This Teacher Appreciation Day, we are sharing a message from Ms Marrinan (Judith).
I loved my time at GIS and having the wonderful opportunity to live in Malaysia. I now live in a thatched cottage in the countryside near Cambridge! After leaving GIS in 1997, I continued teaching Biology. I was a Head of Year at St Paul’s Girls School for 13 years, and then worked as a Housemistress at Queenswood, a boarding school. I am currently Head of Sixth Form at St Edmund’s College – another boarding school!
I last visited GIS in 2011 and Mrs Lim kindly showed me and my husband around. I didn’t initially recognise the school because the area has changed so much, but then I saw the familiar sign and once I was inside everything came flooding back to me.
Being back reminded me of lots of great experiences: making costumes for a play about the first Olympics, producing Shakespeare with Mrs Rogers, the school’s annual International Day, and of course the food (always at the centre of things at GIS and in Malaysia).
My best memories are of my hard working colleagues and students. I especially remember a t-shirt the students made me for Teachers’ Day that was personal to me, decorated with mountains and jewellery.
I would like to thank Mrs Thiaga, Mrs Lim, Mrs Tan and Miss Ting for all their kindness and teaching me about how to do things in Malaysia. Everyone was always so kind and patient.
We were a great team in the Science department and I have fond memories of Mrs Thiaga bringing us food everyday! I am still searching for the best Malaysian food in London, but it’s never as good as my memories.
My final messages to current GIS students: Enjoy your time at school, be willing to try new things and be ambitious! If you never fail you never learn! I wish you everything you hope for and success in your exams and whatever you choose to do next.”