TheDwightDifference

I am delighted to welcome you to Dwight School Hanoi. We are proud to be a part of the global network of Dwight Schools, where we are united by one mission: to ignite the spark of genius in every child. At Dwight School Hanoi, that mission is guided by our three pillars of personalized learning, community, and global vision.

As the founding Deputy Head of School, I have been part of Dwight School Hanoi since before its doors opened, giving me the privilege of watching our students approach learning with curiosity and confidence and our faculty find new ways to engage and challenge them daily. I have a deep appreciation for the community that has made the school what it is today.

I look forward to building on these foundations and guiding Dwight School Hanoi through the next stage of growth, as we continue to ensure every student feels known, supported, and inspired to learn.

Matt has spent the last 17 years teaching internationally and is a product of international schools himself, having attended them his whole life and always imagining he would one day work in one. Growing up, when he moved schools, he learned what it means to adapt, fit in, and rebuild friendships, experiences that now help him understand students with similar lifestyles. Before becoming a teacher, he first built a career in hotel management, until he realized his real passion was working with children rather than adults.

Igniting His Spark of Genius

Matt has loved History and Geography for as long as he can remember. When he was just five years old, his father bought him a book called Countries of the World. He memorised all of it, from flags to facts to famous places, and it sparked his lifelong love of learning, culture, and travel. That same excitement for discovery now shapes the way he teaches his students.

Memorable Teaching Moment

One of Matt’s most inspiring experiences was leading a trip to Washington, D.C., for Grade 11 students in England, many of whom had never left their village before. Watching them experience history coming alive for the first time, and seeing the world beyond home, was “incredible and unforgettable.” Moments like these fuel his belief in the power of international education.

Mathew’s approach is rooted in curiosity, active engagement, and helping students understand the world, and their place in it. He believes that History and Geography give young people essential skills: critical thinking, cultural awareness, global understanding, and an appreciation of how societies develop and change over time. His goal is to inspire students the same way he was inspired as a child, with passion, storytelling, and hands-on experiences.

One of the standout moments in Mathew’s career came early on: he was nominated for National Teacher of the Year in the UK in 2008, during his first year of teaching. His teacher trainer encouraged him to create active, innovative lessons, lessons where students moved, acted, debated, recreated historical events, and learned through doing. It became his signature style. His classroom rarely stops moving, and he believes learning should be dynamic, engaging, and full of life.

Katrina’s journey into education began in an unexpected place: a global Human Resources department. She spent her early career hiring and developing leaders in the corporate world, helping people grow in their professional paths. Over time, she realized she wanted to build that same meaningful connection with young learners instead. When she stepped into her first classroom 16 years ago, excited and nervous in equal measure, she knew she had found work that brought her both joy and purpose. Teaching, like HR, was still about helping people grow, but this time she could nurture that development from the very beginning.

Leadership & Professional Highlights

Katrina has played an integral role in supporting PYP authorization in three previous schools and again at Dwight School Hanoi. She has been an integral member of Curriculum Review Teams throughout her career and has served in middle leadership roles for over eight years, guiding teachers and strengthening school-wide learning practices.

A lifelong learner herself, Katrina grew up trying everything from musical instruments to summer camps, art workshops, and sports. Many of these interests remain passions today, tennis, guitar, drums, and the arts continue to shape her as both a person and an educator. Studying psychology strengthened her desire to understand how children grow and what helps them thrive. Helping students discover and ignite their own spark is what inspires her every day.

Personalized Support, Shared Purpose

Katrina describes the Dwight School Hanoi Early Childhood and Lower School teaching teams as deeply passionate educators who go above and beyond for students. Their collaborative planning and ongoing data analysis help ensure every child is supported academically, socially, and emotionally. As a Quest Program leader, Katrina brings the same care and attention to students who need personalized support. She believes Quest succeeds because it places the learner at the centre, helping students understand their strengths, build confidence, and thrive in mainstream classrooms.

Approach to Personalized Learning

For Katrina, personalizing learning begins with understanding each child: their motivations, interests, and needs. It’s not simply adjusting difficulty, it’s creating space for meaningful inquiry, passion projects, and ideas that matter to students. When learners have ownership and purpose, learning becomes joyful and deeply relevant.

Inspiration & Ongoing Growth

Her practice is shaped by artists and educational thinkers such as Olafur Eliasson, Sir Ken Robinson, John Hattie, Kath Murdoch, and leadership perspectives like Kim Scott’s Radical Candor. She also engages in ongoing professional development through the Dwight Leadership Academy.

Katrina finds balance through meditation, music, boxing, tennis, art, leadership coaching, and continuous reading and learning. Whether through creative pursuits or educational research, she is committed to growing alongside her students, modeling curiosity, resilience, and a love of lifelong learning.

Jamie brings more than 20 years of teaching experience, including over a decade in International Baccalaureate schools across the PYP, MYP, and DP. Her experience includes teaching at Dwight School Seoul, giving her a deep understanding of both the International Baccalaureate and the Dwight educational philosophy. She is passionate about supporting teachers and students while fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous growth. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Music minor and a Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership.

The Arts as a Pathway to Individuality

As both an educator and theatre teacher, Jamie believes the arts provide every student with the opportunity to explore their spark of genius and express their individuality. She sees music, theatre, and performance as powerful ways to build confidence, nurture creativity, and help students connect with others. For Jamie, the arts make us more human, allowing us to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

Creating Unforgettable Experiences

One of Jamie's proudest career moments came when she accompanied her students from Dwight School Seoul to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of the Dwight Global Music Festival in New York. The experience reinforced her belief that the performing arts create extraordinary opportunities for students to grow, collaborate, and achieve beyond what they thought possible.

One piece of advice Jamie shares with students is that you don't have to do everything, or be perfect at everything you do. What matters most is making time for the things you genuinely love. She believes that when students pursue the interests that inspire them, they develop the confidence, resilience, and sense of purpose to flourish both in school and beyond.

Heather holds a Master of Science in Psychology, a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching. Her academic background in psychology reinforces empathy over judgment. Recognizing that behavior is shaped by complex and interrelated influences, she encourages compassion rather than quick assumptions. This perspective promotes self-awareness and the ability to recognize and redirect unhelpful thought patterns, qualities she seeks to cultivate in both herself and her students.

Building Confident, Independent Thinkers

Heather’s role as a teacher is rooted in building confidence and developing independent thinkers. Through her own experiences and ongoing observations, she has come to understand how profoundly self-confidence and self-belief shape success. Skill, ability, and determination are most fully realized when individuals believe they are capable. She maintains that every student has value, talent, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to society, and that recognizing this potential is often the first step toward achievement.

Equally important is fostering intellectual independence. Heather often reflects on Bertrand Russell’s observation that “fools are sure of themselves and the wise are full of doubt,” acknowledging that confidence, rightly or wrongly, frequently influences who drives change in the world. In her classroom, she encourages students to question rather than simply accept, to remain curious, to think critically and deeply, and to trust their own reasoning. Inspiring students to believe in their abilities while developing the confidence to think independently lies at the heart of her teaching philosophy.

Leadership & Student Voice

Heather supports student voice and leadership through meaningful, student-driven initiatives. As part of the CAS program, she guided two successful TEDxYouth events, one in Tokyo and one in Hanoi, where students designed, organized, directed, and coached the talks themselves. These events provided young speakers with a powerful platform to share their ideas, reflecting Heather’s commitment to fostering confidence, agency, and intellectual independence.

Intellectual Courage

As a long-time Theory of Knowledge (TOK) teacher and Diploma Programme Coordinator, Heather emphasizes the development of individual perspectives and intellectual confidence. Justifying, explaining, discussing, contrasting, affirming, and extending are not merely IB command terms; they are habits of mind she deliberately cultivates. Through dialogue and exposure to diverse viewpoints, she fosters intellectual accountability, the confidence to defend and challenge ideas, and openness to differing perspectives.

Her classroom is a space where learning unfolds through thoughtful discussion, intellectual courage, and respect for difference — preparing students not only for success in the Diploma Programme, but for meaningful engagement in the wider world.

Michael brings extensive experience in education, student well-being, and child protection, with previous experience at Dwight School Seoul and now Dwight School Hanoi. An IB MYP-certified educator, he is passionate about creating school communities where every student feels safe, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Michael has completed extensive professional learning in child protection, student well-being, and building positive school communities, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, a Bachelor of Teaching specializing in English and Australian History, and a Master's in Instructional Leadership.

Inspired to Make a Difference

Michael's own positive high school experience inspired him to pursue a career in education. From the very beginning, he knew he wanted to help create the same sense of belonging, encouragement, and opportunity for future generations. The defining moments of his career have come through the relationships he has built with students and families, reinforcing his belief that meaningful connections are at the heart of every successful school community.

As Director of Student Life and Child Protection Officer, Michael is a passionate advocate for the rights, wellbeing, and safety of every child. He believes that effective child protection extends beyond policies and procedures, it is about fostering a school culture where every student feels respected, heard, and empowered to thrive. His leadership focuses on building a community where kindness, inclusion, and student wellbeing are embedded in everyday school life.

Building Community Through Connection

Michael believes that a school community is created when students, staff, and families come together through shared experiences. He is passionate about promoting whole-school activities, events, and celebrations that strengthen relationships, build school spirit, and create opportunities for every student to feel connected and involved. These experiences help foster a strong sense of belonging that extends well beyond the classroom.

A Philosophy for Life

Michael lives by the belief that "Trying is the way to achieving." He encourages students to approach every opportunity with courage, perseverance, and an open mind, knowing that growth comes from being willing to learn, take risks, and keep moving forward. Michael believes that at Dwight, "we live, talk, and act to ignite the spark of genius in every child." He strives to embody this approach every day, helping to build a community where every student feels respected, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

Discovering the Beauty of Mathematics

With 15 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership, Natalie brings a wealth of knowledge to her dual role as Instructional Coach and MYP Mathematics Teacher. Holding a Master's Degree in Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics Education and Liberal Arts, Natalie is passionate about helping both students and teachers grow through curiosity, collaboration, and meaningful learning.

Natalie still remembers walking into her first classroom as a young teacher with a very large cup of coffee and plenty of determination. While that first year is now something of a blur, it confirmed that teaching was exactly where she was meant to be.

Helping Students Make Connections

Although mathematics had always been her favorite subject, Natalie hadn't originally planned to become a teacher. It was while helping classmates at university that she discovered a passion for explaining complex ideas with patience and clarity. Today, one of her greatest joys is watching students make connections for themselves. One of her proudest teaching moments came when a student independently linked arithmetic series to the area of a trapezoid, an insight that reflected genuine conceptual understanding and remains one of her most memorable classroom experiences.

Seeing Patterns Everywhere

Natalie's fascination with mathematics began in childhood through puzzles, patterns, and problem-solving. She continues to be inspired by the elegance of mathematics and enjoys helping students discover how mathematical thinking shapes the world around them. By encouraging curiosity, exploration, and conceptual understanding, she helps learners build both confidence and a lasting appreciation for the subject.

Learning with Purpose

Natalie views learning as something that shouldn't be rushed. She encourages students to embrace the process of discovery, recognizing that deep understanding develops through curiosity, persistence, and reflection. Guided by the simple advice to be kind, worry less about doing well, and focus more on doing good, she hopes to inspire students to value not only academic success, but also the positive impact they can make in the lives of others.