On World Teacher's Day, HK educators share their hopes and dreams for their students, and advice for life and the classroom

Simon Wong, A school in the South district

I hope you will fight for your dreams, even if they aren’t what others, including me, expect of you. I would be happy to seeing you shine on whichever stage you feel you belong.

Tse Chi-keung, Fanling Rhenish Church Secondary School

What if your teacher became a giant mouse?​

I’ve heard lots of my students grumbling about not having enough time for English learning. But I wonder if they have tried to create a more English-friendly environment to immerse themselves in. Here are some ideas for learning English during your down time:

1. Read posts written in English on Facebook or watch some English learning video clips produced by vloggers or Youtubers.

2. Set the default language of your smartphone, social media accounts and favourite online games in English. Don’t worry, you won’t get lost in games or accidentally delete important information on your phone; you already know them back to front and inside out.

3. When you’re hanging out with your besties , try to express your thoughts and ideas in English and enjoy some good (but mindless) gossip using your second language.

Ansley Lee Kwan-ting, Kiangsu-Chekiang College

Be more open to mistakes. The classroom is a safe place for you to try things you never thought you could do by yourself. Societal expectations may make you choose to play safe or try to be perfect all the time, but you don’t have to. Be patient with yourself, especially when you are about to give up on a new skill. You can always take a break, try something new, and start again. Learning comes with ups and downs; don’t let one bad day affect you.

Cheng Tim-tim, HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity

Talking points: What's the one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?

Every now and then, I ask myself what keeps my passion for teaching alive, given how tough the job can be sometimes. It isn’t the salary or the holidays; it’s seeing my students grow. I know by the time I retire that I’ll have forgotten about the mundane aspects of my job, but I’ll still remember the name of every single student I’ve taught.

Gary Leung, AD & FD POHL Leung Sing Tak College

To my dearest students:

Practice integrity. It’s more important to walk the walk than talk the talk. Let people judge you by your actions, rather than by your promises.

Stick to your principles. You don’t have to follow everyone else just to gain their acceptance, if it means going against your own ideals.

Show empathy. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes you need to see things from someone else’s perspective to realise this.

One last thing: if you have empathy for your teachers, please hand in your homework on time, and don’t make inappropriate comments.

Lau Kam-fai, Christian and Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School

Letters from the Dorm: a newfound appreciation for our hardworking teachers

I knew I wanted to become a teacher as soon as I graduated from school, because I really believe that all students are full of hope, promise and potential. However, I’ve found that many of my students limit themselves, and don’t have many ideas of their own – maybe our exam-orientated society is to blame.

So I’d like to say to my students: don’t be afraid to be yourselves, and don’t allow yourselves to be controlled by others. I hope I can help you to keep your eyes fixed on the far horizon, and find the right road for you.

Lee Chin-ying, Tsung Tsin Christian Academy