About Me

Education

National University of Singapore

(2010 - 2011)

  • MA Arts (Literary Studies)

  • NUS Research Scholarship

National University of Singapore

(2006 - 2010)

  • BA Arts (1st Class Hons)

  • Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Scholarship

  • Dean’s List (2006 - 2010)

Not Your Average Teacher

I taught English and English Literature at Hwa Chong Institution (High School) for nearly a decade. My expertise lay in creating curricula and lessons which encourage students to think critically, to feel sensitively, and to develop their own voice. Here’s what I bring to the table as a tutor:

  • focus on building sensitivity to language and skills ranging from idea organisation to adapting writing to audience and context (not just “exam skills);

  • emphasis on the whole child (paying attention to their interests and goals, not just their marks);

  • and an approach underscored by curiosity and wonder.

As an Education Consultant I also…

  • conceptualised and organised events to promote programmes

  • designed enrichment programmes ranging from creative writing, to journalism, to research, and even to inclusivity and awareness;

  • wrote speeches and oversaw the publication of corporate communications material;

  • led a team of teachers in the design and execution of lessons;

  • was a member of the academic team in charge of assessment and benchmarking;

  • helped design the English Language DSA selection for incoming Year 1 students;

  • helped interview English Language and Bilingual DSA hopefuls.

My students have won prizes at both international and national level:

  • Future Problem Solving Programme Scenario Writing (this is a science fiction short story competition)

  • National Schools Literature Festival (choral speaking competition)

  • National Youth Media Competition (a youth journalism competition)

All that said, I consider my greatest achievement to be the lasting connections I’ve forged with my students. I was nominated for the school’s Most Caring Teacher Award every year, and won in 2017. I like to think that this is testament to how I connect with my students!

Since leaving HCI, I’ve worked with several students from different schools. They—and their parents—have also given good feedback.

But don’t take just my word for it. Scroll down for testimonials from the students, and parents, I’ve worked with!

  • Ang Ben Wei (HCI)

    Ms Phay was my Secondary 3 and 4 Lit teacher in the HCI Humanities Programme, and she was genuinely phenomenal - bringing us through the basics of line-by-line analysis when we were just starting out in the subject, to more cohesive thematical analyses of entire texts by the end of Sec 4. Her explanations were consistently clear and easy to follow, and opposing viewpoints from classmates were always heard and discussed. For students who wanted to go beyond the curriculum, Ms Phay was very accommodating, giving optional writing assignments or work that reached into other domains of art to give us a holistic understanding of literature's place in the world. She was also always up for discussions of literature outside the curriculum, exchanging views with students and honing our critical appreciation skills. All in all, it was an unparalleled experience with Ms Phay that I really treasure as part of my literary learning journey.

  • Quek Seng Hao (DHS)

    Ms Phay is a caring and patient educator! She is able to customise lessons to the unique needs of each student and is able to ensure that her students have a thorough understanding of the English Language.

  • Navy Tan, mother of Abdel Matin (HCI)

    Having spent over a decade teaching, Josephine is equipped with a wealth of knowledge about the English language, and teaching methods that cater to the needs of every student. She seeks to provide the guidance essential for cultivating independent and mature learners. To us, it is priceless to have Josephine walking alongside our youths and nurture their appreciation for critical thinking and literature!

  • Abdel Matin (HCI)

    Ms Phay is a person with a true passion for literature and the English language, and she cares about cultivating that same passion in the students she mentors. Deeply passionate about the English discipline, she is eager to pass on her invaluable knowledge to her students.

  • Timothy Chia (HCI)

    Ms Phay is a teacher whose passion and love for literature is something that you cannot help but feel inspired by. Her teaching methods are unique and engaging, and have never failed to delight me as a student. Ms Phay was the teacher who first introduced me to the joys and wonder of literature, and is the reason that I have had such a strong foundation in the subject. In short, Ms Phay is a wonderful teacher that I have had the privilege to be inspired and taught by.

  • Quince Pan (HCI)

    Ms Phay taught me Sec 2 English and Sec 4 Literature. Like most of my classmates, I hadn’t encountered Shakespeare until secondary school. Initially, the language looked lifeless, the verse verbose, and the stories stale. But Ms Phay, through close textual analysis, revealed countless Shakespearean parallels to modern-day life and got me thinking more deeply about every line than I had ever done before. At its core, studying English is about understanding how the written word is wielded for intentional effect. The best students demonstrate unique insight and originality of argument. To achieve that, you need a tutor who can help you “flick the switch” and activate that feeling for words. I highly recommend Ms Phay: my former teacher, mentor, cheerleader.

  • J. Wang

    Ms Jo is an amazing Literature teacher; I always leave her classes with not only a deeper understanding of the text but also a stronger skillset in analysis and essay writing. She really tailors lessons to suit your needs and makes texts come alive, helping you think from different angles that you wouldn't have otherwise considered. Her lessons are always fun, thought provoking and engaging - she's extremely good at training you how to make links and draw inferences instead of learning set answers. I've definitely grown exponentially as a literature student since learning under her and would very highly recommend her as a tutor!

  • Mrs Wang

    I engaged Ms Jo to tutor my child in Sec 3 to Sec 4 and it was the best decision I ever made. She was very committed to helping my child succeed in Literature studies. She was also an extremely engaging teacher, who always made the lessons very interesting for my child, and I could see that my child really enjoyed her lessons. I highly recommend her with no reservations.