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These photos were taken at a Chinese library session, none of them was Chinese but they were all very keen to find out more Chinese characters, to memorize them by practising how to write them. As a teacher, I sincerely believe that these students will be the future!
These photos were taken at a Chinese library session, none of them was Chinese but they were all very keen to find out more Chinese characters, to memorize them by practising how to write them. As a teacher, I sincerely believe that these students will be the future!
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“Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.”
― Dr. Seuss
My articles shared (click this link to view)
― Dr. Seuss
My articles shared (click this link to view)
This is what I hope for my students, dare to think & dare to challenge!
This is what I believe
It was suggested that we teachers should distribute outlines of presentations. This would be appropriate if what I am presenting is content, but what I am trying to convey is process. What I am trying to challenge are received notions of self, of discipline (which is not memorizing without thinking or copying without thought), of effective writing as merely "correct" writing. As I have said to some students on more than one occasion, I am not filling the pail; I am trying to "light my students' fire". What fire is that? The fire of passion, of confidence, of intellectual curiosity, of imagination, of the excitement of discovery. Outlines and lesson plans do not help me accomplish my teaching goals. My students' success in the class does not consist of being able to regurgitate the "contents" of the readings.
That is why most of my presentations are not summaries of the readings: quite the opposite. The readings are often points of discussion or targets of attack. Instead of concentrating on what I am trying to elicit from my students, they are reverting to old habits, and to old conceptions of knowledge.
If I can instill this critical instinct in my students, instead of teaching them rules that are only variably applicable and that are, in any case, forgettable, then my students will be able to improve their writing as well as learning even after the end of a term. I feel this goal is far more worthwhile. I could easily have presented a content course, assigned readings which I summarize during the presentation, and asked that they show how obedient they are by parroting that information back on examinations. The result, to my mind, is an empty exercise, which they will forget very quickly. We must get over the mentality, all too prevalent in Hong Kong, that rules are everything. People can follow all the rules of writing, and still write badly; we can follow all the rules of teaching, and still teach badly. I teach by principle, not by rule.
I always encourage my students to dare think a new thought! I challenge my students to explore areas of their own intelligence and imagination they have never looked into before. When some of my students submit a project assignment and ask, "Is this what you want?", they miss the point.
It is not a matter of what I want: my assignments are not scavenger hunts: pick up a paper clip, a comb, a kite, etc. My project assignments are exercises in recognition, understanding, and discovery. A successful assignment is one that I would never have dreamed of finding, but one which illuminates the point.
(Directly inspired by my beloved professor, Dr. Eugene Eoyang)
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As a teacher the experiences that make me happy are--
1,When students enjoy learning and are keen to know more
2,When students begin to teach each other and help each other to learn
3,When students are focused on their work and don't interrupt the flow of the lesson
4,When students listen to instructions so that I don't have to repeat the instruction
5,When students share something they have learned beyond the classroom
6,When students discuss and debate their own ideas
7,When students ask for assistance (on a problem they can't understand or solve)
8,When students encourage other students
9,When students laugh at my jokes!
10,When students show me a skill or talent that's not related to my subject
11,When students take risks with their learning
12,When students "get" (or learn) a new concept that they have struggled to understand
13,When students make connections between one idea and another
14,When students enjoy participating regardless of the outcome (for example in Sports Day)
15,When students are kind to each other
16,When students are polite and respectful
17,When students say something nice!
18,When students come back to see me when I am no longer their teacher--it's nice to discover how they have changed and grown up!
As a teacher the things that make me upset are--
1,When students forget to bring their books or work to class
2,When students are disorganized
3,When students take a long time to transition between one task and the next
4,When students distract other students from learning
5,When students bully other students (This one just makes me angry!)
(Thanks to my old colleague in the ISFA for spending time discussing the topics above with me.)
That is why most of my presentations are not summaries of the readings: quite the opposite. The readings are often points of discussion or targets of attack. Instead of concentrating on what I am trying to elicit from my students, they are reverting to old habits, and to old conceptions of knowledge.
If I can instill this critical instinct in my students, instead of teaching them rules that are only variably applicable and that are, in any case, forgettable, then my students will be able to improve their writing as well as learning even after the end of a term. I feel this goal is far more worthwhile. I could easily have presented a content course, assigned readings which I summarize during the presentation, and asked that they show how obedient they are by parroting that information back on examinations. The result, to my mind, is an empty exercise, which they will forget very quickly. We must get over the mentality, all too prevalent in Hong Kong, that rules are everything. People can follow all the rules of writing, and still write badly; we can follow all the rules of teaching, and still teach badly. I teach by principle, not by rule.
I always encourage my students to dare think a new thought! I challenge my students to explore areas of their own intelligence and imagination they have never looked into before. When some of my students submit a project assignment and ask, "Is this what you want?", they miss the point.
It is not a matter of what I want: my assignments are not scavenger hunts: pick up a paper clip, a comb, a kite, etc. My project assignments are exercises in recognition, understanding, and discovery. A successful assignment is one that I would never have dreamed of finding, but one which illuminates the point.
(Directly inspired by my beloved professor, Dr. Eugene Eoyang)
-------------------------------------------------------
As a teacher the experiences that make me happy are--
1,When students enjoy learning and are keen to know more
2,When students begin to teach each other and help each other to learn
3,When students are focused on their work and don't interrupt the flow of the lesson
4,When students listen to instructions so that I don't have to repeat the instruction
5,When students share something they have learned beyond the classroom
6,When students discuss and debate their own ideas
7,When students ask for assistance (on a problem they can't understand or solve)
8,When students encourage other students
9,When students laugh at my jokes!
10,When students show me a skill or talent that's not related to my subject
11,When students take risks with their learning
12,When students "get" (or learn) a new concept that they have struggled to understand
13,When students make connections between one idea and another
14,When students enjoy participating regardless of the outcome (for example in Sports Day)
15,When students are kind to each other
16,When students are polite and respectful
17,When students say something nice!
18,When students come back to see me when I am no longer their teacher--it's nice to discover how they have changed and grown up!
As a teacher the things that make me upset are--
1,When students forget to bring their books or work to class
2,When students are disorganized
3,When students take a long time to transition between one task and the next
4,When students distract other students from learning
5,When students bully other students (This one just makes me angry!)
(Thanks to my old colleague in the ISFA for spending time discussing the topics above with me.)