Lessons from a Year of School, Interrupted

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After a whole year of on-again, off-again schooling in Hong Kong, it’s probably safe to say that schools have entered a new normal during the Covid-19 pandemic, and that the virtual or a hybrid model of teaching is here to stay...perhaps for longer than anyone anticipated. 

As an educator at The Harbour School (THS), a K to Grade 12 US-curriculum international school based in Ap Lei Chau, this last year has been a ride like no other since I started teaching. Reflecting back on 2020, we have endured much in a year of uncertainty, but there are also valuable lessons learned which I believe will inform and shape the future of education for years to come. 

Invested in the Individual

Firstly, people need direction, especially in turbulent times. My 2020 Chinese New Year holiday was spent collaborating with colleagues on new protocols to be delivered via VC@T - what we call virtual classrooms at THS. What a way to spend your holidays you may say, but we felt like we were on the cusp of something big, and we wanted to take on the challenge of creating an online program that is as effective and engaging as our on-site program. 

One of the five core values at THS is to be invested in the individual. It’s a value I’ve found to really resonate with me personally. The school puts relationship quality at the centre of education. Hence, for everything that we do, be it online or on-campus, our focus is always our students - to know, teach and nurture them as the unique individuals they are. We can do this effectively because THS is intentionally small, with small class sizes and learning that is differentiated to create a “just-right” environment where students are stretched but not stressed.