From a student sitting in the classroom to a teacher standing at the front of the same classroom, it's a transformative experience. I'm honored to join the team of teachers in the science department of my alma mater. The feelings of identity, responsibility, and challenges are all new experiences. The main reasons why I chose to return to my alma mater to teach were: first, I wanted to apply the knowledge of physics I had learned; and second, I wanted to find an outlet for future career development in the field of international education that I am familiar with.

From late 2016 to early 2019, I had participated in many roles during my two-plus years of teaching at the school, including IGCSE Physics teacher, AS Physics teaching assistant, head of the female dormitory floors, assistant to the Head of House, and assistant to the directors of the upper and lower grades. I also contributed to the daily management of the home-school communication platform PowerSchool.

All of these experiences were new challenges for me as a newly minted educator. However, the school's thorough and comprehensive training in classroom management and teaching methods, as well as ample opportunities for external training, greatly benefited me and allowed me to grow rapidly.

The pleasant atmosphere in the office helped me quickly adapt to the school's work environment. Many of my former teachers who were once my mentors during my student days had become my colleagues. They were as friendly as ever, offering me support and assistance. Soon, I realized that this relationship was part of the work ethic of the entire teaching team here.

As I delved deeper into my work, I increasingly felt a desire to become a better teacher. On my journey as an educator, I realized that there was still much room for improvement. I wanted to take a step back to reimmerse myself in the subject and refine myself. Therefore, in early 2019, I decided to further my studies abroad, majoring in both Physics and Education with a dual degree focus.

Because the training space for young teachers here is both honest and orderly, it allowed me to feel that I could achieve personal growth.

Compared to my first time, I returned with a stronger knowledge of the subject, a deeper understanding of the education system and curriculum design, and more values that educators should pass on to students through continuous reflection and discussion. So I have a better sense of the fact that teachers not only teach knowledge, but can also shape character and values.

The role transition from student to teacher, coupled with my education in professional education for some time, has made me increasingly recognize some of the initiatives taken by my alma mater in shaping the school's ethos and style of learning.

In terms of student management, the school has always adhered to its bottom line and spared no effort in repeatedly telling students what they can and cannot do. While maintaining strict management, the school also rewards students who demonstrate good character, excellent academic performance, or outstanding personal talents. Conversely, students who violate the school rules need to bear certain consequences for their actions.

The school aims to teach students to do the right thing at the right time and to be responsible for their academic performance and behavior. These are precisely the important qualities that students need  in order to survive and thrive overseas.

As a teacher here, I have deeply appreciated the school's meticulous tracking system for students' academic and moral education, which can be continuously improved and adjusted in response to changing circumstances. This is a "wealth" accumulated from 14 years of rich educational and teaching experience.

This "wealth" allows teachers to have laws and precedents to follow when encountering problems, ensuring consistent management standards and high efficiency.

As a teacher and former student, working under such a comprehensive system has allowed me to learn a lot about student management, greatly facilitating my personal development.

This time around, I also joined BTH, a student training program that is unique to Hongwen School in Qingdao. We horizontally and vertically screen students who have the ability to compete for top universities and provide them with more targeted supervision and assistance based on their application needs. This includes performance tracking, academic background enhancement, interview tutorials, and psychological counseling. Additionally, due to the close relationship between Hongwen School and the British National Grammar School (BNGL), teachers from BNGL also participate in teaching content such as interview training.

Participation in this program has given me more opportunities to establish connections with the teaching teams at the Shanghai campus and BNGL in the UK. Building on the advantages of the Qingdao campus, we aim to expand the resource sharing platform. Our clear and explicit goal is to provide students with a broader platform for enhancing their abilities and accessing more opportunities.

Hongwen School in Qingdao implements the principle of "every student matters", and I have deeply experienced this as a teacher and class tutor here.

Every teacher at this school, whether they are department heads or ordinary instructors, truly does not give up on any student. We have the BTH program to provide necessary help to students with top academic performance; we also have the SoN program that tracks individual student progress and tailors learning plans for students who are behind, following up on implementation. Within the school's academic community, subject teachers, class tutors, and upper and lower grade directors communicate promptly and keep a close eye on the growth of every child.

At the same time, after serving as a class tutor, I also highly appreciate the school's focus on home-school communication. In terms of students' academic, life, and psychological growth, there is a very smooth and efficient method for parents to communicate with academic teachers, counselors, grade directors, and even the headmaster. This is in addition to regular communication at the class level, which ensures that every student receives the attention they deserve.

During my time at Hongwen School in Qingdao, I felt that every piece of work I did was meaningful and could be "seen", despite how busy I was.

In August 2022, I was transferred to Hongwen's Shanghai campus where the high school division, though just getting started, is well-designed and comprehensive. In addition to offering IGCSE and A-Level programs, the Shanghai campus also offers the IB program.

My top priority at the Shanghai campus became how to effectively prepare lessons for different grades and even different curricula.
During my time at the Shanghai campus, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the IB program and became the leader of the planned 2+2 program, where students complete their IGCSE years at Hongwen Shanghai and then move on to study their A-Level years at BNGL. This allowed for closer cooperation with the British school.
I am grateful for the trust and recognition that the school has given me, as well as the positive work atmosphere in both Qingdao and Shanghai, which might be described as "with vast seas, fish can leap high; with lofty skies, birds can fly freely".
I love my current job and look forward to all the challenges ahead. I will remain humble, continue learning, improve my professional skills, and strive to become a better version of myself.