Articles Written by Our International Teachers

Nurturing Young Talents

by Margiyu Garnadi
Joined since: 2003 - present

Origin: Surabaya, INDONESIA

There was once a master who was leaving for a journey and to his servants he gave different amount of cash. To one he gave five yuan, to another two, and to another one yuan. The man who had received five yuan went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two yuan gained two more. But the man who had received only one went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time, the master returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five yuan came, 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five yuan. See, I have gained five more.' The man with the two yuan also came, 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two yuan and I have gained two more. 'Well done, good and faithful servant!’ His master was contented by the hard work of the two servants and gave rewards for them. Then the man who had received just one yuan came. 'Master,' he said, ‘I was afraid I might lose the money so I hid your money in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you’. His master was displeased and took that one yuan from him.

These ‘yuan’ I may say are comparable to our talents. I believe each person has a different amount of talents and such condition is not making each of us less special. Some of us have got plenty of natural talents, possibly inherited by parents or grandparents, and some of us are just not conditioned the same way. Frankly, arriving in China I was not sure how much of the ‘yuan’ I had had, yet I knew I wanted to be the one who could get ten in the end, and I realized I was being trusted to ‘earn’ more of my own talents. When I first had the phone interview for this ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching position at the school, I was really delighted knowing that the school I was applying at was opening for its first year, in other words it was a brand new school and I would be a part of the pioneer teachers. ‘A good deal of a challenge!’ I thought. I am grateful to have grabbed the opportunity to teach in Beijing New Oriental Foreign Language School at Yangzhou (BNOFLS).

Nevertheless, the teaching experiences I had in Indonesia were of a rather different method from what I am now having in BNOFLS. Previously, classroom conditioning was more of a teacher centered rather than students centered. Either in teaching young learners or teenagers, structures and grammar were the heavy emphasis. Learning English was ideally to be fun yet the fun learning did not exist, or at least as appealing. When ten of us pioneer teachers first came to the school, we also had different experiences and methods to share. Despite such condition, Dr. Bob was able to lead the team effectively plus the school has been assisting us to find which of the better approach shall be applied to our Chinese students. Guest teachers are invited by Dr. Wang from the States for workshops and classroom observation. Previously we had Mr. Larry Swenson and presently we have Dr. Suzy Hampton with us. Precious trainings and feedback were given to each of us teachers both collectively and in person. At this point, by adopting TPR (Total Physical Response), fun art works, and musical approach students are allowed to enjoy the language study significantly.

The school may be the master that all of us, teachers and students sure wish to please and we’re all conditioned in the same equal situation. Everybody has the right to ‘earn’ more. I believe teachers are all aware of the fact that students are coming to the school with a wide range of abilities and talents, yet with the nurture of our school each student shall manage to reach success despite of their initial amount of talents. I have seen how the school supports and facilitates students’ to pursue and expand their interests. Competent Chinese teachers are provided to teach academic subjects. Additionally, numerous options of activities are also accessible, such as: arts, sports, and so much of China’s rich culture are presented in the school. Of great consequence, moreover, these cultural heritages are being preserved by the young learners. Personally, these are all yet another attraction and admiration of mine. If I could name them, the Chinese martial arts which are performed both by teachers and students daily; Chinese arts: paintings and calligraphy, a gallery of our own in the hall of the school where we can scan through students’ great artworks, plus the remarkable harmony of diverse Chinese musical instruments played by the students every afternoon..

Aside from all the physical facilities, great buildings under construction across the small river (that every eyes would care to glance from inside or outside the gate) is how the school also nurtures students non- academically. Character building, discipline, self esteem, attitude are all values that would balance students’ success. Students so young, at this time of age are already learning to appreciate time, friendship, team work, and other people. As time goes by these enthusiastic young learners are improving and collecting their own 'yuan' by interest and strong motivation, more and more of talents, not only those the natural ones, but mostly those of the ones they cultivate by efforts. These students may realize that there may be time when they may no longer be sitting in a class and be a student, yet they shall remain learning, and for good, to keep nurturing their talents. And by then they would have known that those belongings are theirs, and shall never be taken away; all those fruitful knowledge are everlasting.