some of our alumni, who kindly gave up their time to contribute to this project. Thoroughly enjoyed by all, the experience was a great way for different members of the community to work together to extend the knowledge, skills and experiences of some of our youngest students!
Ms Alice McVeigh
GIS Year 3 Class Teacher
“The Year 3 children have been learning about technology throughout the ages, with a particular focus on the history of GIS. They were eager to explore what technology had been used in the past and were surprised to find out how different the opportunities for using technology in the 1980s were, compared to today. The students really enjoyed speaking to the alumni and gained some valuable insights into how the school has changed over time. Having the opportunity to speak to people with first-hand experience of attending GIS really brought our learning to life. A huge thank you to all of the former students involved!”
Taranjeet Singh, Class of 1984
CEO, Quantum Steppe Advisory
“It was an absolute delight to be invited to share my thoughts and experiences from my days in Primary School at Garden. I found the various questions asked by the students of Year 3 to be insightful and at times rather deep. It’s great to see the confidence levels of the students being built up at this tender age and to this end, kudos to Alice McVeigh and her fellow class teachers for organising this event with us. A note of thanks also to my fellow peers from my year for taking time out of their busy days to participate in this session.”
Christine Teh, Class of 1984
CFO of The Watertree Project
“It is always a privilege and delight when different generations learn from each other. 7 year-olds today may look upon my generation (Gen X) in amazement at how we survived without technology, but we don’t miss what we didn’t have back then simply because we never knew that the world would be full of iPads, Youtube and Google. Technology simply cannot replace the reality and immediacy of actually being there – imagine the difference between a live concert and listening to a download. An emoji cannot replace a smile that is from the heart. Sometimes I think technology has done more to separate than to bring together people, but that’s coming from my generation. I’m sure the 7 year-olds have a completely different take on this: technology is theirs to conquer.”
Jean Yuen GIS, Class of 1984
Company Director Pustaka Sri Jaya Sdn Bhd
“I had great pleasure in that short session. Dependence on technology is so inevitable to now and the future generation’s advancement. My key takeaway? Children, regardless of age, are capable and can find joy in interacting with adults and others if we expose them, and vice versa. I feel so thankful for technology for giving us this opportunity!”
Sharon Wong, Class of 1984
Independent Consultant for Thermomix Australia
“It was fun to chat with this age group. The kids were adorable: some a little cheeky, some very curious and others who just wanted to play.”
Kiranjeet Kaur Gruin (maiden name was Kiranjeet Kaur Bhagwan), Class of 1986
ICT & Health Technology Senior Procurement Specialist for WA Health
Western Australian Government
“The nature of lockdowns and homeschooling have resulted in the Year 3 students becoming technology savvy and heavily reliant on online resources… and they are awesome! Their learning sphere is far-reaching and gives the students readily available information with a ‘google search’ in the comfort of their homes. However, I feel nostalgic when I think of the physical libraries of the past, the planning required to research an assignment; and the multiple copies of writing and coloring in preparing the ‘perfect’ assignment for the teacher. The lack of personal mobile phones made calling friends and reconnecting after school a novelty. It struck me whilst speaking to the kids that technology has brought the world into the classroom, but it has removed the joy of physical connections.”
A huge ‘Thank You’ to these Alumni for participating, for being so patient with some of our young, curious students and for answering all of their questions with enthusiasm and care! If you would like to feature in our Alumni articles, just get in touch with us: alumni@gardenschool.edu.my. Because every story matters. Connect with us on social media via Facebook / LinkedIn or if you would like to read another article via the Global Alumni Website. If you haven’t become our registered member yet, please do so via this link.-
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