Ten reasons why I enjoy teaching at NorthLight #7
- Spelling Bee, my school’s signature event, holds a special place in my heart. I have invested blood, sweat and tears into it as the I/C for two years and the 2I/C for the third year. It was an event that helped me to express my creativity and marshal my colleagues into launching, coordinating and organising it successfully.
From the moment I took over the baton, I was not afraid to make radical changes. I felt strongly that the word lists should not be released to the students beforehand and pushed for the implementation of spelling strategies with iron determination. That was how I found myself at the Auditorium, explaining how to spell various words in front of a riveted audience during the Preliminary Round of Spelling Bee 2022.
My maiden venture as the organiser was an instant hit, and to be honest, I never quite recaptured the magic and chemistry with the students in subsequent sessions. Still, I had a sense of satisfaction tweaking the format in order to find the secret sauce that would keep the contestants engaged. It was because of my proactive stance towards change that I learnt the importance of never underestimating the students. When asked to provide words that would send their opponents into a bind, they came up with unexpected words, such as fuchsia. Cue jaw drop on my part.
As for my last year of involvement, I was preoccupied with training students to be the emcees of various rounds. I first pushed two boys from my form class into the quicksand of uncertainty. I learnt that age is no hindrance to exhibiting courage. They were 13 then, but they stood tall and straight as they delivered their lines in front of the whole school. I would even go as far to say that it was a turning point for one of them. He has since reported that he likes to be on stage as a result of that initial experience.
Despite all these highlights, I have graciously receded into the background, as can be seen from this photo. For the finals last year, I was assigned to assist the Spelling Bee mascot. I leave NorthLight, happy to have shaped this signature event into something that is well-loved by several groups of students.