As I reflect on my path to this point in my career, I’m filled with a profound sense of excitement and gratitude. After years of honing my craft as an English teacher, I now have the incredible opportunity to embark on a new chapter, teaching humanities at my current international school.
My teaching journey began over a decade ago, when I first stepped into a kindergarten classroom in Qingdao, China. Those early years were both challenging and immensely rewarding, as I learned to connect with young learners and foster a love of language. From there, I moved to Hong Kong, where I started in the dark trenches of a learning centre and moved on to teach at a renowned local DSS secondary school, helping students of all ages reach their full potential.
Fast forward a few years, past a 12-month stint as a historical researcher in Montréal, I now find myself at an international school in Hong Kong with incredible mentors and leaders who gave me opportunity to teach KS3 social studies, IGCSE history, and A-Level classical studies. As I reflect on this transition, I can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. “The study of history is the best way to understand the present,” as renowned philosopher Blaise Pascal once said, and looking back at my career these past few years, I couldn’t agree more.
Drawing on a MA in History and my experience working for a private historical consulting company, I plan to bring a unique perspective to the classroom. “History is not just a collection of facts and dates,” as historian Howard Zinn stated, “but a living, breathing narrative that shapes our world.” It is this ethos that I hope to impart to my students.
To that end, I have already begun designing posters that will adorn the walls of my future classroom, each one a vibrant representation of a different historical era or concept. “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots,” as Marcus Garvey once said, and these visuals will serve as touchstones, sparking the imagination and curiosity of my students, inviting them to dive deeper into the rich tapestry of the past.
As I await the start of the new school year, I find myself brimming with ideas and a renewed sense of purpose. “History is a relentless master of ceremony,” as President John F. Kennedy once observed, and I’m ready to guide my students through this captivating drama, inspiring them to become active participants in shaping the future.
Feel free to use them in your classroom as well!
Jenn Leah Ko 