Why I Teach
Here are two essays about people who have supported me to where I am today. I hope you enjoy them!
The Story of Bill & Scott by Debbie Loo Ong
Mr. Ong's best friend was an AP Physics teacher named Scott Chan. Mr. Ong and Scott grew up together. They both excelled at school, went to great colleges - Mr. Ong got his Bachelor's at UC Berkely and Masters at Stanford and Scott got his Bachelor's and Master's at Stanford. They both had engineering careers at internet startups. They both retired young to be with their families. And of course both made their parents eternally proud. When Scott's kids were grown, Scott became an AP Physics teacher as a second career. As I started to think about becoming a teacher, Scott was so influential and supportive. It is not an easy task to get a teaching credential or an easy job to be a teacher regardless of when you begin. Scott was always there to listen to me when I had a bad day or hard time and was very encouraging.
The best qualities about Scott is he was always so supportive and calm. He was a great listener and worked hard for his students. I will always remember how much he cared for them.
Unfortunately the world lost Scott in the Conception Boating Accident in San Diego on September 2, 2019. I dedicate my teaching career to Scott. I hope me and Mr. Ong can continue to honor him and his legacy.
Monday Night Dinner by Debbie Loo Ong
Every Monday night, my Mom would cook a wonderful dinner for me, my dad and my five sisters and brothers. All eight of us would gobble up the delicious Chinese food that she cooked. I can still taste the lobster, fish, chicken, steak and shrimp dishes she would make. We would also have soup at every meal. Her food was so good that you had to eat fast to make sure you got your favorite pieces.
She would cook these elaborate meals every week even though she worked long hours. She worked every day except on Mondays at our Chinese restaurant named after my father, “Bob Loo’s.” We called our weekly celebration, “Monday Night Dinner”. Dinner would be followed by clean-up and long discussions. At first the discussions were centered around our school day or school work. Later it became the venue for topics such as boyfriends and marriage proposals. My mom always handled these topics with flair. She is a giving and caring person and mother. She is a hard worker. She is an outstanding role model. It is thoughts like these that make my Mom my favorite person.
My Mom is a giving and caring mother. She had six children and taught us how to be good people and good parents. I wonder how she worked so much and took care of her six children. She spent a lot of time working and we rarely saw her otherwise. Although she worked a lot, it was a treat when she found the time to take us shopping. I remember the time she took us shopping at the Chestnut Hill Mall for new clothes, and how excited I was to buy a pair of really cool red pants!
My Mom taught me the benefits of working hard. She worked in a Chinese restaurant that was located 33 miles away from home in Salem, New Hampshire. She worked six days a week. She left for work at 10 AM and did not return home until 10 PM. She ran our family business and did it with an iron fist. She was the hostess, manager, accountant and anything else you can think of. She was often still sleeping when I left for school. Her job was very hard and stressful. We did not have much time together, but I could remember her telling us her job was to work and my job was to be good. I can still hear her say, “be good” which was the all encompassing message to do well in school, keep the house clean, and behave. She worked hard so we could have money to go to college. Me and my siblings are all very thankful we were able to attend college debt-free.
My Mom has been an outstanding role model for being a mother, wife and friend. She was married to my dad for over 50 years. They were sweethearts in an era where most Chinese people had arranged marriages. My parents wanted a family and in particular, like most Chinese, a boy. She gave birth to five girls and then had her boy. They named him Bobby after my dad. She has always been there for me when I needed someone to talk to. I remember when I could not figure out how to ease my daughter’s crying, she stayed on the phone with me for hours to try different solutions. Even now, I can call her when I have a problem.
She left for work at 10 AM and did not return home until 10 PM. She worked hard so we could have money to go to college.
Now that I am a mother, I try hard to keep family traditions such as Monday Night Dinner alive and important. We emphasize the importance of family, traditions, culture and values in my house. I am so lucky that I can not only eat dinner with my daughter on Monday night, but pretty much every night. My mother taught me so many things and prepared me so well for my life as an adult, wife and mother. My Mom is my favorite person for these three reasons. I hope that I can be as good of a mother, wife and friend for my family. I really love her!
“Hard work is good for you.” Something my mother would say to me when I was little and still today as an adult."
She left for work at 10 AM and did not return home until 10 PM. She worked hard so we could have money to go to college.
