How to Nick Top Scores in Mr. Chu’s Class

#positiverelationships

By S4WC (1) Barton Emma Patricia

“Dada? Dada? Do you know what dada is?” Mr. Nick Chu, one of the multiple new teachers of this year, asks us. The class, perplexed, locks eyes with each other, confused as if he wasn’t even speaking the same language. “I’m impersonating my old uni teacher, which is what I had to put up with when I was learning. I’m talking about data, do you guys know what data is?” The class erupts with laughter. Never did we expect essays and graphs to be fun, but somehow this teacher, our new teacher, managed to make the impossible come true.

Prior to enlightening our school, Mr. Nick Chu had 3 plentiful years of teaching experience, which explains how he’s learnt to be clever with his words in class, yet simultaneously gives me the confidence that he actually knows what he’s talking about. What’s interesting though, is that he’s dabbled far out of economics and L&S, and has taught an array of subjects, ranging from mathematics to humanities. Chu has taught in Kowloon and New Territories, but has only earned his way to Hong Kong Island this year, stating that his “Dream has now been completed”.

Unfortunately, just like all dreams, some things must be sacrificed along the path in order to achieve it. In his case, he’s had to limit his potential to only economics and L&S, the subjects he currently is teaching. “To be honest, I don’t really like economics. I think it’s way too straightforward, too undemanding. In fact, if I didn’t have to worry about my finances, I’d spend much more time on subjects like history or geography. With that being said, I still enjoy teaching it as it brings a smile to my face knowing students can get the concepts easily under my teaching.”

Now if you’re like me and don’t think studying economics is “as easy as pie”, you’re definitely not alone. “The most difficult part about teaching this subject is trying to make others understand what I already think is easy. I’ve had to adapt my teaching style, but so far I’ve settled on just trying to give more impressionable examples (Chan Silai, apples in a one-man economy). If you really still have trouble picking up the concepts, past papers are your friends. The more you do, the more you get wrong, the more you will know.”

The multi-talented Mr. Chu isn’t all about studying though. He also aspires to practise more self-care. “I just want to sleep more, that’s my goal. I’ve told myself to get all the work done at school so I can get some good shut-eye once I’m home. If I have even more free time, I’ll spend my time reading, no matter it be what has happened in the past or what is happening now. Though what’s keeping me up at night usually isn’t work. I have more important things to tend to, such as watching football, especially the Champions League. So if you see me walking around like a zombie at school, it must’ve been a long night of cheering the night before.” However, despite him lacking in sleep hours, he still manages to keep himself looking dapper, which he says is his secret weapon in teaching. “How else am I supposed to keep my students interested?”

A teacher of such quality is often quite scarce, so let’s try to give Mr. Chu a welcome as warm as a woolen blanket to ensure he doesn’t go hopping off to another district, or even country, for other schools. Aside from asking about opportunity cost and how to respond to data-based questions, chatting him up with football stuff would surely help crack his self-proclaimed “shy” shell and help us keep a much needed, much wanted, and much appreciated teacher.