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Chan, Athena (陳姿諺)
I have gained so much more experience after participating in AID. I don't think I ever truly understood and appreciated all the effort and time teachers put into creating lessons. I have also learned the importance of mAking lessons engaging else students might lose interest. ClAssroom dynamics are another important aspect I hadn't considered to be a vital part of teaching until I became a volunteer teacher. Classrooms are like their own little worlds and being able to "read" the students is very important. All in all, this past summer has been an eye opening experience. I went to Lishan with the intention of teaching students English, but in the end, I think the students taught me more then I taught them.
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Lin, Hubert (林宏儒)
The AID program has been an unforgettable experience. It has changed my life and taught me more than just how to teach English. The past three weeks have been an exciting journey. There were many times when I felt extreme joy and satisfaction from being with friends and students. However, there were also times when I felt frustrated by challenges and hardships. This journey filled with incredible memories and stories began when I walked through the automatic sliding doors into the lobby of Chientan Youth Activities Center on check-in day. I remember seeing the counselors for the first time in their bright green uniforms. I was impressed by how they all managed to stay calm amidst a sea of hundreds of us lost but excited students. During the first week at Chientan, I met so many unique and wonderful people. The intense schedule really kept me busy as I spent most of my time attending classes or working within my small teaching group. As grueling as the schedule was, I still found time to chat with friends either during mealtimes or after classes. Initially I felt that the strict rules and timely bed checks were limiting my freedom, but looking back I understand that the counselors and teachers were only trying to look out for my safety. The teachers were very helpful and the lectures were informative. Overall, I believe that the training week prepared me well for teaching at my school.
After training week it was off to Matsu to teach English to the students at Jieshou Elementary School. My partner Genji and I taught the 4th grade class, and we both worked together to overcome challenges in the classroom. When we arrived we discovered that many of our students did not know much English. However, they were a very loving class and during the two weeks we were together we all learned from each other. I improved as a teacher by learning what activities the students enjoyed the most and figuring out what vocabulary teaching methods were most effective. The students learned to speak and write new English words and sentences, and the difference between their pretest and posttest scores showed their progress and improvement. Living in Matsu for two weeks was a new experience for me and I really enjoyed it. We stayed on an island called Nangan, and since it was so small we often saw our students playing in the nearby park in the evenings after class. The most memorable experiences I had while in Matsu were all of the interactions with my students, teachers, and friends who taught alongside me. The camp song for this year was "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars, and I can't think of any other song that captures my AID experience any better than this song. I have taught students who love me and look up to me. I've eaten lunch alongside them and played in the park with them. They have inspired me and taught me what it truly means to have a positive impact on others' lives. Doris, my small group's teacher, was always there for every single one of us, and she always went out of her way to make sure that our stay in Matsu was the best that it could possibly be. Finally, I can't forget all of my friends who I lived with, taught with, and spent every day of this program with. We all helped each other succeed, and we gained so much during this program. My heart goes out to all of my students in Matsu, to Doris, and to all the friends who taught alongside me: Jimmy, Ray, Nora, Val, and Genji. Thank you all for taking part in this journey of a lifetime with me. Just like the camp song says, no matter where we all are, "You can count on me 'cause I can count on you."
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Wang, Dayle (王光亮)
This summer, I was blessed to be placed at Yude Elementary in New Taipei with the other seven members of my group. While at Chientan, I volunteered to teach the youngest and least advanced bunch at the school because I was convinced that I “liked a challenge”. In retrospect, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into but I don't regret the decision at all. My teaching partner, Dayle, and I, were the teachers of Class D (onut), a group of 17 little rascals ranging from second to fifth grade. From the beginning, it was apparent that the disparity between some of the kids’ English levels was great. While some students knew the answers to most questions we posed, picked up the material we threw at them quickly, and were eager to raise their hands whenever they could, others rarely spoke in class, if at all, and struggled to recite even the alphabet on their own. Marked by a desire to encourage the learning of students on both ends of the spectrum, we tried to design lessons to be adaptable to all members of our class. The two weeks of teaching were definitely an emotional rollercoaster. On some days, Dayle and I were excited to see our students participate in class and grasp the vocabulary, but other days, we would pass out after an exhausting day dealing with kids who refused to pay attention. I’m not too sure if our kids retained a good amount of what we taught them, but what I believe we instilled is a desire to visit the US and a fascination with its culture. My favorite parts of the school day were when I got to talk to my kids and learn about their lives. They were also really interested in my life in America – and through that, I hope they found more motivation to learn English.
What made this summer so special was definitely all the people I met and interacted with. To all my students, thank you for showing up to class every day with your adorable, smiling faces. More importantly, thank you for making me a part of your lives for two weeks – I will never forget laughing, playing, and learning with you all. To all the TA’s and Yi Lin 老師, thank you for showing us what true hospitality means and for not being afraid to discipline our kids when they needed it. Finally, to my fellow A1-1’ers, thank you for making this one of the most incredible summers of my life. From the beginning, you all were my rock. Whether it be our communal everything’s (including sickness), our late night lesson planning sessions, our ability to be obnoxious Americans everywhere we go (supermarkets included), and seemingly endless late night dance practices, you all have shown me that it’s entirely possible to have a second family. It still baffles me how 8 incredibly different personalities could have somehow come together to be 一家人.
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