Phoenix Luk

I don't actually live in Liverpool! It doesn't list the USA. I'm from New York City, but I recently moved to Portland, Oregon.

Teaching is an exchange of ideas, opinions, and cultures. Students teach me as I teach them. Even with bad moments and bad days, I learn how to be better in the classroom and in my everyday life. I learned that there is so much vocabulary that students know now that I really needed at that age, such as various gender expressions. I learned that students will be engaged if I am engaged; they know when I fake interest. I learned that the most rewarding parts of being a teacher happen when I least expect it, maybe on a written assignment or a conversation in the hallway or a frantic email at 2 am. For all of these moments and for all of my students, I am grateful.

I teach with empathy and compassion, honing in on their interests and community so I can pick compelling texts to use for skill building. Students do not learn if they feel disconnected from the material. Like when we read articles online, there needs to be a hook. I also believe in the right to be wrong without the world ending. While challenging students, I want them to feel safe to share their ideas of what it means when Boo Radley leaves gifts in the tree. My classroom is a space in which we can make mistakes, be incorrect, and point out something new. Students help one another through peer review and in discussion and hopefully outside of class too.

Lastly, teaching and enforcing forgiveness, acceptance, and some form of structure allows students to feel safe and trust that I have their wellness in mind. I work to help young people during their development as a scholar and as a member of society. They exist outside of my classroom. Acknowledging that is integral, especially when many students are having so many new experiences. They are learning time management and prioritization. This is when I need to have the right amount of flexibility. If a student tells me in advance that they cannot meet a deadline but have previously handed in good work in a timely manner, I allow for this need and work with students individually. Setting up a time to meet with me, regarding something that a student may not understand, also requires me to be flexible and understanding. These examples display responsibility and respect, which I value. Being an educator is a balancing act of where I should invest my efforts, but so is learning. I love both.