老餅范

I got the students' evaluation last Friday, mainly from F. 6 students. This time, I got very good results and comments from them.

HSSC emphaize very much about the students' evaluation, and it's one of the main components for the teaching staff to receive the teachers' award at the end of the school year.

I heard that, in the past, a teacher who received the evaluation and comments from the students, resigned the next day, simply because he thought it's nonsense to have the students judging back the teacher, and the school was seriously taking the evaluation.

That's why, starting last year, the school had an option for the teachers to choose whether he/she wanted to know the evaluated results. I always think, whether the students are mature and comprehensive-minded enough to give evaluations back to the teachers. They're not customers. It's particularly true that when the students are F. 6 & 7, they value the teachers mainly on whether the teachers can teach them good examination skills.

The question is, what about if the teachers put effort on seeing their non-academic behaviour? What about if the teachers have to confront with some students but the students are not mature enough to cope with that?

So, though I got good results this time, I was not quite overjoyed.

In fact, I had received so many rewards from the students when I was teaching the second (strictly speaking, it's first school I taught in my life) school; at least 1 reward a year, sometimes 2. And I was elected to represent the school to receive an award from the Education Department.

I was born to be a teacher, I think, not only because I teach too well but the attitude and behaviour towards the youngsters. I enjoy getting along with them, chatting and engaging with those energetic youths.

One colleague greeted me when she knew my evaluation. I just said I wished to be in low profile. I thanked the students from heart, but one thing for sure, I really cared about them.

I am always the first one who come back school for work, preparing the lessons.

I am weak in marking and correcting assignments. Ironically, Professor HAU always said it's quite wasteful for a teacher to mark assignments without much educational elements (Professor HAU is a good friend of our Principal!). Last year, I received some complaints that I marked and returned assignments late back to students.

This year, I have improved quite a lot, in average within 2 weeks. Last week, I returned one assignment to my class in a week. The school in fact, requires 2 weeks' time for that.

And I always write students e-mails, individually and in groups, to praise, remind and congratulate their work and behaviour.

And I date them for lunch, in order that we can communicate and understand one another well.

And I give them autonomy, and tell them clearly my thoughts and rationale. I respect them.

Going back to marking assignments, I always mark their work till 2.00am in the morning, or get up at about 4.00am to do so. I pay so much effort on my work. So, I deserve it, but I am not so happy even I got good results.

If one day, they get good results in the public exam., and few years later, they greet me and call my name in the streets, that's more satisfactory.

Last but not the least, I do believe, as a teacher, a role model of youngsters, I should tell them what a mature adult should think and act. What I mean is, I treat all students, no matter I teach them or not, are my students. Be broad enough, I am a teacher in HK, no matter which school I am teaching. Therefore, I always put my own extra teaching materials and notes on the open forum, which can be accessed by all the students. It's not worth mentioning it, but I am quite disappointed that some colleagues won't do so. They put their sights solely on their own students. It's narrow-minded, or strictly speaking, they're selfish. Jeremy told me last week that some teachers told her students not to lend the notes to other classes, simply because she had prepared for it hard. If it's the truth, I have to say, that's typical Chinese.

And in fact, I always try my best on work, that's what I always need to do so, in order not to condemn God's name.