The Art of Teaching Anonymous

“The only reason I want to come here is because of you.” I heard Jennifer's words as I looked down into her dark brown eyes; what she had said sounded almost like a confession. Seven years old, Jennifer came to Fei Xiang Bilingual School for the same reason most of the children came there - to learn. After working at Fei Xiang for a couple of months, I had formed attachments with several of the children. Jennifer, however, had claimed a special place in my heart. Because of her, my job became much more than something I did in my spare time to make extra money. I found myself in the position of a friend and mentor, as well as a teacher.

When I first applied for my teaching position at Fei Xiang, I never expected to form a strong connection with anyone, much less a seven-year-old girl. The environment at Fei Xiang was often chaotic. The premises offered a combination of after-school care, enrichment classes, and homework help. Many Chinese parents with full-time jobs sent their children to Fei Xiang to become Einsteins. Like most of my students, Jennifer was "overscheduled" with an exorbitant number of activities: Chinese and English lessons, Math Olympiad, swimming, soccer, and dance class. Despite her commitments, however,...