In the Spotlight
What is your name?
Linda Ternouth
What is your role at the College?
DUCKS Learning Support Teacher
Since when have you been working at DCS?
We arrived in Shanghai in July 2017
Where else have you lived in the world?
I was born in Zimbabwe and lived there until I was in my teens. After that my parents and I moved to Natal in South Africa. I always wanted to explore Europe, so I left a month after my 21st Birthday for England. I was supposed to stay one year, but ended up staying for more than 20 years!
What do you think is special about Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong?
The community and the people involved in the College. This has proved particularly important over the last few weeks where WeChat groups have been created to give advice, offer support and keep people in contact with each other, particularly for those of us who are in Shanghai.
Did you always want to work at an international school?
No! I just didn't really think about it, but I wish I had done this 10 years earlier! We thought that it would be a wonderful experience for all of us, particularly our children.
What is your favourite weekend activity in Shanghai?
Brunch at our local Wagas or Brut, or exploring in Puxi.
What is your favourite book and who is your favourite author?
I don't really have a favourite author but I love to read crime novels, autobiographies, historical non-fiction about places we've visited, or historical novels.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party, dead or alive?
David Attenborough, Malala, Nelson Mandela, Winston Field and Violette Szabo.
What does a typical day at the College look like for you?
There is never really a typical day, as you never know what may come up in Learning support and who may need help unexpectedly. However, it usually involves supporting different children both in and out of the classroom, using a wide range of strategies to help them with the difficulty they are having.
Do you have a motto or saying that really resonates with you?
Many! My mother's favourite - 'Never criticize, condemn or complain', Mandela - 'Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again', and my grandmother's - 'This too shall pass'.
