Interview with: Gigi Ng, Tia Wong, Kristen Leung (Fellows 2023-2024)
Written by: Aiman Nadeem, Hayley Lam
Embracing the Role of an Educator Beyond Teaching
School equips students with skills for future success, and teachers play a part by guiding students through academic disciplines. But is teaching just about delivering lessons and helping students excel academically?
This is a question that Gigi Ng, Kristen Leung, and Tia Wong (Fellows 2023-24) asked themselves during their Fellowship journey while they were teaching at Buddhist Chi King Primary School (“BCKPS”). Thoughtfully structured, the Teach For Hong Kong (“TFHK”) Fellowship Program is designed to encourage Fellows to look beyond classroom instructions and reflect deeply on the true essence of being an educator.
Like all beginners, the three Fellows faced challenges in teaching. Despite prior education-related experiences, they doubted their abilities to connect with children, especially those with special education needs (SEN). To support them, curated training sessions from TFHK, including insights from seasoned teachers and opportunities to practice and observe teaching skills, provided them with practical tips to engage and teach students. Sharing from experienced education practitioners equipped them with strategies to cater to SEN students’ needs.
Upon kick-starting their teaching roles, it was natural for Fellows to focus on improving students’ academic performance. But as the year went on, they realized that they had to change their approach and guide their efforts to create more nurturing learning opportunities for their students.
“I began the program thinking my job was to boost my students’ grades. But as time passed, I realized that their well-being was just as critical,” Gigi shared her perspective, “I started asking myself, ‘How can I make sure my students have a great day at school and go home feeling happy?’”
With this in mind, the three Fellows concerted their efforts in designing a curriculum beyond academics – “Explore Our Little World” (童遊世界). This eleven-session program incorporated activities related to intercultural exchange and exposure, preparing students to thrive as global citizens. Students went through different activities such as learning to prepare for an overseas trip, guessing landmarks around the world with GeoGuessr, watching videos of foreigners sharing about their lives abroad, learning about different currencies, and much more.
Aware of students’ fear and intimidation of speaking English, the Fellows invited their friends from abroad to record Cantonese videos. Students were engaged when watching the videos as they realized how tough Cantonese was for non-natives, mirroring their own experiences learning English. Instead of pushing English oral practice, the Fellows fostered cultural acceptance and facilitated students’ mindset to conquer their fears. Quiet students began to shine as they took part in the challenges and class activities, letting their personalities sparkle.
To foster positive mindsets and build connections between local and newly arrived students, Kristen revamped the traditional material-based reward system, introducing engaging classroom privileges. Using a set of cards, students worked collaboratively to compete for the opportunity to select rewards like choosing an ETV video or song, acting as a “little teacher” helper, or praising a peer. The most beloved option, the “friend card,” allowed students to keep a toy bear or doll by their side for the entire lesson.
This creative system boosted student engagement, reduced classroom behavioral issues, and, most importantly, cultivated mutual appreciation and a sense of responsibility among the young learners, subtly nurturing their inclusive mindsets.
“This system was better than material rewards like candies,” Kristen explained. “Students eagerly shared their joy with peers when picking their desired card, and it inspired them to make thoughtful choices in class.”
The Fellows were tasked with student behavior challenges. Tia was tasked with supporting SEN students and often faced behavioral management challenges. She initially doubted her ability to manage the challenges. To navigate this, she sought support from her Leadership Development Officer (“LDO”) from TFHK. Using coaching methods, the LDO guided Fellows to share about their challenges and devise actionable steps to change the situation.
“Through coaching, we were encouraged to share about our challenges and were directed to find the solutions ourselves,” Tia shared.
The TFHK Fellowship Program gave Gigi, Kristen, and Tia the realization that it is small things that help to enhance students’ learning environment and provide the building blocks for them to succeed in non-academic contexts.
Teaching goes beyond imparting knowledge or focusing solely on academic success. The heart of teaching lies in nurturing students’ natural curiosity, fostering soft skills, and cultivating a positive attitude.
The TFHK Fellowship Program provides such a platform to Fellows to enrich students’ values by introducing innovative initiatives and resources to inspire and engage them. Inspired by this transformative experience, Gigi, Kristen, and Tia continue their roles as educators, where they nurture more young minds beyond academics.
