After months of fun in the sun, the summer holidays come to an end, and most kids get ready for the new year by packing their school bags with supplies. But have you ever wondered what teachers do before the academic year starts?
Here’s what Kinnie Lai, a primary school teacher at Tak Sun School, shared about her summer holiday.
Teachers usually get moved to a new classroom every year. Before moving, they clean their classroom and check for broken furniture. “We do this to ensure students have a safe learning environment,” Lai said.
Then, they start thinking about their classroom decorations and planning how to arrange the furniture.
At Lai’s school, each teacher has a board that shows all of their students.
Lai shared how she decorated her board last year: “It was superheroes for me because I think every kid has superpowers, and they could do different things.”
Her board displayed her students’ faces pasted on their favourite heroes.
Teachers also organise extracurricular activities (ECA) before school starts. “We have to start recruiting students for the ECA … because some of the activities are actually arranged with organisations outside of school,” Lai shared.
And of course, teachers spend time planning fun and engaging lessons for the new school year.
Although teachers work hard in the summer, they do get a break. Many use this time to travel.
Lai went to Sri Lanka to volunteer as a teacher: “I do want to work with kids who are less privileged.”
She hopes to use this experience to help her Hong Kong students understand how lucky they are.
Think about it
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How do teachers prepare the classroom before the school year begins?
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Why did Lai choose superheroes as her theme last year?
