Kelly Yuan-Ping Hung (45) is on sabbatical from her teaching position as a high school History professor in Taichong, Taiwan. She took the opportunity to travel and learn English while her daughter is studying abroad for a year as a freshman at Arlington High School. Kelly is a passionate learner and aside from studying English, she is also learning different teaching skills from her instructors here at ELC. This trip to Boston has been a very valuable experience for Kelly; not only is she able to study together with her daughter, she is also learning more about herself as a teacher.
As a history teacher, I found the Freedom Trail Tour a very fascinating and unique way to learn about Boston’s deep history. It was very exciting to discover the connections between the various sites while walking through the trail.
I have been to the Museum of Fine Arts four times during the free hours on Wednesdays. I think it is very impressive and generous for museums here to offer free days, because that does not happen in Taiwan.
I enjoy Matt’s classes very much! He takes time to explain things in detail so that the students can have a clear understanding of the material. In other schools I have attended, sometimes the teachers go through things too quickly and move on before we fully understand what is being taught, especially when it comes to grammar. ELC is the third English school I studied at in Boston, and I am very grateful for the different learning experiences I had at each school. The biggest difference I discovered between the schools is the atmosphere created by the teachers and students. Each student comes with a different purpose, whether it is to play or to prepare for exams, and the energy they bring into the classroom makes a big impact on the entire learning experience.
The two education systems are very different! I noticed that teachers in America really try to inspire their students while they learn, and they find ways for students figure things out on their own. In Taiwan, the teachers give all the information and the students just memorize everything. Another thing I noticed is that in America, the teachers focus only on teaching, but in Taiwan, the teachers have to do everything! We not only teach, but we also have to take care of the students’ lunch and make sure they take a nap after. We are always in meetings with parents because they expect us to cover everything, so when something is wrong, it is always the teacher’s fault!
I enjoy watching movies because it is a good way to learn English. Reading novels is also helpful for learning new vocabulary because when you see those words in a story, it is easier to remember instead of only seeing those words in a textbook.
Awesome! Fabulous! Fascinating!
I am going back to Taiwan in July and I will continue teaching at my school. I also have a license to teach English, so I hope that one day I will be able to teach English in Taiwan. After learning from so many teachers here, I would like to incorporate some of their teaching styles into my classes, and help my students with their passion for learning.
