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Schooling Memories: Facets of Student-Teacher Encounters
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Schooling Memories: Facets of Student-Teacher Encounters
Encounters with teachers were shared memory of schooling. There were so many different types of teachers in a school that students remembered them in various ways. Teachers' words and deeds had subtly affected their students in the long run. Teachers who were funny and had their unique ways of teaching were also remembered. For example, a teacher who was eager to promote communist beliefs to her students; a teacher who smoked Luzon cigar while teaching Chinese Literature; a teacher who shed tears when reciting Chu Shi Biao ; an English woman teacher who instructed students through an interpreter. Students also remembered from their heart how they were treated by their teachers. For example, an English teacher who was too critical and harsh had discouraged the student from learning the foreign language; a teacher who appeared to bias towards the wealthier students made the the poorer ones feel unjust. These happenings of 50 years ago, when were put together, formed into a mosaic of schooling memories. The details also gave us some sense of how classrooms looked like in the 1950s and 1960s.A teacher who was a communist enthusiast, was eager to promote the ideology to her studentsMa Ho Fu
In the late 1930s to early 1940s, a teacher who taught Chinese Literature in Tack Ching Girls' Secondary School was a communist enthusiast. She was keen on promoting the communist ideology to the students, who named this behaviour as "giving pink injection". The students were not willing to get too close to the teacher and she left the school the next year.
Title A teacher who was a communist enthusiast, was eager to promote the ideology to her students Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-001 A teacher with special status, smoked Luzon cigar in the classroomLeung Yuk Jan
Leung Yuk Jan was short and therefore she always sat in the front row in the classroom when she attended Lai Chack Middle School. The Chinese teacher was a senior man and had certain connection with the school principal. Leung thought these could be the reasons why he was less disciplined and always smoked Luzon cigar in the classroom. Although Leung loved to learn Chinese and enjoyed recognition from the teacher, she hated the strong smell from the cigar.
Title A teacher with special status, smoked Luzon cigar in the classroom Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-002 A teacher who favoured the wealthy students over the poorer ones, punished students differently a...Leung Wai Chiu
Leung Wai Chiu remembered the teacher who taught Geography and History in Belilios Public School. She thought this teacher looked down upon the students from the poorer families and was in favour of those who came from wealthy background. Leung was a poor student but had good academic performance. She despised the discriminatory attitude of this teacher and showed no respect to her. When she was in the 8th grade, Leung was once punished by the teacher because of giving a wrong answer to a question. Later she learned that a wealthy student gave the same answer but was considered as correct. She came up to the teacher bravely and argued with her.
Title A teacher who favoured the wealthy students over the poorer ones, punished students differently according to their backgrounds Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-003 A teacher who taught Chinese Literature sentimentally, shed tears when teaching Chu Shi BiaoHui Chor Tin
A Chinese teacher at Dioescan Boys' School used to recite the writing to the class before he explained the content. Every time he recited the Qian Chu Shi Biao and Hou Chu Shi Biao, he came into tears. Hui Chor Tin considered this a unique way of teaching of this teacher who used to commit his own emotional sentiment to all Chinese writings.
Title A teacher who taught Chinese Literature sentimentally, shed tears when teaching Chu Shi Biao Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-004 A teacher who was too critical and discouraging, frustrated students from learning English LanguageHui Chor Tin
Hui Chor Tin considered imposing judgemental criticism over the weak students was a bad way of teaching. When he was in Form One, the English teacher was severe and harsh. He gave no admiration but only negative remarks. Hui only had fear in speaking English, which he thought was the reason why he was not confident with studying this foreign language. He thought encouraging method of teaching will produce more positive results.
Title A teacher who was too critical and discouraging, frustrated students from learning English Language Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-005 A foreigner teacher who needed special assistance, instructed students through an interpreter to...Yung An Wan
Yung Ngan Wan took Physical Education when she studied Grantham Teachers' Training College. The teacher was an English woman and had to instruct the class in English, but Grantham was a Chinese school. Therefore an interpreter was arranged to mediate between the teacher and students. Yung recalled that they learned to do gynastic exercises through the interpreter.
Title A foreigner teacher who needed special assistance, instructed students through an interpreter to do gymnaestic exercises Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-006 A teacher who was kind and passionate: proposed the war degree for HKU final year studentsRayson Huang
Rayson Huang was a final year student at the Faculty of Science on the eve of Japanese invasion in Hong Kong. All final year students should have graduated a few months later, but under Japanese Occupation, the University of Hong Kong was forced to shut down when most non-Chinese professors were sent to concentration camps. Professor Brown proposed to the University to award all final year students with a war degree under this severe circumstance. Rayson found this degree extremely helpful for him to live through during the war years, because he was able to find teaching positions in China. Rayson remembered Professor Brown as a kind and friendly teacher. He always invited students to his home for dinner and gave free tutorial lessons to the students during the summer. Before being sent to the concentration camp, Professor Brown wrote a recommendation letter for Rayson which had helped him to find jobs. Rayson was indebted to Professor Brown for his kindness.
Title A teacher who was kind and passionate: proposed the war degree for HKU final year students Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Accession No. TW-OH-STORY2-007