Teacher Tuesday : Mr Liam Watson
This week we spoke to Mr Liam Watson who is a qualified teacher with Bachelor of Science (Sports and Exercise Science), from York St John University, United Kingdom. He joined us in August 2019 from Uzbekistan where he taught for 2 years. Currently, Mr Watson is a school-wide specialist PE teacher.
This is your first time teaching in Malaysia. How are you finding the experience so far?
I am very much enjoying my experience here in Kota Kinabalu so far. It took a little while to adjust to the humidity but it is a really nice place to live and work.
How would you describe the KIS community?
The KIS community are awesome! It has been really easy for my wife and son to settle here through the help of colleagues and parents’ recommendations and my wife has a nice friendship group now. Also, information is easy to get from everyone around us so you never feel like you’re stuck with a problem on your own.
You recently returned from the U15 FOBISIA Games with the Pink group. How did our students do and what were some of the event highlights for you?
FOBISIA was fantastic from start to finish. I am really pleased to have had the opportunity to coach a talented group and the students made us proud from start to finish. A particular highlight was getting to the football final as the students had never made it before. We will look to go one better next time.
What is your favourite sport to teach and why?
Usually the answer to this question has always been football but recently I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching fundamental movement skills to the children in F2. It is really rewarding to see them explore and learn movements that will allow them to access physical activity and sport throughout their lives.
In your opinion, how does Sport / PE help develop life skills to nurture global citizens?
I feel Sport is something that helps students become internationally minded. If you can play and enjoy sport it is very easy to make friends wherever you are in the world. As they say, football is a universal language.
Tell us a little known fact about you:
I don’t drink hot drinks!
If you could meet a Sports personality, who would you meet and why?
Another one that has changed in the past few years, as it always used to be Liverpool football players but now it is Adam Peaty. He has been breaking swimming records for years now and really is a fantastic sports personality – elite mindset. I’d also like to speak to him about the importance of students being involved in lots of sports and not specialising too early as he started competitive swimming later than others.
