Teacher Interview Report

Michelle Kao
691050206

2007.5.1
Name 韓玉芬 老師
Education 台灣師範大學 教育系 英文輔系畢業 （公費生）
台灣師範大學 輔導研究所畢
Work 成淵完全中學

Experience （國中部）英文老師

（高中部）輔導老師（現任）

 The teacher’s learning and teaching background.

Ms Han graduated from NTNU, and taught English in Taipei

Municipal Cheng Yuan High School for 2 years. After that, she studied in
the department education psychology and counseling of NTNU, so she
was on leave of absence without pay for 3 years. In 2002, she returned to
Municipal Cheng Yuan High School. However, she didn’t continue her
English teaching. She began to teach the course of psychology and
counseling until now. Taipei Municipal Cheng Yuan High School was the
only school she served and has engaged in the teaching job for 7 years.

 The teacher’s belief and philosophy.

Ms Han said that in junior high school, “the role of a teacher” is more
essential than what subject you taught. It’s because you have to deal with
students’ problem happened everyday. In addition, she said, ”students
have many courses to study ,and prepare to the tests, it’s not impossible
they just focus on one study only, so I won’t ask them to do the things
which are over their capability unless they have high willing to learn
more than what in the text books. To her, “Giving what students need,
not what you want to give“, is a big issue, and she have to think it over
and over to find out which way is most appropriate to them.

 The barriers and supports she faces in the teaching context.

Ms Han said, “As a teacher, we have to accept a feeling of loneness and
that is normal happen in the school. You may face a problem and have to
solve it by yourself, and no one can help you or share your feelings, since
they are busy doing their work, either. If you can have someone to
discuss with you, I think you are very lucky, and have good colleague.
However, do not be afraid asking your colleague questions about your
problems, maybe they would like to share their experiences and give
some advice to you.”
Beside, in order to avoid some unpredictable situation occur suddenly,
you have to tell students the principles very clearly before doing any
activities. In addition, depends on different person, situation, it’s better to
be flexible to your students sometimes, because they are growing up, they
need more guidance not limit or punishment.

 The teacher’s career cycle and professional development.

 Ms Han said,” In ordinary, teachers are very busy and each teacher in
our school have to be in charge of 16 teaching periods a week. Actually,
we do not have much time to study. Consequently, I usually participate in
the Taipei English Teaching Community on Monday to improve my
professional knowledge. What’s more, in my spare time, I like to read
lots of books, magazines, or listen to the studio classroom to increase my
ability both on English and teaching. By the way, I can also find some
useful resources to make my teaching more vivid.

 My reflection on the interview

Ms Han is a very nice teacher, and open-mind to share her experience
and thought in teaching with me. Although we never met each other
before, and we used phone to interview, but we talked just like friends,
maybe it’s because we both like teaching and students.
From the interview, I remembered what Ms Han said,
“Teacher is also like a career of service, students are the customers, and
we are sales. Consequently, giving the customer the best service and
noticing abut what the customers need are our responsibility. ”
I agree to this idea very much. In the colleague, everything is prepared
well to us, so we don’t need to worry about the equipment and the
materials. When we are doing the test teaching, our teachers and
classmates always play the actors of being the good students and follow
our order. However, in the teaching reality, many things are out of
control. It’s possible that we prepared well about our teaching, and
designed lots of various meaningful activities to them, but our students
seems not interested in that, and show their feeling directly on their faces.
Consequently, except what subject you teach, we have to think about
what you are, your personal superiority, and what your students need. It
takes time and needs experience. When you get lost and frustrated in the
process, you have to ask yourself, what’s the reason you want to be a
teacher? Then you can find specific way to continue.