In the Spotlight

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Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong
In the Spotlight...

What is your name?
Ness Matthews

What is your role at the College?
I am an Education Technology Integrator for DUCKS and Junior School. It's the best job in the world!

Since when have you been working at DCS?
I have been at DCSPD since August 2018.

Where else have you lived in the world?
I was born and grew up in the North of England. In the last decade I lived in Abu Dhabi for three years. I loved the sunshine and the sailing there! I have also lived on the Korean island of Jeju.

What do you think is special about Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong?
I love the community spirit at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong. It really feels like a family. I really enjoy playing for some of the music ensembles alongside our wonderful students, although I must practice more! Playing on Founders Day was a highlight of my first year here. Working across DUCKS and Junior School I also get to see a lot of happy faces every day which is a joy.

Did you always want to work at an international school?
No! It was never something I planned and my first overseas role came out of the blue. I'm so pleased it did though as being able to find a job I love and also have the opportunity to explore different cultures and countries is amazing.

What is your favourite weekend activity in Shanghai?
On a weekend you can find me painting, attempting to run or learning new computer and robotics skills! 

What is your favourite book and who is your favourite author?
I have quite an eclectic range of books currently on my kindle. Recently I have been reading about the ethics of AI and the human role in the development of thinking machines. However, one of my favourite books is a children's book called Chicken Clicking by Ross Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. It's about a chicken addicted to online shopping!

What does a typical day at the college look like for you?
I have no typical day! Every day is very different and that's what I enjoy. I could be in Nursery with green screen in the morning, robotics with Year 6 in the afternoon and then have a breakout CCA with codes and ciphers to solve!

Do you have a motto or saying that really resonates with you?
As someone who thinks a lot about online safety, I have to choose the one below as it makes me smile. Yes, it is a generalisation but data verification and validation are so important in this day and age and this is something we continually stress to our students. April 1st: the only day of the year people critically evaluate things they find on the Internet before accepting them as true. (source unknown)