Jodie Wong

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

While pursuing a Master of Special and Inclusive Education at Monash University, I was also working as an integration aide in a private girls' school in Melbourne. I was supporting a Year 6 student with ADHD and muscle dystrophy. I worked with her for 2 years in her classroom (2016 - 2017), which put me in a position to work with her teachers and other students who seem to be "falling through the cracks". This was an interesting role for me because Singapore rarely has a part-time aide for students with learning difficulties or special needs within the mainstream school setting.

I have since left the school to pursue a Master of Teaching in Primary Education, at the University of Melbourne. My previous role inspired me to be a teacher because I saw how I was able to impact and improve a student's learning through targeted intervention. I wanted to do so for more students, so a classroom teacher would be the next step to take in my career. I have since completed 1 placement and will be completing 2 more over the next 1.5 years.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I wanted to "go against the system" and do something different. I was looking through the SOSS program and was delighted to see that I could dabble in sociology, psychology and political science in my first year. In contrast, other Universities required students to choose their major from the start, so I felt that it was quite restrictive.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

Attending Prof Chung Wai Keung's module on introduction to Sociology changed my life. Choosing Sociology was one of the best decisions now that I am starting my career as an educator in Melbourne. It helped me develop an analytical min without sacrificing empathy and integrity in my consideration of marginalised groups.