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Mr. Isaac Currey
13 Years at AES: 2011 - 2024
Next Stop: Hong Kong, Hong Kong International School
What will you miss most about AES?
I will miss so much about this place. I came to AES in my 20's - so much of my formative life has been at AES. A big part of who I am is because of the AES community. Both my kids were born in Delhi, so this is really the only home that they know. I will miss the joy that they have being a part of the American Embassy School. I will miss getting snacks every day in the canteen - Samosas, Uttapam, Dosa, Vada and Idli Sambar, Pao Baaji, Aloo Ka Paratha. They are all so delicious and I will miss that! The beautiful campus that changes throughout the year but is always beautiful. The job that Ms. Kaur and all the FMO staff do to make AES beautiful never ceases to amaze me. On a personal level, I will miss all of my friends. Our best friends in the world are all here or were here. I take comfort knowing that they will continue to be there, but I will miss seeing them every day.
What is the best part about being a teacher at AES?
This could be an essay in itself. The students are amazing; the teachers are welcoming and, smart, and supportive, and the opportunities to grow professionally are numerous. Obviously, we have amazing students at AES and that is one of the best parts. I think the best part of being a teacher is how much you can grow as an educator here. There are so many opportunities to lead, learn, and try out new things with great support. I learned how to be a good teacher at AES.
What are your plans for next year and what are your thoughts about this next step?
I will be the middle school athletics and activities director at Hong Kong International School. I have been working towards moving into this role for many years now and the opportunity at HKIS was too good to pass up. I am excited about the new challenge, but I am a little sad that I won't be teaching kids. Next year will be the first time in 20 years that I won't have a class on the first day of school. We are excited to be outdoors in Hong Kong as much as possible - hiking, running, sailing, and camping.
How do you hope your students and colleagues will remember you?
I hope that students will know how much I loved my time at AES. I hope they will remember me as someone who pushed them to grow, someone they could count on to come through for them, someone who cared about kids in a genuine way.
What message would you like to leave for the community at AES?
I was always amazed when a new student would come to AES with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. They might be a little mean, or rude because that is what worked at whatever school they were coming from. But it didn't take long for them to realize that kindness rules at AES and year after year, I would see these students adapt and become more kind, caring, empathetic people. And that doesn't happen by accident. It's the teachers and students, and families, and staff...everyone plays a part in that culture. So I will miss that so much, but I am also so confident in the strength of the culture at AES. So my message is to fight passionately to maintain the special culture that is here. You are always contributing to culture, even when you do nothing. So do something, and make it positive.
We have interviewed three of Mr. Currey's students; this is what they had to say about their time with him.
Taeyeon
What will you remember about Mr. Currey?
Mr. Currey has a very cheerful personality. He is very talkative and sometimes makes long speeches, but he is very humorous and funny, so I really enjoyed doing advisory with him this year.
What is a funny or memorable story that you have about Mr. Currey?
It was really fun once we practiced dance for the showcase together in advisory. And I personally always think that his big reactions and gestures were really funny in every class.
What makes Mr. Currey unique?
I think one of the things that makes Mr. Currey unique is his mindset. He is a person who always has a positive and open-minded mindset and attitude. And so that has a positive influence on the people around him also.
Manu
I remember how energetic and exciting he was and how we always made the best out of every situation.
I remember his talent show act during WOW, where he pretended to be a cat chasing a light, and it was really funny.
What makes Mr. Currey unique is that he treats everyone nicely and acts more like a friend to people than a teacher.
Fatma
I will remember how understanding he was whenever we needed to communicate a problem.
I remember back in Design Lab 2 when Mr Currey pointed out that I cut my wood the wrong way and that has stuck with me because it was a silly mistake that I’ve learned from.
He’s always really chill, but he also pushes you to work hard, and he gives you lots of freedom to work on whatever you want.
Mr. Currey has created the direct message and has been a teacher for the media publications class for 7 years. The entire Direct Message will miss him a lot!
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