As your teacher,
I will try to accept
Each of you as you are
And I hope you will try
To accept me as I am.
I want you to know me as a person,
not just as a teacher,
And I want to know each
Of you as an individual.
Rather than consider you
As just my student,
I want to facilitate
Your total growth.
I may frustrate you
When I will not think
Or act for you.
But I provide opportunities for you
To discover your "passion" areas
of learning,
And share my "passions" with you.
I will perceive you as a
"learner"
Rather than a "student"
And allow you to become
Responsible for yourself.
I will provide you with skills, concepts
And attitudes to become
Life-long learners,
And I will be satisfied when you do not
need me
As a teacher because the "best teachers
Are the ones you never need again."
I will remember you long after
You have left my class...
George Betts
I remember at the end
of my first year of teaching, schools were suspended due to the swine flu
epidemic. Going to work wasn't the same. The bell would
ring, but the halls and classrooms were empty. Though obvious, teaching just
isn’t the same without the students; it’s all about the students. To me, a teacher of excellence
resonates this truth.
I believe children
come to school to learn to think: about themselves, the world around them, and
themselves in context of the world. Every child has a mind that deserves the
chance to think. Every child has the right to be both creative and analytical as
they decipher and learn to apply themselves to the world they live in. A
teacher of excellence shapes and stretches the mind of every child and
celebrates success in a child who can perform well in an examination, who can
sing an array of oldies, who can lead a group of classmates, and who can help
someone in need. They guide children to think of who they are, what they are,
and equip them with the why-they-are skills that teach them how to serve as
functioning citizens of a broader society.
In the classroom, a
teacher of excellence fosters learning by challenging students to restructure
and analyze their constructs of knowledge. Portraits of the world are broken
into puzzle pieces and presented to children to rebuild. And, crucial to the
child is the methods and techniques by which these parts are pieced together,
as the teacher scaffolds their thinking and molds their understanding of the
bigger picture and the role they play in it. Hence, the environment of the
classroom, where puzzle-piecing or learning take place, plays a significant
role in the learning process. I believe in classrooms enriched with routines
and systems that nurture a familiar and safe environment of risk-taking; I
believe in classrooms with roles and independence that empower responsibility
and metacognitive thinking; I believe in classrooms built on community and
sensitivity that cultivate acceptance and celebration of differences; and I
believe in classrooms defined with expectation and challenge that show students
the potential they can and will achieve.
Finally, I believe a
teacher of excellence knows the needs, talents and goals of every student, and
enables them to achieve these goals. Through lessons that cater to
individualized strengths and weaknesses, and which motivate and inspire kids to
learn, building blocks are given to students who are challenged to put the
pieces together, equipping them, through successes and failures, for the world
they will function and live in.
A teacher of
excellence believes in their students.
Every child will
succeed.
This year marks my first cohort of graduates who I've taught English to for the past three years.
Graduation means... promise, hope, future, opportunity, maturity, successes, failures and lessons upon lessons about life.
But right now, ... graduation means that they won't be here any more.
And it's really scary to think that the kids who you've poured and poured and poured your life into won't be here for you to care for and nurture anymore. It's time for them to face the real world. You're not there to encourage them or inspire them or to tell them that everything will be ok.
And just thinking about some of the things that they are going to encounter really breaks my heart.
Earlier this week, the kids received their acceptances into secondary schools. Most were satisfied, while others had to take the next day or two to knock on the doors of secondary schools to beg for acceptance by sitting tests, having interviews and taking assessments until they could secure their worth in XYZ's school. And to think that they're only twelve years old. It just breaks my heart.
Today, I had a conversation with one of the kids who I've had a mentor-like relationship with. Lacking in parental expectations, self discipline, discernment of right from wrong, and living only with his grandparents, this boy hasn't been the most well behaved member of the class. In fact, his name is notorious among teachers for his behaviour, disrespect towards teachers and lack of motivation. But he's not really like that with me. At recess, he'll often come up to the staff room and loiter around my desk, asking, "Mr. Wong, anything can do for you?" or striking up a conversation about school, or class, or the weekend...
Naturally, with a kid like this, he didn't get into any of the schools he applied to and had to "knock" on the doors of secondary schools. Today, he came to me and said he'd gotten into XYZ school, which is actually quite decent considering his academic performance. "That's wonderful, Y. I'm so happy to hear that. I know you're going to try hard and do your best in that school."
"Mr. Wong, what are we going to do in class today?
Can we do the Pre-S1 exam practice?"
"Why do you want to do Pre-S1 practices?" The Pre-S1 is the exam primary 6 students take before entering secondary school. They are streamed into classes according to their performance.
Back from the knocking, Y was obviously motivated to do well. He'd seen and experienced rejection.
"I want to have good Pre-S1 marks so that I can go into the English class."
English class. The elite class within the school where all subjects are taught in English, not Cantonese.
... and hearing his words just pierced straight through to my heart.
I don't know if I should be moved because he cares about his education and future
or if I should be angered at this whole mess of an education system which labels kids smart or dumb, elite or scum, hardworking or lazy, full of promise or unteachable, when firstly, kids are so much smarter than any dumb test or school could ever prove, and secondly, because it makes kids like Y think that they need to perform well on some stupid test or be a part of some stupid class in order to be something.
And yet, for the sake of the kids at this moment in time, I walked into that classroom, told them that whatever class they ended up in would be best for them to learn in, reminded them that the lessons they'd learnt of motivation and integrity still applied in any context they would go to, and then administered the Pre-S1 test to practise. The exam is, after all, on Tuesday.
God, by Your grace, please protect these children from placing their identities in their education.
Today they graduated.
The lessons are over, but I will always be their teacher.
And yet I find that I still have so much that I want to teach them.
But I can't.
So I leave my heart for them in the hands of Mr. Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss.
And in the book cover, I couldn't help but write the following.
Dear [student name],
Today is the day!
Today is the day you will graduate from Pui Kiu Primary School.
It’s been a long journey, but after teaching you for three years, I can confidently say that I am proud of you.
You have grown to be a young man/lady full of ________. I’ll never forget ___
[specific to the student]
It has been my privilege to teach you from P.4-P.6, and I am sad that it has to end. But I know that all good things must come to an end so that other good things can happen. Now, as you step into the next stage of life, I leave you with this book called, “Oh, the Places You'll Go”. I know that you will continue to grow into a wonderful person who goes to amazing places and does amazing things.
In this book, Dr. Seuss talks about life. There will be ups and downs. Some days will be good and others will be bad. Some seasons will be filled with hope and joy, while other seasons bring you doubt or shame. But wherever you may be in life, I hope you remember that life is good and that you can always choose to dance and sing and smile and laugh.
I would also like to share a verse which means a lot to me and has helped me when deciding my future.
箴 言 3:5-6
5 你 要 專 心 仰 賴 耶 和 華 , 不 可 倚 靠 自 己 的 聰 明 ,
6 在 你 一 切 所 行 的 事 上 都 要 認 定 他 ， 他 必 指 引 你 的 路 。
I will never forget you and you will always be in my prayers.
Please visit!
Love,
Your English teacher,
Mr. Wong
The sixth graders are facing their "TSA" and "PS1" standardized exams in the upcoming weeks; the exams which seem to govern curriculum development, how teachers teach (read: drilling), and how much worth is placed on students.
Well, to be honest, I'm tired of drilling paper after paper. A time when GE is done and exams are almost over does not usually present an opportunity to "cho" more papers.
But Mr. Wong, we already do the Chinese TSA writing today and the Maths practise exam. No more TSA la!
I know. I know.
One big thing with the Pre-Secondary 1 exam is for kids to know more vocabulary. And, as is useful in most ESL classrooms, I thought it'd be good for them to have small vocabulary books.
And I know it's no genius idea, but I was just so happy that it occurred to me to make the vocabulary books. I believe that having the students make the books themselves does wonders for their motivation to use it.
So while other sixth grade English classes were "cho"ing yet another paper, we were doing something fun - just this once.
Creating their own tabs inside. Oh the power of post-its.
Group sharing ideas and materials.
Kids changed the front cover and decorated it.
Printed the class photo for each student to put on their books.
What a nice break.
If I may generalize, I must say that nothing makes a teacher angrier than an apathetic student.
Oh it just gets under my skin to see someone who does not care.
And how do you tackle such an issue?
Punishment pushes them over the edge. Fear through external motivation. Not the best way although, at times, necessary.
A heart to heart talk about how I feel, how they feel, why we feel this way, why we need to try, what they think they need to do in order to move forward, inspired to become independent. Inspiration. Motivation. Constructive steps.
If only there were the time.
And if only it didn't make me so angry. You'd think in my third year of teaching her she'd know I wouldn't let it past her to not care.
<frustrated>
-__-
Story 1.
The other day a kid came up to me at my desk wanting to borrow something.
"Mr. Wong, can I borrow your chopstick?"
"My chopstick?"
He promptly reaches for the stapler sitting at my desk.
"Oh you mean the stapler?"
"Oh yes yes yes. I mean stay-pa-lah."
I teach him the difference and he goes on his merry way.
Vocabulary building is funny, isn't it?
--
Story 2.
I just finished our sixth grade English oral exams.
In one part, students are given a picture and have to talk about it for 2 minutes.
This particular picture was of a fairy who turned a princess into a cow.
"And then the princess saw a fairy. The fairy was not happy with the princess, so she took her magic chopstick and changed her into a cow!"
Gotta love ESL in Hong Kong.
The next day, he wrote me a reply letter.
--
Dear Mr. Wong:
Thank for you letter. I really feel better now. I know I tried my best in the Exam so I don't not feel too sad now. But I still feel not so good. :(
I know I need to try my best, but I am sad because althought I try my best, I can't ge the marks that I think of. And I feel worried about the other exam.
I don't feel sad about did I try my best. But I am sad that because I think I can't go in a English's secondnary school. I think many people mark in Hong Kong is higher than me.
But thank you for your wonderful letter. I feel better and I will try my best in days after.
I wish you happily ever after :D
:) try my best,
Gordon
--
Man. The pressures that an 11-year-old has to go through.
What a system.
A kid in my class got 89 on his final English exam.
I have always liked this kid. His attitude towards life is one of humility, teachability, discipline and friendliness. I have always liked this kid.
In the last English exam, he got 99 marks -- the highest in the grade.
And this term, he got 89 marks -- one mark shy of an A. And so as I passed back the exam, for the first time in my three years of teaching him, I watched him burst into uncontrollable tears.
It's the first time he's ever received anything less than an A in English. But for the amount of effort he puts in, he deserves the A. For the amount of heart and sacrifice he puts into his studies, he deserves an A. For the altruism he embodies as he strives to bring goodness to his peer and teachers, he deserves an A. I think so highly of this kid. And so it broke my heart to see him sobbing so uncontrollably at his desk. I took him outside to calm down and have a talk. But with each heaving breath he took, my heart clenched in empathy. I wished I could just turn a blind eye to give him the mark to make things better. He deserved it... but there was something to learn more difficult than anything a test to ask of him.
And so I wrote this letter.
With little kids, it really is hard to see the impact you're making in their lives. They don't really know how to thank you. They don't really know show appreciation or recognize good things you do for them. And that's fine -- they're kids.
I've taught my sixth graders English since they were in fourth grade. Next year, they're off to secondary school. I'm going to miss them. I took a couple of students aside and told them that I would write recommendation letters to supplement their applications since I'd noticed how much they'd grown and appreciated their learning attitudes. While we were talking about the schools they'd be applying for, two of the kids shed just a little light on the impact I'd made on them. They said to me, "Mr. Wong, can you come to teach at St. Paul's Co-ed?" "No, teach at BPS!" another chimes in. Two or three others playfully argue about which secondary school I should transfer to so that I can continue to teach them.
It's not about being the most liked teacher or about me fighting for their affection.
There's just something affirming about what they said. First, because they're kids who wear their emotions on their sleeve, and second, because it shows that despite the high expectations, messy classroom management and mistakes that I've made along the way, I've been doing something right. Teachers pour, pour and pour into their children. Now just this once, although it feels and just a teensy bit naive and childish, I'm going to take what they said and remember it.
They like me. :)
I love receiving weekly diaries from my kids. And although it's an arduous process (since there are 77 of them in total), it's great to respond and nurture a relationship with them.
I am bored, let's me tell a joke to you! One day, a coke said, "Juice, see who die first!" Juice said, "Ok!". A few time, the coke is not gas and CO^2. Maybe this joke in English is so boring. A friend tell me, I laugh ten minutes.
He's right. It's not funny in English and I haven't the faintest idea what it means in Chinese. But that's what makes it funny.
Mr. Wong, what should I buy for my dad's 50th birthday? My dad's hobbies are smoking and watching TV which are about animals.
Oh man. Some hobby.
My sixth graders are writing fables now. Here's a killer introduction:
Once upon a time, there was an ugly, big crab and a beautiful fish. They lived in "AB Sea."
I just love the creativity... and poor crab seems to have absolutely nothing going for him.
Exams are this week. Kids need to study.
In this digital age, studying can't be easy with distractions of facebook, youtube, TV, PSP's,... especially if you're an 11 year old kid in Asia. So, after having a pep talk with the kids about having to hit the books and needing to sacrifice fun this week, we made and signed an agreement. A couple of them didn't sign it. And that's fine. They know what they're capable of.
But there's really something about suffering together. Kinda like those late nights in the library with friends at university. Might as well make studying remotely fun. And it's important to foster self-learning and self-discipline at home.
Let's see how it goes!
“Try My Best” Agreement
I want to try my best in the examinations this week so that I can get high marks and do my best. To do this, I need to study and practice a lot. To practice a lot, I should not go on facebook, youtube or watch TV because I can use this time to study.
Agreement:
I promise I will not go on facebook, youtube or watch TV for one week.
I will try my best and use this time to practice and study.
Begin: 3:30pm on 15th November, 2010 (Mon)
End: 11:59pm on 22nd November, 2010 (Mon)
About a month ago, I kept three or four girls after school to talk about why they were fighting. Sixth grade has definitely brought a wave of hormones and middle-school drama. *Headache*.
At first, we dealt with issues of miscommunication and misinterpretation which led certain people to think certain things instead of other things. Headache. But then as we continued to talk, I noticed that there was a tension between these two girls. Now, I get very afraid of tension between girls because I've heard about how caddy they can be. But I decided to address it. Excusing the other parties, I got the two girls to sit across from each other at a table with me. They didn't even look at each other. I was so surprised because I was (obviously) oblivious to this tension.
"Why don't you girls like each other?" I asked.
"No ar. We do not not like each other ar," one girl chimed in with her Chinese accent.
The other one remained silent. Head buried on the table.
"How can there be no problem if you don't even look at each other?" I ask.
It was pretty obvious there was a problem.
I asked simple questions about when they started disliking each other (ans: two years prior) and whether they actually knew what they were angry about (ans: they only vaguely knew).
And then I didn't want to meddle anymore. I don't know how to make two girls like each other.
Through questioning, I told the girls that I hoped they could be civil with each other. I told them I hoped their relationship would not have negative tension, but at least be neutral. And I told them that they have to talk about what they're angry about in order for there to be a friendship. I also reminded them, through questioning, that they were in sixth grade and were leaving for secondary school next year. I challenged them: What kind of friendships do you want to take with you? I could tell something moved in them, but because of timing, context, pride, and other things, not much happened and they left separately.
Three weeks later, I see the two girls talking in class. I glance at one and raise an eyebrow to which she breaks into a smile. That weekend, I read her diary entry, which said,
Dear Mr. Wong,
How are you? I am fine! Thank you Mr. Wong. After you talked to me and ____ that day, we talked about some things and talked about what we hope to do. After that day, we became friends. Not best friends, but we try to be friends....
I will try to be better friends with ____. Thank you for helping me!
From,
Student
And on their facebook (I have a separate account for my students), there was a new picture of the two of them hugging each other, under which it said "我地可以好番,Mr.Wong一定有唔少功勞,一定要多謝Mr.Wong!~"
Many times teachers don't get to see the immediate fruits of the things they pour themselves into (whether they know how to pour themselves into the kids or not). But sometimes, God blesses us with glimpses of how he uses us to shape the future generation.
She was never good at English. Failed every test, exam and dictation possible from first grade to sixth.
Now in sixth, I teach her English writing.
I don't expect every student to produce an excellent piece of work.
I do, however, expect every student to try their best because that will then be an excellent piece of work.
Going from mindmap to first draft, students had to use this organizer as a springboard to structure and write their stories. For the kids who are weaker in the English language, they just had to piece the mindmap together and had to write it out in sentence form. I even sat down with some of them as others were independently writing.
She didn't even try.
Another thing. I expect students to raise up their hands if they don't know how to do something, rather than sitting around daydreaming.
While I understand she might not have known what to do, I had already come to her two times to ask her if she knew what to do and guided her with her first sentence. We even talked through the entire story using her mindmap so that it might be easier for her to write. Pretty good for a class of 36 students, I think. Yet still she refused to write.
And so I was mad.
The next day, I took her lunch break to write her first draft with her.
"Do you know what to do?"
* mumbles *
"Sorry, I cannot hear you. Do you know what to do?"
* mumbles *
"I cannot hear you. Do you know what to do? What is your first sentence?"
* mumbles *
I get it. She's failed so many times, what's the point of even speaking English when it's going to be wrong? Especially in a context where teachers immediately correct you for anything you express.
But at the same time, it's not that she can't even speak. I hear her speaking all the time in class.
I push her.
"Do you know what to do: yes or no?"
* mumbles *
Oh, this is frustrating. I take her outside so that I can raise my voice a little since it's quiet in the staff room.
I tell her that she cannot mumble. I tell her that she needs to speak loudly to me so that I can at least work with something. She complies. She says she doesn't know what to do.
THANK YOU!
I immediately show her where to get information for her first paragraph. I write with an invisible pen on her paper and read out the lines in the mindmap that she writes. She gets it.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure? There is no problem?"
"No problem."
We go through the whole story together and then, like magic, she picks up her pencil and begins to write her fable.
After writing her beginning, I just have to praise her and let her know that since she didn't mumble, I was able to help her.
"Look! You can do it! Your writing is very good."
No response.
"Do you think your English is good?"
"No. It is bad."
"Really? Because I don't think it is bad. I don't think it is bad at all.
You are speaking English to me right now... and you understand what I am saying to you. Right?"
"Yes."
"So then that means your English is good. Maybe you don't have very high marks in your dictations, but these are just dictations. That is not everything. English is more than your dictations. You see, because you spoke to me in English in a loud voice, you could ask for help. Then I helped you and now you can write your first draft. Do you think that's good?"
I look in her eyes. And tears well up.
Nobody has ever told her she was good at English.
She was never good at English. Failed every test, exam and dictation possible from first grade to sixth.
Now in sixth, she realized she could do the English thing after all.
Last year, one of my fifth-graders said the "F" word to me because I'd given him a lunch detention.
After making it perfectly clear that swearing, especially to a teacher, is not acceptable, we had the following conversation.
"Do you know why you don't say these words?"
"Because it is bad."
"Yes, but why is it bad?"
"Because..."
"How do you feel if I say these words to you?"
"I feel bad."
"Do you want to feel bad?"
"No."
"Name, do you know that what you say is very powerful? What you say is very strong?"
I really wanted him to know the power of words.
"Mr. Wong is very big and it is very difficult for me to be hurt. But do you know what can hurt me a lot? Even a P.1 student can hurt me by doing this thing. Do you know what it is?"
"..."
"Do you think I will get hurt if a P.1 student hits me?"
"No."
"Now, do you think I will get hurt if a P.1 student says this word to me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because it makes you sad."
"Yes, because it makes me sad. If you hit me, my skin might get a little hurt, but later it will be ok. If you say something bad to me like this, it doesn't hurt my skin. Do you know where it hurts me?"
"In here * point to head *"
"Yes, and in here * point to chest *"
"And do you think it will go away easily?"
"..."
"It will not. Right now I feel very sad because you decided to use this word with me. To me, this word means you do not like me. To me, this word means you hateme. Right now, you might tell me that you do not hate me, and I know it is true. But if I think about it, I can hear the words you said. What you say is very powerful, NAME. I can still remember my P.4 teacher saying a bad word to me because I was bad, and I cannot forget it. I want you to know, NAME, that what you say is very powerful. I will try to forget it but right now I really feel sad."
And I really did feel sad.
NAME starts to cry. He's learnt his lesson.
He assures me he is sorry. He assures me that he didn't mean what he said.
I told him I forgave him.
We revisit the situation and talk about what he can do when he feels angry or cheated.
He wrote me a letter to apologize and wrote about what he would do next time he was in a similar situation.
"I know that sometimes we get very angry at people and want to hit them or hurt them with our actions or our words. I know it isn't easy, but it is important to do what is good. And being good is not easy. I know you are a good boy and I hope you will continue to choose to do the good thing."