I still remember my first class at Fortune. It was writing class on a Friday afternoon . . . only half of the students showed up. I didn't feel like a teacher at all. I was clueless in more ways than one.
A tall guy named Charlie (later to be known as Jermaine) came and asked me where class was going to be. Huh? I got to decide? Well, the classroom of course! (I didn't know that the class was a "split class" and that some of the students would be in the "class's classroom" and the others would be in the "writing classroom." No one told me.) It was in that way that I choose the "chien ban" for my writing students; and "ho ban" for my business English students. How little I knew then!
Since then, I have learned a lot. You see my students think that they are the students, and I am the teacher. But the reverse is also true.
They taught me lots of words. I now know the meaning of "dong diao" (fail), "chow ke" (skip class), "ko fun" (take away points), "ho ban" (back half of a split class), "chien ban" (front half of a split class), "jia ban" (Class A), "yi ban" (Class B), "chee jong kao" (midterm exam), "chee mou kao" (final exam), "bu ke" (make up class because teacher or school needs to rearrange the class meeting time), "di ke" (class with subsitute teacher), "shou kao" (take a class again because you failed in the past) and more!
They taught me how to be a teacher. I learned that the most important thing I can give my students is the ability to believe in themselves, to have confidence. I do not have a single student that does not have the potential to be excellent. Each one has incredible strengths and talents. These students allowed me to experiment with them. I was able to try new things and explore new ways of teaching. And in return they told me what worked and what didn't work and how I could make it better the next time I tried. For this I am forever grateful. They also taught me how to s l o w d o w n; now granted, a few of them will tell you I still go too fast. But, hello, I am a heck of a lot slower now!
They taught me to accept help. I like to be needed, but I don't like to need. My students taught me that it perfectly ok to ask for help. Perhaps from my western upbringing, I used to think that asking for help was a sign of weakness; thus I didn't ask. And, thus, I lacked. I have learned to ask for everything for help in running simple errands such as "please go back to my desk and get me the xxx that I forgot" to "I have strange red bumps on my leg, can you take me to the doctor." Now, I have to admit, I am still taking this class, but I am learning and will continue to improve.
They taught me how to have fun. Believe it or not, I am a very uptight girl. I like things to be in order, and I like for things to be done right, and I like for them to be done now. My students taught me how to loosen up a little, to enjoy life more. They also taught that it is ok to not be perfect, to learn to laugh at my own mistakes. In doing so, life become more fun.
In the last two years, I have poured my heart and soul into an incredible group of kids (young men and women) who could actually be my younger brothers and sisters. In fact, that is what they have become. I will forever cherish in my heart the memories I have made with them from countless hours of time in classes to the countless times we laughed and played.
It has been my joy and my honor to watch these students, my students, grow. I remember when I first met them they had difficulty uttering more than a sentence in English to me at a time. Now, they can give 20 mintute speeches alone, write several pages of creative text, have multi-hour long conversations in English. How delighted this makes my teacher's heart! However, not only have they grown academically, they have also grown in other ways too. I have seen them mature into young men and women. I have seen them develop self-confidence. How delighted this makes my friendship's heart!
As they leave my school, I am both sad and happy at the same time. I am sad because I am going to miss them a lot! They are so very, very special to me. I am happy because they are pursuing their dreams, their futures, which of course are going to be bright.
I love you guys. 你對我來說很重要. 請和我保持連絡.
yours forever,
amanda
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
originally posted on msn spaces.
photos of these last two years
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