Location – Jalan Forest City – Lebuhraya Tanjung Pelepas, 8, Jalan Pulau 1, 81550 Gelang Patah, Johor, Malaysia
Website – https://ssm-fc.org
“To be inspired is great, but to inspire is an honor.”
Education provides wings to one’s imagination, nurtures them, and builds them into refined individuals and seasoned professionals. Many dedicated educational leaders have devoted themselves into providing excellent educational facilities to students so that they can learn and grow effectively.
Several leaders have made a mark in the education sector. They have played the role of a beacon of hope and enlightenment to many. They have uplifted the education sector with their dedicated efforts and have always focused on the overall development of the learners.
An influential leader of the Malaysia’s education sector is Gregg Maloberti, the COO of Space Foundation. He brings a broad perspective and deep vision of the global space ecosystem. He is an ardent advocate of innovation, leadership and motivation.
Past in a Glance
Dr. Gregg Maloberti has over 25 years of leadership experience in independent schools. Having served as Head of School of the Canadian International School of Hong Kong and as Interim Head of School and Director of Institutional Advancement at Ross School in New York, he began his academic career as an English teacher and quickly transitioned to admission and enrollment management.
Dr. Maloberti has served as the Dean of Admission at several of America’s oldest and finest schools including Lawrenceville School in New Jersey for 15 years, Brooks School in Massachusetts, and Cranbrook-Kingswood in Michigan. He currently serves as the Head of School at SSM-FC.
Use of Technology In classroom
Technology not only gives students access to information, but also it allows them to compose and record their work as well as to share their work with teachers and other students. Technology facilitates collaboration in the classroom in ways that were never possible prior to the advent of the LCD projector and Wi-Fi networks.
Contribution to the Organization
My greatest contribution to SSM-FC has been to encourage students and teachers to pursue their passions and follow their dreams. My primary role in the school is to ensure that there are resources available to support the learning, growth, and development of both students and teachers. By believing in the potential of our students and teachers and supporting their goals, the school has achieved great success in its short history.
About SSM-FC
Shattuck St-Mary’s Forest City International School in Malaysia (SSM-FC) offers an American Education to students right here in Southeast Asia. Strategically located in Southern Malaysia, just minutes away from Singapore, the school creates an environment where children can thrive. This purpose-built campus includes learning spaces and resources that support the latest innovations in teaching and learning. Like every building in Forest City, SSM-FC is adorned with vertical blooming gardens that create shade, cooling, and beauty. Also, the green campus is adorned with multiple ground-level and rooftop gardens.
The one-size-fits-all education system that relies on rote learning and standardized tests has lost relevance in the information age. As we head into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where mass-scale automation makes the learning of hard skills alone obsolete, it’s more important than ever for children to understand how to learn.
It’s been hard for many schools to keep pace with the breadth and speed of change. But SSM-FC has an edge. With over 160-years of academic rigor and innovation, informed by its parent school in Minnesota, as well as a holistic teaching philosophy, educators at SSM-FC are well-versed in 21st century skills and learning goals.
SSM-FC is an international boarding and day school serving students from age 3 to grade 12 with an American Curriculum that offers AP Courses. There are students from 13 countries, the majority of the teachers are experienced international teachers holding foreign passports. The school offers a rich curriculum that includes art, music, and the study of foreign languages as well as a selection of AP Courses.
Challenges Faced by Education Leaders
In the past few years, the pandemic has been the greatest challenge facing the school. While many schools just put a camera in front of the teacher and expected the students to stare at their laptops all day, SSM-FC worked hard to find a way to support our student-centered teaching pedagogy. Our teachers were not just creating an online version of a teacher lecturing to students, we needed to find ways to hold discussion, process information in small groups, collaborate, and exchange information. Our daily class schedule evolved into a completely new format that better supports student learning. Now that our students are back in the classroom, many of the innovations that developed during the pandemic continue to find a place even with in person learning.
Source of Motivation
I am motivated by setting and achieving goals and helping others to do the same. Nothing motivates me more than seeing students and teachers planning and achieving their goals. It’s most gratifying to me to encourage students and teachers to try new things, take risks, and innovate to support teaching and learning as a life-long pursuit.
Local Education Scenario
Malaysia has a strong and well-funded educational system, but SSM-FC provides an interesting alternative to Malaysia’s teacher-centered and content driven curriculum. SSM-FC shifts the focus of teaching and learning away from the teacher serving as the sole source of knowledge. At SSM-FC teachers don’t lecture students about what is on the next test. Instead, teachers at SSM-FC guide and support their students to discover the world around them and construct meaning from observation, experimentation, and analysis. Our teachers are leading our students on a learning journey that includes helping them to develop and build skills that are essential to academic success. Our students learn to read, write, and speak about projects, topics, and ideas that matter to them. We encourage our students to act with integrity and to contribute to the community by investigating issues and ideas that are relevant to our local community. Many of our students are investigating things like sustainable energy, digital communications, and mangrove preservation to name few. These kinds of interests and passions define the learning experience for our students and help them to develop an informed plan about what they wish to study at university.
Driving Force
I’ve been a curious person all my life, so learning is something I learned to enjoy from a very young age. I was blessed to be taught by many great teachers in my school days and at university. While too many of my former teachers stand out in my memory to name here, it’s their enthusiasm for teaching and learning and their willingness to encourage me to learn that makes them unforgettable. I want others to feel the same sense of accomplishment I feel when I discover something new, research a topic in depth, or master a new skill. I felt that sense of from all the teachers I remember as great teachers, and I want my students to be motivated by teachers who believe in them, and I want them to experience the joy of learning new things.
A Step towards the Future
In the next 5-10 years, I would like to actively mentor some younger colleagues to help them achieve their professional goals.
Final Words of Wisdom
Let your teachers help you to build a foundation of skills and guide you to find your passions. Trust your instincts, ask for help when you need it, and don’t give up until your dreams come true.