| | 8 DECEMBER 2022HIGHERReviewMaking a mid-career switch may be frightening for some, and for others, exciting. For Mr Ramasamy Stalin, his love for the Tamil language led him to leave his career as an Equipment Management Executive to join the teaching profession in 2016. To achieve his aspiration of becoming a teacher, he began his lifelong learning journey through the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme offered by the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore) which trains university graduates and prepares them for the teaching profession. MAKING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER SWITCH TO TEACHING THE TAMIL LANGUAGEBy National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeMr Ramasamy StalinWhile the role of the teacher, in layman's terms, is to teach, the classroom, which encourages the exchange of ideas and creativity, provides a conducive environment that also encourages teachers to grow alongside their students. "I was motivated to gain a deeper understanding in topics such as sociolinguistics to teach the Tamil language in school more effectively," said Mr Stalin. "To continue my professional development and thirst for knowledge, I decided to pursue my postgraduate studies."Undoubtedly, NIE NTU, Singapore was Mr Stalin's first choice to pursue his master's degree, having benefited from the high quality and rigourous PGDE programme. In 2019, he enrolled in the Master of Education (Tamil Language) under a sponsorship offered by the Ministry of Education, Singapore.The Master of Education (Tamil Language) programme enables education professionals to develop a wide and in-depth knowledge of and perspectives on the practical as well as theoretical issues of Tamil language education. NIE also offers over 30 graduate programmes in different educational domains and specialisations to meet the needs of educators and working professionals in the education industry.Motivated by greater sensitivity to the needs of adult learners, the learning environment in NIE allows flexibility and autonomy for students like Mr Stalin to pace their studies where they may pursue the programme on a part-time or full-time basis. "My experience at NIE was wonderful. Despite the challenges of balancing work and study, my lecturers and friends were very supportive and encouraging," recounted Mr Stalin.IN MY OPINION
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