Reuben+Kwong

= = = =  Humanities and Student Welfare || || ||   
 * [[image:spacer.jpg width="120" height="120"]] ||= [[image:spacer.jpg]] [[image:spacer.jpg align="left"]]Reuben Kwong[[image:spacer.jpg]] 
 * > **Cultural Background ** |||||| I was born in Australia at the St Georges hospital in Kew, Victoria. Both of my parents were also born here. That is kind of where my Australianess ends, but also begins and typifies what Australianess seems to be! My paternal grandfather was born in China and migrated to Australia where he met his wife and my grandmother, who came from England. My maternal grandfather is Austrian, Italian, Serbian (from the then Yugoslavia). He came to Oz and married my grandmother, who had arrived and has her background in Ireland, Scotland and also has a weeny bit of Dutch!

So I am Australian. I am an amalgamation of cultures and have felt their influence in my life. I think there is an Australian culture, and that it is fluid and influenced by the many cultures that are present here. I love to meet with people of the different cultures of the world. I find that even though various practices and ways of living can vary, there appear to be universal truths that all subscribe to and believe in, and it is these truths that seems to bring common ground and understanding that unify us, regardless of background. I think finding such common grounds is a key to connecting with people, and as such, with students. ||
 * > **Life Experiences on the Path to Teaching ** |||||| I am 30 years old. Surprised? Yes, most people think I am about 24. I finished high schooling at Forest Hill Secondary College in 1995. That in itself was a significant achievement for me. I had a mostly happy childhood, fairly carefree to an extent. Then I realised that things are not always as they seem and recognised significant challenges within my family. My teen years were turbulent but I made it through and graduated from high school. The next few years I spent finding my feet, beginning two uni courses, deciding to work instead of completing them. My high school job was working in a restaurant, so I continued with that. I also got a job managing a warehouse in early 1998. In 2000 I was still not amazingly happy and realised I was not doing enough things to bring true happiness, so I prepared to pack up my life and leave for two years as a missionary.
 * > **Life Experiences on the Path to Teaching ** |||||| I am 30 years old. Surprised? Yes, most people think I am about 24. I finished high schooling at Forest Hill Secondary College in 1995. That in itself was a significant achievement for me. I had a mostly happy childhood, fairly carefree to an extent. Then I realised that things are not always as they seem and recognised significant challenges within my family. My teen years were turbulent but I made it through and graduated from high school. The next few years I spent finding my feet, beginning two uni courses, deciding to work instead of completing them. My high school job was working in a restaurant, so I continued with that. I also got a job managing a warehouse in early 1998. In 2000 I was still not amazingly happy and realised I was not doing enough things to bring true happiness, so I prepared to pack up my life and leave for two years as a missionary.

In January 2001 I received an assignment to go to Sydney and work within the Chinese community. In March 2001 I left for America where I spent three months learning Mandarin and training to be a missionary in the Missionary Training Centre there, before my return to Australia. In those two years I really found myself and began to understand myself. I saw a lot. My eyes began to open. I found happiness in connecting with others through serving them. I discovered a love for teaching. I discovered many things about cultures and diversity and languages and the beauty of people. I encountered a vast and rich breadth of experience and knowledge, as well as insecurity and fear, in all people. I met with opposition and contempt, and also with acceptance and love. I realised that while not everyone necessarily accepts my beliefs or likes me, they mostly accept me as a human being and that all have some common ground in which to share. Mostly people, myself included, respond to respect and a non-judgmental attitude - to feel accepted for who they are.

Upon return from my mission in 2003 everything seemed different. The people seemed the same. I think maybe I had changed a lot! I slowly adjusted back into 'normal' life. I got a job, began and finished my degree in social work from 2004-2007, and worked as a youth leader during that time. I loved every minute of it. I became a mentor, a facilitator, a project organiser, a leader, a coach, an instructor, a learner, a chauffeur, an example, a camper, a first aid officer, a listener, a counselor, a brother, a friend, a cook, an entertainer, a comedian, a punching bag, a fitness guru...I became a teacher!! After spending time as a missionary and as a youth leader, I knew my passion was in teaching and I felt I could relate well with teenagers. I feel in so many ways my life and experiences have pointed me in the direction of working with youth. So here I am, a teacher, waiting to work in high schools! ||
 * > **My High School
 * > **My High School

** |||||||| My high school was a public co-ed spread out over three campuses. Two campuses were junior campuses, being year 7-10. The third, the senior campus, was VCE 11-12. The junior campuses had the requirement of uniforms. As the senior campus had only year 11 and 12 students, the school decided to have a no uniform policy, and that they would treat us closer to how we would experience university than what most secondary schools would normally allow. They would also expect more of us in return, regarding our behaviour, etc. As such, I found that the relationships I had with my teachers was very fulfilling. I felt trusted. I felt closer to them. ||
 * **My Teaching Philosophy** || The potential for influence is great when the title of teacher is bestowed upon an individual. Great good can be achieved in the lives of individuals. Inspiration and motivation to develop a life can result, which in turn can influence many other lives through the decisions and actions of that one soul. As the old adage reminds us, "You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can't count the number of apples in a seed." As each student life is nurtured as each one requires, it can grow and mature into a life of influence and good, passing on to the next generations the good that has been instilled, learned and earned.

Along with the potential for positive comes the double sided coin in a paradoxical flip. A teacher must realise this and act accordingly, doing their best, no more, while always striving to better their best. Like a builder uses bricks and mortar, a teacher uses themselves as the tool of their trade. They will use books and other resources as well; but teaching is about relationships and people before all else; then afterward comes the knowledge. The point of teaching is to assist the learner to desire: to want to inquire, to grasp concepts, to make the learning their own. It is not about displaying a teacher's wondrous knowledge that they have gained and to hinder the students in gaining for themselves. Teaching is about doing whatever it takes to give to the student all the teacher has, to learn the process of becoming independent as a thinker and actor in society, and to help every student discover their own talents and skills. It is to help students find out who they are and what contribution they can make and to feel valued for being who they are. A teacher has many roles. A teacher is non-judgmental, fair and is no respecter of persons. Each student should feel like they are teacher's favourite! A teacher disciplines out of love, and loves out of discipline! A teacher understands each student and adapts lessons to reflect their learning styles and capabilities. A teachers' work is therefore never done, from day to day and year to year. A teacher never stops learning or preparing or giving or loving. A teacher never runs out of time for the student! ||  ||   ||   || My family (I love my family) My church life (and serving in the church community) My exercise - so important - (RUNNING, team sports, rock climbing, cycling, swimming, HORSE RIDING, etc) My job (working with people with intellectual disabilities) Reading Musical theatre performances, and singing in general and at any opportunity. I LOVE singing Being with friends Movies I never do homework or work on Sundays. It's the Sabbath day for me. I hold it sacred. It is a day I go to church and focus on spiritual things. It is a day of rest from 'worldly' stresses and cares. It is not a day of laziness, but I keep it separate from normal everyday life. I find as I do this I not only look forward to Sunday but I need it, as I can feel the difference it makes in my life to my well-being, as well as to the relationships I have with those around me (especially the relationships I have with my family). It allows me to switch off my mind from the worry and stresses I am experiencing, and can focus on others and me. It re-energizes me and allows me to re-focus. It is a consistent day, once a week, and the consistency helps. If I have homework I do not think about it. I just plan well, or get up early Monday morning and do it then. I have always been able to complete all my tasks as I have done so. You know how we always wish we could have more hours in a day or week so we could accomplish all we want to? Well this seems to add more time!! I think it helps me be more effective with my time, so it seems I have more!! I believe as we invest in things and just trust that the law of the harvest is real, that we reap what we sow, that we benefit in abundance from things we did not think were previously possible.
 * > **Managing Stress** || I call this section, 'my interests'. Life MUST have balance. We all have talents and could probably pursue many occupational directions. I picked one that I felt would make a difference and one I could be most proud of. So my other talents and interests need expression. They are now called my interests. They are what add to the colour and vibrancy of my life. They add variation. Without balance, I think we stress out and fall on our faces. So consistently being consistent is a key to managing stress and being able enjoy life! So the parts of my life are:
 * > **Managing Stress** || I call this section, 'my interests'. Life MUST have balance. We all have talents and could probably pursue many occupational directions. I picked one that I felt would make a difference and one I could be most proud of. So my other talents and interests need expression. They are now called my interests. They are what add to the colour and vibrancy of my life. They add variation. Without balance, I think we stress out and fall on our faces. So consistently being consistent is a key to managing stress and being able enjoy life! So the parts of my life are:

I could go on and on. The point is to find a healthy balance and then I'm happy. Now balance is a funny word to use because when I'm doing one thing, I'm neglecting another. So technically one cannot balance one's life, not evenly anyway. Imagine a juggler. This particular juggler is the one that spins plates on sticks. He has a number of sticks and plates spinning on the top of each. Which one does he spin? The one that is wobbling the most. So that is how I 'balance' my life - to pay attention to the part that needs it most at that particular point in time. ||  ||   ||   || 