By KATHERINE LEE
“No way!” was the reaction newly-hired Chinese teacher Ms. Xueying Han received after disclosing to her students that she loves to play video games in her downtime.
This response is part of an interesting tidbit that sets the stage for how Ms. Han is revitalizing Chinese language and culture in and out of her classroom by relating to the interests of her students. From the moment one steps into her classroom, they are immersed in Chinese songs, games and traditional cuisine.
Ms. Han co-advises the Chinese Honor Society club. She frequently organizes the activities, including calligraphy, cooking, traditional Chinese games, and volunteering.
Ms. Han has been interested in teaching ever since she was a child. She said, “I love being with students, the younger generation. They have a lot of new ideas and creativity. I feel their passion. Whenever I have a bad day, after talking to my students, they just light me up.”
Ms. Han attended New York University for her Master’s in Teaching Chinese Education as a Foreign Language. She applied to a school in the U.S., and her acceptance was the deciding factor in moving from China.
Ms. Han first taught at LaGuardia High School, a specialized music and arts public high school in New York City. Ms. Han then chose Jericho for its positive reputation. “We all know that it’s the best school district, and I heard from my friends who live here that the students were so good. They’re self-motivated, and it’s I think every teacher’s dream to teach in Jericho with excellent students,” said Ms. Han.
Curriculum Associate for World Languages Dr. Chan said, “She’s very focused on the students and the students’ learning. So that’s something we value a lot. And again, it’s not just about teaching language, but she also is great about teaching culture as well.”
This sentiment is also reflected by the way Ms. Han is running the Chinese Honor Society as co-advisor. “ I hope I can bring something new to this community, not changing anything, but bringing something new as well,” said Ms. Han.
Junior Ryan C. feels grateful for his new Chinese teacher. “Ms. Han’s class is a nice mix of both having fun and learning Chinese!” he said.