Teaching Philosophy

Philosopher Socrates liked to use the midwife metaphor to describe his life work, “I am so far like the midwife that I cannot myself give birth to wisdom…the many admirable truths they (those who frequent my company) bring to birth have been discovered by themselves from within. But the delivery is heaven's work and mine”.

This deeply resonates with me. The role of teacher is to create an environment which will facilitate exploration of wisdom and knowledge among students. Instead of one-way lecturing, I prefer a dynamic approach to encourage interactive dialogues through storytelling. After all, a good historian is a good story teller.

People love history naturally as it is in our genes. The popularity of historical dramas and movies is strong proof of it. “Who are you?” and “where are you from” are the two fundamental questions that never stop being intriguing. The inquisitive journey usually begins in teenage and continues all life-long.

History is story telling. In the ancestral hall of a village, a grandfather would tell his grandson about their ancestors’ struggles as immigrants. In a ceremony of national day, a government would highlight the sacrifice and achievement made by iconic leaders. Identity of lineage and citizenship matters. Story telling happens all the time but some of us are not aware of it. One of my duty is to evoke students’ interest in history. The smartphone generation is subjected to a tremendous influx of information through social media. The disconnection, and distraction is real. My class aims at reinforcing the importance of human interaction, and the appreciation of one’s own origin.

Students in my class are not listeners only but story tellers. They share their personal story, study a deep dive into their own family and community history, and present it to the class. They create a collective understanding of the society we are living in. I would like to see the students who participate in my class to become responsible global citizens who appreciate and treasure their own culture.

As they leave HKBU, and face the reality in our society, they are going to be bombarded by the intricacies of life. It could be confusing, and sometimes frustrating. The course I have designed will help them develop an inquisitive mind, cultivate a critical thinking mindset and nurture a tolerance of uncertainty. This can help them sharpen other talents that can apply to their personal, professional and social life. The experience of searching “who we are” and “where we are from” can help them being in confidence in any decision they made. This echoes seamlessly with the goal of GE Education, i.e. to promote Whole Person Education by exposing students to a range of skills, principles, and attitudes that will help them in their future lives.