“Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on a journey down the water. Through an active, reciprocal exchange, teaching can strengthen learning and how to learn.”

Loris Malaguzzi

“Being a teacher is quite far from what I wanted to do,” Pauline Sulit fondly recalls when asked why she became an educator. Graduating from the University of Perpetual Help – Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, she often says she chose nursing for “financial purposes — you know, nurses are in demand abroad.” She was surprised when she passed the board exam and began working as a nurse, even though it terrified her. “I felt lost — I was young and wasn’t really aware of what I wanted to do. I thought being an adult meant graduating and getting a job — that’s it,” she said. “Going back to school never crossed my mind. That’s the purpose of graduating, right? To finally get out of school,” she added with a laugh.

Now, she has been teaching for nearly twenty years. Reflecting on her career, she says, “I have worked as a hospital nurse, a clinic nurse, a call center agent — but none of those gave me as much fulfillment as being a teacher. Being with the children has given my life so much direction.”

Her journey led her to Shanghai, China, where she worked as an ESL teacher. She spent almost seven years at an international kindergarten as a Foreign Homeroom Teacher and Training Manager, training Chinese staff in ESL. During this time, she also recorded practice dialogues and songs with Disney English. These experiences inspired her and her husband to create a YouTube channel, producing stories and songs for young viewers — with Pauline lending her voice to their puppet, Polly.

Her career then brought her to Tokyo, Japan. “It was love at first sight for my husband and me,” Pauline said. Her husband, John Adduru, is the Director and Co-Founder of Lighthouse International School. They moved to Tokyo almost eleven years ago and worked as Lead Teachers in an international preschool. Pauline’s work helped her grow as an educator and inspired the creation of Lighthouse, a dream she had shared with her husband since Shanghai. Her experiences shaped her teaching philosophy, emphasizing child-centered learning while balancing academic needs.

“I grew up in an educational climate where information flowed top-down. My teaching experiences have taught me that there’s so much to learn from children — they help shape us into better educators,” she explained.

This realization led her to become a lifelong student herself. She completed her Professional Education Certification from the University of the Philippines and is pursuing a Master’s in Education, majoring in Early Childhood Education, from the University of San Jose – Recoletos, with plans to pursue a doctorate. “The children have taught me that learning is never static; it is a living, evolving process. There’s always something new to learn every day,” she mused.