LILLIAN SHUK YUN LAM

Students need to feel cared for and safe in order to learn, grow, and shape their identity; it is our role as teachers to provide holistic support for the student so they have the best chance at personal success. My name is Lillian Lam, and I am a gritty, passionate Special Educator with over 11 years of experience, a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) Facilitator, a Cognitive Coach, a Google Certified Educator, and a Qualified Test User who is committed to guiding every student on their individual pathway to success.

 

I possess dual certification in Grades 5-9 as a Generalist and Specialist from the state of New York. I completed my Master’s Degree in Middle Childhood Education Students with Disabilities at Pace University and my Bachelor’s Degree in Asian & Middle Eastern Cultures and a minor in Psychology from Barnard College, Columbia University. Prior to that, I received a K-12 public school education from a small suburb in New Jersey.

 

My first official teaching role was in an inner-city New York City public school as a Special Education Teacher with Teach For America. I directly witnessed the real life impact of service learning as a Penny Harvest Coach when my exceptional students were empowered to fundraise over $300 and submit a grant proposal to donate towards the ASPCA. I wrote and delivered curriculum for English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science, and Social Studies for a self-contained bridge class of twelve 6-8th graders with moderate to significant learning needs. As a novice teacher in this endeavor with very little help, I experienced varying degrees of success, which made me aware that the system was lacking. While it was an extremely challenging time, I realized the importance and necessity of research-based pedagogy and professional growth in order to reach the most needy population. In my desire to advance my teaching skills, I decided to explore other models and pedagogies that were being practiced.

 

During my time at Hong Kong Academy, I took on more responsibilities when I initiated a revamp of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) reporting process, collaborating closely with IT staff to redesign the templates and transfer existing data to a web-based form system to streamline time spent on paperwork and maximize teacher efficiency. As an inclusion specialist from Grades 6-12, I empowered and coached my colleagues through intensive weekly 1:1 curriculum/unit/ lesson planning sessions using Understanding by Design and unpacking AERO standards within the IB MYP and DP frameworks. To further expand my reach, I led Professional Development workshops on various special education topics such as Accessible Educational Materials and De-/Re-constructing Meaning to Enhance Visual Literacy Using Brain Frames at Next Frontier: Inclusion. I enlisted to be on the inaugural Instructional Rounds Team, circulating as an observer in K-12 classrooms, providing objective feedback, and utilizing my skills as a trained Cognitive Coach to guide teachers to achieve self-directed goals. Additionally, I co-wrote curricula for Approaches to Learning and Learning Strategies courses, which developed students’ metacognition and study skills.

 

In my current position at the Australian International School, I have continued to build on my work and broaden my impact by building educator capacity as a Collaborative Learning Community Facilitator and regularly presenting workshops at TeachMeet professional development events. To nurture a positive learning environment, I helped our Grade 6-7 exceptional learners create connections with Grade 11-12 students through a mathematics direct instruction mentorship co-curricular activity. As a Grade 8 homeroom teacher, I created lasting memories with my students, supporting them through challenging times and sharing laughs at camp in Malaysia. During our annual International Cultural Experience and Global Be Well Day, I led Swing Dance and Zumba workshops, emphasizing the importance of the physical aspect in contributing toward emotional and mental wellbeing. I recently obtained my qualifications as a Test User from the British Psychological Society so that I can administer, mark, analyze, and interpret psychometric tests for students who need to apply for exam accommodations/provisions.

 

My teaching journey began as compassion for students with needs, grew to respect and celebration of their differences, and developed to assume the responsibility of providing them with quality instruction to engender equity and fairness. In our uncertain future, the only certain thing we should be teaching our children is the resilience to adapt to change. My personal experience has taught me fortitude in challenging circumstances and tenacity in the pursuit of excellence. I am dedicated to providing every child the right to define their own path to success, and my role is to guide them along the way with evidence-based practices and individualized care. 

 

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