Keep It , Leave It or Keep Going?

Time: When I was Year Two

Place: My tutor, Jenny’s Office (can’t remember her last name), HKIed

I was holding one of my favourite books, Willy and Hugh, and read it in front of Jenny. She smiled and nodded. She  invited me to share this book to the kids in the library during Open Day. I wasn’t quite nervous. I knew the story inside out. There wasn’t much words in the book as it is a picture book. It is more important to prompt questions about the picture rather than reading every line out.

She looked pleased. Or was it because she was being kind?

Anyways, I finished reading the book and wanted to leave for lunch. When I was putting the book in my bag, she said, “Hey, Janet. You are a good story teller. I hope you keep your way of teaching English when you graduate. You know many student teachers stopped teaching the way they learnt in HKIed once they become real teachers. Promise me.”

I was flattered and didn’t know what to say. Maybe I did promise her.

Now when I look back, I fully understand what she was trying to say. I’ve been working for five years already. I know how challenging being a teahcer is. The exams, tests, coplanning, marking , other admin stuff etc just strangle you and squeeze all your time. When you are exhausted, you just want to get things done — finish the exam syllabus and have some rest. Try storytelling or other teaching methods? You may not be willing to do so.

Glad that many of the us do not want to live idle lives. We want to teach as best as we can even though we have limited time and resource. I am proud to tell Jenny that I don’t even want to keep my way of teaching.  I want to keep experimenting new things and keep improving. I’ll stick to my promise, Jenny.

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