It’s Teacher Appreciation Month, that time of the year for us students to show our hard-working and influential teachers how much we appreciate them, despite the times that they do make our lives a bit difficult. As a thank you for his memorable class and funny personality, we’d like to shine a light on Mr. Shen for all that he does.

If you’ve ever been in Mr. Shen’s Chinese class, you are most likely aware of the many factors of his teaching style that make his class one of the most enjoyable ones. Mr. Shen never simply teaches a lesson. Instead, he is constantly going out of his way to find a more creative way to get his students interested in learning. Through unique assignments and projects, he is able to get students engaged in certain topics in a way they wouldn’t otherwise be. He often does this by connecting his lesson to the real world, therefore allowing students to more easily understand and relate to the topic being taught. There was one time when we were learning about Chinese culture. Instead of simply lecturing us about the topic, Mr. Shen assigned us the project of selecting a particular Chinese dish and making it outside of the class. Students formed groups with their friends and hand rolled noodles, fried dumplings, or cut blocks of squishy “nian-gao”, filming themselves as they did so. Not only did this project provide us with tasty foods, but it also provided an interactive and fun opportunity to learn outside of class.

While we did learn a lot throughout the year, Mr. Shen’s class was rarely stressful. Throughout the chaos of a typical school day, his class always allowed me to uncoil, due to the relaxing classroom environment. He allowed us to eat and talk with friends, and he always ended the day with his famous saying, “Don’t work too hard,” reminding his students that grades aren’t everything and not to be so stressed in such a pressuring environment as AHS. However, even in such a relaxed environment, his class allows students to be very productive in their work, so that time is never wasted.

Mr. Shen was also a very accessible teacher, connecting to the students through personal stories and relatable experiences. He constantly shared his own humorous storytimes, such as his passion for Costco, allowing the students to easily get along and converse with him. Even bringing his sons to school one time, he allowed our class to engage with him as a person, making him more relatable to his students. Mr. Shen was never unreasonably strict or unfair. Always willing to listen, he would always be very understanding if you had an actual problem that prevented you from submitting your assignment on time. With so many valuable characteristics in one teacher, it’s easy to shine a spotlight on Mr. Shen and his unforgettable class. Not only does he deserve to be appreciated this month, but throughout the entire year.

Thanks for all that you do!