Teachers have teachers too! 

The bond between a teacher and a student is always one to treasure and this bond becomes even more precious when a student later on becomes a colleague teaching in the same school. Here, we put the spotlight on one such pair, Mrs Lam Yuan Hoon and Mr Mark Goh.

Mark was in Mrs Lam’s form class when he was in Secondary 2. Describing him as a quiet student who was motivated and very focused, Mrs Lam recalled the sense of pride she felt when she learned that Mark had gone on to do very well in the university and wanted to return to teach in his alma mater. She supported his application readily and was happy to have played a part in the growth of this fine gentleman. Today, the two are colleagues teaching in ACS (Barker Road).

Here, Mark shares what makes an ACS education special and why he chose to return to Barker as a teacher.

“There are many schools that provide a unique education. If you look at schools like Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution, they offer top class education with good leadership and character development programmes. Yet, an ACS education stands out for me because of its emphasis on Christian values over and above the rest.

Though many out there can attest to the fact that ACS boys are often boisterous and fun-loving, it is the values learnt from daily devotions and interactions with teachers and peers that will see them through their fun-filled ACS days right into adulthood. Ask any ACS boy about what they miss about school and you will be surprised to know that chapel tops the list.

I treasure those carefree days I had as a student where we used to head out to the movies and occupy the streets of Orchard Road every Founder’s Day. I also miss the canteen food back at the old Swiss Cottage campus! To this day, I meet up with my Barker friends regularly to catch up on each Teachers Have Teachers Too! ACS (BARKER ROAD) other’s lives and to reminisce the days of yore. Some of them were there to witness many defining moments of my life. That is the spirt of Barker. We exist together and look out for each other even beyond our time in school.

I’ve had teaching stints in other schools but there wasn’t always the connection with the students and school. Barker boys are endearing and a pleasure to teach; you will never have dull moments with them!

Ultimately, it is God’s calling for me to teach at ACS (Barker Road) and that’s why I am back. So far, I am truly blessed to have wonderful colleagues and students around me. The moments that make teaching special are when the boys really surprise you with the strength of their character. It can be through the day-to-day activities in school or the C21@ ACS(BR) programme. To me, that’s what education is about. You know you are doing something right when they show a positive change in their character.”

In addition to Mark, we are thankful for the many ACSians now serving our Barker Road community in different capacities, shepherding our boys and bringing to bear our school vision of “Generations of educated men who are God-fearing and growing in Grace.”