Welcoming our new kindergarten teacher

After years of studying and working throughout Asia, our newest Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Victoria Sim, arrives at our school with her husband, Mr. Dmitry Sim, who works in our Learning Support Department, and their three children. While of Korean descent, Mrs. Sim was born in Central Asia and grew up in Russia. At 16, she studied abroad and continued her university studies. She received her bachelor’s degree in English education in Mongolia, then completed a master’s program in the Philippines for holistic child development. “I loved this program! I looked for this program, which could also be affordable for my family, and the Philippines was the place,” she says.

Over the last ten years, Mrs. Sim has taught on and off both in international school and kindergarten settings as well as in online classrooms. “I have always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, preschool teacher. So, my dream came true,” she says.

Mrs. Sim says her dream stemmed from three influential reasons. The first was seeing the legacy her grandma built as a history teacher. “I’ve seen my whole life the relationships that she built with these students, and even when she didn’t work anymore, students called her.”

The second reason regarded to precious memories from her own kindergarten. “I still remember one teacher who just left this warm feeling in my heart, and when I remember about her, I always think that this is a great profession.”

The third reason is to have a significant impact on students during their foundational years. “I want all of my students to know that they are capable, that they are loved… that they have a purpose. And there is a goal for everyone in this world. There is a purpose for everyone, for everything.”

While only a few weeks into the 2025-2026 school year, Mrs. Sim has mapped out a few goals for her class. She’d like to encourage teamwork and for students to understand that when working together, “they can do great things, bigger things,” and to also have confidence in their independence. “By themselves, they can also do wonderful things, wonderful projects, and they are very capable even though they are just five years old.” Further, she wants to instill in students hearts of grace, especially towards themselves, so that even if they have trouble, they can accept that they’re still learning.

Mrs. Sim shares with her students, “Be yourself. Shine. Know that your teachers love you a lot.” To parents, she extends, “thanks ahead to parents for support and encouragement.”

Welcome, Mrs. Sim! We look forward to a wonderful year!