Over the next few weeks, we will be profiling several exceptional educators who will be remaining through the 2022-2023 school year. So, have no fear, parents. Your child will be in good educational hands next year!

Teaching started as Darcy Au-Yeung’s way of traveling and seeing the world, but ended up becoming his whole world. In 2004, he came to Beijing from Canada to continue that teaching career, and after exploring several different roles including being an entrepreneur, Au-Yeung has found his way back to the classroom this year with “renewed purpose and direction”. He currently teaches DP Economics and Social Innovation at Daystar Academy.

“I’ve enjoyed so many experiences and have been heavily influenced by a number of people, both friends as well as foes, and somewhere along the way I met my amazing wife,” shares Au-Yeung.

Outside of school, you’re most likely to find Au-Yeung on the golf course, which happens to be his favorite place to go to in Beijing, or enjoying the company of the important people in his life. He succinctly sums up, “That’s all I need.” As further testament to his minimalistic life, Au-Yeung has been weaning himself off other social media platforms except for WeChat, and he says it has been wonderful.

Since the pandemic hit, life has been chaotic, to say the least, especially for expatriates who have not been able to travel to their home countries to visit family and friends. “Sure the last couple of years have brought about a number of inconveniences and barriers to what we’ve known to be a normal life and it tests the very limits of our patience.” Au-Yeung shares his outlook, “What keeps me going is knowing that if I or we stop moving forward, we’ll never reach the end. We don’t need to be happy about what the pandemic has done to our lives, but we can’t let our discontent paralyze us.” 

It’s clear that Au-Yeung believes in simplicity and focusing on the positive. When we asked him how we as parents can help make online learning more successful for our kids, he said, “Parents, model focused attention by doing one thing at a time and avoid splitting your attention between people and devices. Students, remove the distractions and create an environment in which you can be focused on learning. Don’t let the fact that it’s online take away the thrill that you get from learning new things.” 

Know an awesome expat teacher who continues to tough it out here in Beijing? Tell us who they are so we can get in touch with them to give them some recognition! 

KEEP READING: “We All Find The Strength To Stay In Places We Love”: Vanessa Delgado

Images: Courtesy of Darcy Au-Yeung

Vivek Bammi, Theory of Knowledge teacher at Keystone Academy, teaches his bilingual International Baccalaureate course with a Chinese co-teacher, enabling him and his students to witness the Chinese love of deep learning in a global context. Fueled by a desire for fresh challenges and a fascination for Chinese history and culture, Bammi came here two years ago from Indonesia, where he taught at an international school for over 25 years. Although Bammi enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle as a child in East India’s Assam, where his father worked as a manager of a tea plantation, he did not follow his father’s footsteps, but was led to academia by his love for learning. Since then, he has never regretted his decision, but enjoys teaching the subjects he loves most: the humanities—history, geography, literature, and the arts—for the rich, multi-dimensional perspectives the subjects offer into the human experience

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
My teaching style reflects my passion and enthusiasm for lifelong learning: I want to engage the students in an active exploration and discussion of ideas and issues that are shaping their world. Ultimately, the teacher must hand over the control of learning to the students, so that they can move away from ‘traditional’ and ‘out-dated’ models of thinking.

What are some of the topics you cover?
I cover different topics of world history, including aspects of social (such as family, food, sports) and aesthetic (music, film, art) history, since every individual is constructed by multiple influences. In Theory of Knowledge, we focus on contemporary issues which are often contestable and exciting, such as plastic surgery, cloning, genetic engineering, abortion, preserving or discarding cultural practices, consumerism, gender orientation, and equality.

What topic was the most challenging to cover with children? Why?
In my subject area, we cover many topics with multiple perspectives, which often challenge the students to re-examine their own viewpoints and opinions and to consider alternative ways of thinking and reasoning. This can be upsetting for young adults; it is also difficult to convey uncertainty and ambiguity in knowledge, since much of school education is predicated on the opposite.

What topic was the most interesting to your students? Why?
Paradoxically, the topics that are the most challenging (involving different perspectives and examining contemporary issues) are also the most interesting for most students! Many let me know that the active interaction and discussion with their peers helped to clarify their own thinking and stance. The teenage years are fluid, and an active engagement in the classroom begins to shape an identity (or identities) which they can further explore in the wider world.

What class project in your teaching career was the most meaningful to you?
I taught a course in anthropology in Indonesia; after studying the concept of “culture” in some depth, we organized a field trip to Central Java, which included a range of activities: a paleontological ‘dig’ at the site where “Java Man” was discovered, and visits to a Javanese village, an art school, the Palace, and a museum of “batik” cloth. This kind of “experiential learning” is very meaningful, and changed many students’ perspectives: most of them were international and tended to have a superficial view of Indonesian society based on their narrowed world view. After this experience, they began to appreciate the depth and beauty of Indonesian culture, its tolerance and acceptance of others, the kindness and mellow temperament of its people. This experience was transformative for me as well, and Indonesia is my favorite land in the world!

This article originally appeared on page 38 of the November/ December issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

PHOTOS: UNI YOU, COURTESY OF KEYSTONE ACADEMY

Although Catherine O’Regan, preschool teacher at Beijing Collegiate Academy International School (BCAIS), can be considered    fresh in our eyes after only having spent a year in Beijing, when it comes to knowledge of diversity, she is no spring chicken. O’Regan, who is proud of her Irish heritage, had not only taught back home, but also worked at an asylum center, which taught her there is a wider world of diversity she had yet to explore.  Realizing she needed a change, O’Regan looked to China, a country that had always interested her, and ended up in Beijing.

“Catherine O’Regan, preschool teacher at Beijing Collegiate Academy International School (BCAIS)”

What was your favorite subject when you were a student? Why?
Irish (or Gaeilge) had always been my favorite subject because I loved learning the language, history, and culture of my country. I attended an all Irish speaking primary and secondary school, with teachers who have always been very passionate about the Irish language, telling us some of the folklore and piseogs to keep us engaged.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
I have always had big dreams of being in a girl band! Spice Girls, B*witched, and Cleopatra were my idols but, unfortunately, I realized I couldn’t sing or dance so I put an end to those fantasies. Before teaching, I spent some years as a nanny and working in retail in small stores and at stadiums for hurling and football matches.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
I focus mainly on a play-based/child-centered approach, which incorporates inquiry-based and cooperative learning. This means that I lead some activities and lessons, giving the children guidance and direction in specific areas, such as introducing a new topic, physical health, early literacy, and numeracy. They also participate actively in their own learning as individuals and with their peers in the classroom, exploring and expressing their learning in their own unique ways to become competent, independent, and capable learners.

What are some of the topics you cover?
As part of the curriculum, there are thematic units that help children develop in four main strands: independence and interdependence; communication; enquiry; and physical health and well-being. I also supplement the curriculum with addition lessons or activities in literacy and math. Our current unit is This is Me, helping children transition from home into the preschool environment through lessons and activities about their homes, families, looking after themselves and others, and how they are the same or different to others.

What topic was the most challenging to cover with children? Why?
Learning about different countries was challenging. We used images, globes, and maps to show children where China and Ireland are, as a starting point. The children found it difficult to understand that there was more to where they live than just their homes and the school. It is a topic that we’re still working on as part of our unit.

What topic was the most interesting to your students? Why?
Feelings and emotions was a topic that really interested the children. They loved learning about each emotion and getting time to express themselves. They were given time to create emotion puppets, use role-play, song, and dance to express their feelings. The children were very engaged and creative throughout the emotions topic.

How do you encourage your students to be passionate about learning?
I use resources and materials that children can relate to as part of my lessons. For feelings and emotions, I used images and video clips from Inside Out, to introduce each emotion and to help the children understand how each feeling is conveyed. After the initial introduction, children can explore and express the topic in their own ways, which encourages them to be passionate about any topic.

What class project in your teaching career was the most meaningful to you?
In Ireland, I spent time in a center for asylum seekers. One of our main topics was helping the children learn and understand diversity. Each child was able to speak about the differences they saw in the town and its people compared to their hometowns, how the houses and people looked different, and how people dressed, spoke, and acted differently. It made me realize that these children knew more about diversity than I did, and that it’s not enough to understand diversity but to also be more open and accepting of people’s differences.

This article originally appeared on page 37 of the October 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BEIJING COLLEGIATE ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BCAIS)

As Beijing was enjoying the thrills of the 2008 summer Olympics, Prachi Gupta packed up with her family and moved from Bangkok after her husband was offered a job in the capital. Gupta was a stay-at-home mom of their daughter when she started working part time for the Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing). She moved to a full time position shortly afterwards and has taught Business Management and Economics for the past seven years. Gupta shares with us her childhood memories and teaching experience thus far.

What’s was your favorite subject when you were a student? Why?
I liked mathematics and later on in high school I liked Accounting. I like numbers, so mathematics was relatively easy for me, and I got good grades.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
As a kid, I had always wanted to be a teacher. After I finished my Masters in Management Studies (majoring in Finance), I joined a Securities Exchange firm as an Equity Research Analyst, where I learned a lot but did not enjoy the job much. I then joined a Private Sector Bank and got an opportunity to work in different departments: I worked in the Treasury and the Loans and Advances departments for a few years each. However, teaching was my calling, and now I am here – enjoying every single lesson.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
Organized, focused, relaxed, persistent, caring, and funny. Very clear – explains theories very well. Uses a lot of examples and hands-on activities.

What are some of the topics you cover?
IGCSE and IB are very curriculum driven and we cover all the topics in the syllabus and beyond; broadly, the topics include Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Economics, and Developmental Economics.

What topic was the most challenging to cover with children? Why?
Microeconomics is the most challenging to teach. This is mainly because it is taught very early in the course and forms the foundation to economic concepts learnt in the following units. At this stage, they lack a maturity of knowledge and find it difficult to understand – but this unit is the base on which all their knowledge is built.

What topic was the most interesting to your students? Why?
Our students come from different countries and they quite enjoy the International Economics unit, mostly because they can easily relate to it and understand the different concepts. What really interests them the most is Developmental Economics; however, they can also get frustrated and emotional when we research and discuss poverty.

How do you encourage your students to be passionate about Economics?
When we discuss real life examples and news articles, students are intrigued and able to relate to Economics, bringing the best out of a lesson. I think my passion for Economics just gets passed on to them through my words!

What class project in your teaching career was the most meaningful to you?
In my first few years of teaching Economics, I would introduce the topics by explaining the concept, drawing the models on the white board, and felt that the students were getting impressed by my logical explanations. In recent years I have come to realize that students were not as engaged, for they were not made to “think”. Now, with more experience and after sharing ideas with other teachers, I use activities where students try and build concepts with their own understanding and experiences. Most of the time they are correct with only minor errors! Hence over the years my teaching style has changed quite a lot.

This article originally appeared on page 36 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photo: Courtesy of YCIS Beijing

While good food is one aspect of a healthy body, British-Canadian Mika Dronyk focuses on the other side of health as the Head of Primary School Athletics at Beijing World Youth Academy.

What brought you to Beijing? How did you end up at your current school?
I’ve been interested in living in Asia ever since I took a year out to travel after university. My wife and I looked at jobs in different countries in the area and found this one in Beijing. We’re glad we chose Beijing. Although, we had planned to only stay for a year or two, it’s now been four years, and we have no plans to leave yet!

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
I wanted to be a football player. I worked very hard to do so, and came pretty close. But when I realized that that dream was over, I knew I still wanted to have a career in sports. I’ve always been involved in coaching and I enjoy working with primary school aged children, so in the end, teaching physical education made sense to me.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
I don’t like to label my teaching style too much, as I think it’s all about having the right balance. I would never want my students to fear me, but I need them to respect me. I want my students to thoroughly enjoy PE and sports clubs at school, but it is also important to nurture a coachable student going forward. For that they need to respect their teacher and try to take on board what is being taught.

What are some of the topics you cover?
For the lower primary grades, I cover topics such as “Cooperation games”, “Striking and Fielding”, “Target Games” and many others. At this point, I’m trying to build a skill set, both physically and psychologically, before they take part in sports specific units. As the students get to the upper primary, the units start to be more sports specific. It’s important I make sure they learn a variety of sports and games.

What topic was the most challenging to cover with children? Why?
Our “Cooperation Games” unit is primarily about teamwork and working together. It also includes acting as both leaders and followers while accepting the different abilities of their peers. As young children, especially children who don’t have siblings, these can often be concepts that are initially difficult. When they start to understand the advantages for everyone and display good teamwork, it is very rewarding for both the students and me.

What topic was the most interesting to your students? Why?
For our upper primary students, the most popular units are sports such as football and basketball. My challenge is teaching the basics of the game before the students start trying incredibly difficult skills that they’ve seen on TV. Especially with male students in basketball, they want to try to dribble the ball between their legs and pass behind their backs before they can dribble with control and execute a satisfactory chest pass. Having said that, I do encourage creativity, just not before they’ve learned the basics.

How do you encourage your students to be passionate about physical education?
Encouraging healthy competitiveness is often a challenge. Being competitive in sports and physical activities is often a natural attribute. I try to encourage a thirst to win in competitive situations, but learning how to lose well is also very important. I want my students to try their best, but to accept both winning and losing in the right way.

This article originally appeared on page 36 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Courtesy of BWYA

American Laura Rogers has been living in Beijing for the past four years, and loving her position as a kindergarten teacher at International School of Beijing (ISB).

What brought you to Beijing? How did you end up at your current school?
Four years ago I was looking for a primary teaching position in an international school.  I interviewed with schools in Italy, Japan, Korea and a few schools in China.  ISB was by far the most progressive, best organized, and enriched school I had interviewed with.  My time at ISB and in Beijing have far exceeded my expectations, I have absolutely loved living in Beijing and think ISB is a great place for kids and a fantastic place to work.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
When I was a kid, I told my mother that I wanted to be either a cheerleader or a teenager.  I was never a cheerleader, but definitely managed to hit that second career goal for seven awkward years before retiring.  I held a variety of part-time jobs throughout university; I worked in coffee shops, I was a waitress, and also worked in a ski shop.  My true passion has always been travel, so after I became a teacher, I discovered the world of international schools. I am now hooked and cannot imagine doing anything different. Teaching and living abroad suits me perfectly, much to my family’s dismay!  Luckily, they love coming to visit me.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
I try to make my classroom a welcome place for parents and a feeling of community for the kids.  We do a lot of collaborative group work and projects in my classroom; there’s a saying where I come from, “Two heads are better than one!”  Students learn from me, of course, but they learn so much from one another as well. Students’ education should help them to develop the skills they will need in real life such as communication, listening, confidence, and problem solving.  Working collaboratively puts students in situations where they have to practice such skills.  It’s amazing how quickly students learn through this style of education.

What are some of the topics you cover?
Being a primary school teacher at ISB, I teach a variety of subjects including reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and technology.  My favorite things to teach are holistic social studies units that integrate as many subjects as possible, including subjects taught by our many specialists at ISB such as art, music and library. Students are always more engaged when learning directly connects to their lives.

How do you encourage your students to be passionate about learning?
Students are most passionate when learning connects to their own lives. I do my best to help students make those connections, deepen those connections, then share those connections.

What class project in your teaching career was the most meaningful to you?
The most meaningful project I have done with students was a unit where we connected our International students with students at other schools around the world, both local and private schools.  It was incredible to see kids connect with kids from other countries, whose experiences varied greatly, and to observe how wonderfully blind young children are to stereotypes and biases.  It reminded me of the impact I can have in helping to maintain and encourage a perfect perspective and tolerance among my students.

This article originally appeared on page 39 of the 2016 June-July Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photo courtesy of ISB

British born Gary Cairns has been living in Beijing for three years and is currently the head of English at the British School of Beijing Shunyi. Cairns was based in Thailand for five years before heading to the capital. “Seeing The Forbidden City, The Great Wall and The Summer Palace will stay with me forever,” says Cairns. He talks more about his childhood favorites and teaching style.

What’s was your favorite subject when you were a student? Why?
Despite being an English teacher, my favorite subject at school was actually History. I still love learning about history today and read lots of historical fiction and non-fiction. When I was at school, I had a really inspirational history teacher called Mr Bailey and that was probably why I engaged with the subject so much. He had a great enthusiasm for the subject as well as a great sense of humor. He was a big influence on me and there are probably elements of his teaching style in my teaching style.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
When I was at school, I wanted to be a lawyer. I studied Law at college but when applying for university, I decided that I wanted to study English Literature instead. I don’t have any regrets about my choices though. Studying literature put me on the path to where I am today and I love being an English teacher.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
I enjoy what I do and I hope the students see that when I teach. If you want students to be passionate about your lessons, you have to be passionate as well. I think that I am creative as a teacher. I try to vary my lessons and come up with new ways to engage the students.

What was your favorite book growing up? What are you currently reading?
My favorite book growing up was Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat.  I very much doubt that it is taught in schools now. However, we read it in Primary School and I loved it. It is about a group of children during the English Civil War. Their father is a Royalist and the children have to leave their home and hide in the New Forest to avoid capture by the Roundheads.

I am currently reading a book called Stonemouth by Iain Banks. It was recommended to me and I’ve only just started to read it so I will reserve judgement for now.

How do you like to relax on the weekends?
At weekends, I like to watch football with my friends. I try to watch as many Premier League games as I can. As an English teacher, I read a lot. I also have a PlayStation 4 and I spend quite a bit of time on that as well.

Where do you like to go on holiday?
Thailand is a beautiful place and, as my wife is Thai, I tend to visit often. I like to go to the beach, eat seafood, and generally just relax. I visited Tokyo recently and I loved it there. The shops were great, the food was amazing, and there was a lot to do.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I can’t say that I have any hidden talent that people don’t know about. I used to sing in a band when I was younger. My friends and I used to play in pubs when we were teenagers. It was really good fun.

I also used to work in a psychiatric hospital while I was at sixth form college and university. Mostly, I used to nurse the elderly who suffered from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. That will probably surprise a few people!

What’s currently on your playlist?
I am a big fan of indie music. At the moment, I listen to Arcade Fire quite a lot. I went to see them at Hyde Park a couple of summers ago and I really like their last album. Anybody who knows me will also know that The Smiths are always on my playlist.

What’s do you find most rewarding about teaching?
As a secondary school teacher, whenever you get exam results, and you see how well students have performed, it is a great feeling. Preparing students for exams is a long process and to know you have made an impact on a student and helped them reach or exceed their potential is a great feeling. It doesn’t matter how many years you teach, it is still a nerve-wracking, exciting, rewarding experience.

Something that really stands out in memory is when I left my last job in Thailand. On my last day, many of the students who I had taught over the years and had left for University came back into school to say goodbye. That really meant a lot to me.

Photo: BSB Shunyi

Emily Lydall from the United Kingdom is the Early Years and Junior School Physical Education (PE) coordinator at Dulwich College Beijing. Lydall has been in Beijing less than two months and come to experience Chinese culture as a family.  She shares her favorite subjects when she was child and her teaching style.

What’s was your favorite subject when you were a student?
PE because I loved the physical and mental challenge or competing with others and working to better myself.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
I wanted to be an actor. My friends thought I would be a great Blue Peter presenter and I was a contestant on a game show for kids called “Fun House” hosted by Pat Sharp.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
Fun and energetic

What was your favorite book growing up? What are you currently reading?
The Twits by Roald Dahl. I am currently reading a number of children’s books to my two daughters. Favorites include; Giraffes Cant Dance, The Smartest Giant in Town, and Room on the Broom.

How do you like to relax on the weekends?
As a family we like to go and explore different places in the city and enjoy eating some of the beautiful dishes that Beijing has to offer. This weekend we walked from HouHai Lake to BeiHai Park to Tianhimin Square and ate some ice cream and Duck pancakes; yummy!

Where do you like to go on holiday?
We will be going to Hong Kong during the holidays, but we also like to go to visit friends and family in UK and UAE.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I have a twin sister who is an actor and lives in London.

What’s currently on your playlist?
I love to listen to music. My children and I listen to the music from Disney as well as Taylor Swift and One Direction!

What’s do you find most rewarding about teaching?
Seeing people face their fears and overcome challenges shows their strength and determination. Listening to kids laughing and enjoying themselves is the most rewarding part of my job.

Meet the Teacher is a beijingkids blog series designed to help the Beijing community learn more about international school teachers. If your school would like to participate in the series, please email the school editor at webeditor@beijing-kids.com

Photo: Courtesy of Dulwich College Beijing

British native Emily Newman packed her teaching expertise and brought it to Beijing a year ago in her quest for an Asian adventure. Newman previously taught in Germany and Ukraine. She was delighted to be offered a position at the British School of Beijing for she wanted to teach at a reputable British school in a large, vibrant city. Newman shares with us about her childhood dream job and what she finds most rewarding about teaching.

What’s was your favorite subject when you were a student? Why?
From a young age I have always enjoyed and excelled at mathematics, however I also enjoyed ICT, music, art, psychology and sociology. Being a year 6 teacher, I am lucky to experience all of these areas and more on a daily basis.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What other career options did you explore before teaching?
I decided to become a teacher at a young age, however I have had other interests which I did consider pursuing, particularly maths and music. Teaching was the right decision for me because it is a career with which I can challenge myself and my pupils in many ways to develop to their full potential.

How would you (or your students) describe your teaching style?
My pupils describe me as caring, supportive and dedicated. I aim to secure their knowledge and understanding of concepts across the curriculum, as well as enabling them to develop into confident, responsible individuals.

What was your favorite book growing up? What are you currently reading?
I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter books as a child. Nowadays Iread travel, culture and cook books, and at the moment I am reading the hilarious book ‘Notes from a small island’ by Bill Bryson (who also handed me my teaching degree during graduation at Durham University).

How do you like to relax on the weekends?
In my free time I enjoy trying new restaurants, shopping and sightseeing, as well as attending balls and shows.

Where do you like to go on holiday?
I’ve visited 25 countries in Europe and Asia, and I’d like to discover more of these, but I’m also eager to visit the Middle East, Africa, and South America for the first time.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I have a wide range of hobbies and interests, including playing the piano, singing, yoga, dancing and learning languages – German and Chinese.

What’s currently on your playlist?
My current favorite band is Kodaline, but I also like listening to a range of music from around the world.

What do you find most rewarding about teaching?
I enjoy inspiring children to learn more about the world, as well as enabling them to do things that they never thought were possible. I encourage my pupils to believe that they could be capable of anything if they put their mind to it.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I’ve been a member of Girlguiding UK since the age of 7, including being a Brownie leader, which has inspired my teaching style, through initiatives such as ‘Smurf Smart’ and ‘Free Being Me’. It has also opened up new opportunities for me; this summer I spent 5 weeks at Sangam World Centre where I volunteered to teach at a slum school in India. These experiences have taught me the value of global education and inspired me to be the best teacher I can be.
 

Photos: BSB Shunyi