1. Why did you decide to teach at BSB Sanlitun?
I heard about BSB Sanlitun from a summer camp counsellor I worked with when I was in university. BSB Sanlitun appealed to me due to its diverse student population which promotes a truly international experience for the children within it. I hope to inspire, challenge and engage the children with their Chinese learning.
2. What is your role at BSB Sanlitun?
I teach Chinese in both Early Years and Primary. My role at BSB Sanlitun is the Head of Chinese Department.
3. Describe a day in your life at school.
A typical day would start with getting everything ready such as setting up the classroom, reviewing the day’s teaching agenda, and getting mentally and physically prepared. The children come for a one-hour Chinese lesson 3 times a week so I always try to engage them with their learning as much as possible. As my students have a wide range of ages, I often have to switch to different teaching modes to ensure that students of different ages can achieve learning targets more efficiently. During the day I also have some admin work to do as Head of Chinese. I see myself as a bridge of communication to gather and pass on information from Chinese Department to the rest of the school community. After a day of teaching, I plan for the upcoming lessons and meet with the other Chinese teachers to have a quick meeting before we finish the day.
4. What do you enjoy most about teaching?
As a teacher teaching Chinese as an additional language, I’m particularly happy to see the children use what they’ve been learning outside the classroom. It’s always the highlight of my day when hearing my students speaking in Chinese to cleaning ayis, kitchen staff and even helping younger students in their bus lines. That makes me feel so proud as a teacher. In addition, I’m a firm believer that teachers are lifelong learners who are constantly growing and evolving. Our school is full of professionals who are in the midst of taking courses, participating in professional development sessions, and earning additional degrees. It's almost impossible to stagnate because there are always new things to be learned. Keeping up with new research, data, and trends requires a dynamic approach and an adaptable mind, boredom about teaching is definitely out of the question!
5. Tell us about your life outside of school?
In my spare time I enjoy drama and stand-up comedy. It’s always nice to enjoy different types of performance with some friends after a week of teaching. Apart from this, to keep life exciting, I believe the most important action you can take is to not only seize every opportunity to try new things, but to make opportunities for yourself. I love anything creative and I'm always looking for new skills to pursue and develop, like diving, archery, tufting and any upcoming new experiences!
