1 November 2014

Our school theme this year continues to be “From me to we”.  A few teachers referred to it faithfully during their morning assembly talks, indicating what students should do, and can do, to the greater good of the community and to the country.  I am very grateful to teachers’ lectures outside classrooms, because these messages are from the heart; these messages are in line with current issues. These messages shape what students need to know, how they should choose to learn, and where the consequences lie.  More important, these messages allow students to put classroom learning into practice or test.

It is important to put learning into practice, as opposed to just contemplating philosophical questions without everyday use.  One of the school’s famous examples is discussing social issues in English--combining two subjects, liberal studies and English, into one.  In the last academic year, 100 letters submitted by our students were printed in the letters to the editor and young post columns of South China Morning Post. Students discussed local and foreign topics, ranging from classroom dictations to international relations. I could not be prouder for our student effort. These students de-compartmentalized knowledge, making learning relevant to everyday use; their ideas are accepted by the society. As of today, this academic year has seen more than 60 pieces published. Well done.

Not too long ago, a friend shared his morning commute ritual with me; he has to take two bus legs in order to arrive at the work place.  He sometimes transfers at point A, others point B.  I asked him when to choose which point. He said that his first choice would always be point A, but if the bus has departed already, then he would continue to ride on his first bus and get transfer at point B. I asked him how he could be so sure that he could catch the bus at point B, his response was very mathematical: “few passengers get on the first bus because it is almost at the end of the route, but more passengers get onto the second bus at point B which is just the beginning of the route. Therefore, I can always catch the second bus.” There: rate in mathematics and physics knowledge for daily life.

Anson Yang