Teachers' Sharing

My teaching philosophy:
Be Well-prepared, Empathetic, and Enthusiastic

Years after graduating from the programme I am seeking to join today, BSc (Hons) in Applied Biology with Biotechnology, I am highly motivated to rejoin my alma mater. I genuinely wish to share my experience and knowledge with the next generation of students, and teach them how bright their future could be. My goal in teaching at PolyU is to inspire students to find reasons to learn, discover their unseen potential, and forge possibilities for the future. I believe that each student can perform at the highest level regardless of their background if they have the courage to conceptualise and pursue their goals. As an educator, I want to play a major role in this process. My most important task, therefore, is to ignite students’ internal drive to learn and to enjoy learning.

Trembling but trying to maintain my composure in front of a large auditorium, I delivered my first lecture with passion and excitement in PQ305. Nine years have passed since then, and I am still enjoying standing on the stage, now teaching without trembling. My enthusiasm for teaching is motivated by the happiness I derive when interacting and exchanging knowledge with students. During my postgraduate studies, sitting in a journal club where no students were willing to raise their hands, a professor reminded us that “there are no stupid questions”. Since then, I have started the first lecture of each term with this sentence to let students know that asking questions is never a “stupid” practice.

Teaching is not only the art of sharing but also the process of learning. As lecturers, we are well prepared before class. However, it is not possible to know the answer to every question. When students pose questions, they push me to think in new ways. Over the years, there have been many interesting moments when my students and I have engaged in discussions and inspired each other to discover the beauty of science. Besides asking questions, students can learn quickly through classroom discussion. To enhance the learning experience, I allow students to hold short discussions with classmates after introducing each complicated concept. For upper-level classes, I implement brainstorming questions such as case studies to foster higher-level thinking.

Students actively learn because they know why they have to. Almost invariably, they afford the utmost importance to their career prospects after graduation. As a Programme Leader and academic advisor, I have organised several alumni talks for students to explore their future career options. I am always encouraged when students tell me how these talks fostered their career development. Graduates who benefited from these talks often return to deliver their own seminars to students, forming a cycle of engagement and developing close connections between alumni and our alma mater. 

Students’ compliments and gratitude for my teaching and career consultation are the most important motivators pushing me to invest more in my career. I value every opportunity to speak with students and am most grateful to be in a position where they wish to share their triumphs and challenges. I believe that with proper guidance, students are always able to arrive at the destinations they dream of. Preparation, empathy, and enthusiasm are my three main teaching philosophies. With my support and mentorship, I look forward to seeing more graduates embark on bright and hopeful career paths.

我的教學理念：
做足準備、將心比己、熱誠真切

決定在畢業多年後重返母校、教授自己的本科應用生物兼生物科技（榮譽）理學士課程，背後有著很強烈的理由：我很希望向學弟學妹分享自己的經驗和知識，告訴他們前景是如何光明。我在理大執教的目標，是啟發同學尋找學習的理由、發掘前所未見的潛能，再為未來創造各種可能性。我相信無論同學來自任何背景，只要他們敢想、敢夢、敢追求，每一位都可以成為精英。身為教育工作者，我會盡力幫助同學實現理想，而首要任務就是重燃他們享受學習的心。

還記得首次在PQ305講課的情景，那時的我滿腔熱血，雖然在眾多同學面前裝作冷靜，但其實雙腿一直在抖。事隔九年，我仍然享受站在講台上授課，但已沒有再戰戰競競了。這些年來，與同學交流知識所得到的喜悅，一直都在激勵著我的教學熱誠。我在唸研究院時參加了一個期刊討論會，會內鮮有同學提問，當時的教授說：「沒有問題是愚蠢的。」自此，我每個學期的第一課都會以這句開始，目的是要讓同學知道，問問題絕非蠢事。

教學是分享的藝術，也是教學相長的過程。身為講師，我們必定會在課前做足準備，然而要知道所有問題的答案是不可能的事。同學提出問題時，也在提醒我要多角度思考。多年來，我和同學在討論中互相啟發，一同發掘科學之美，渡過了很多有意思的時光。同學在提問和討論之間得到很好的學習效果。為了提升學習體驗，我每次介紹完複雜的概念後都會讓同學互相討論。與較高年級的同學上課時，我會提出個案研究等題目來引發更多高層次的思考。

同學們主動學習，因為他們明白背後原因。畢業後的事業前景幾乎是他們最重視的關注點。我以課程主任和學業指導導師的身份，為同學舉辦過多場由校友主講的講座，幫助同學探索未來的就業選擇。同學對這些分享活動反應積極，而且覺得有助他們規劃未來發展路向，對我來說是很大的鼓勵。受惠於這些講座的畢業生在職場累積了相當經驗後，又會回到理大為其他師弟師妹主持講座，與母校保持著緊密聯繫，薪火相傳、生生不息。

同學對我的教學和職業諮詢所表達的讚賞和感謝，令我更有衝勁地投入工作。我珍視每一個與學生交談的機會，也感恩同學樂意與我分享自己的高低起跌。我一直深信每一位學生都有足夠的能力，可以找到自己夢想中的目的地。做足準備、將心比己、熱誠真切是我堅守的教學理念，日後也會繼續秉持。衷心祝福本系畢業生前程似錦，期待他們創造更多令我們引以為傲的成就。