Henry Ford once said, "Failure is the opportunity to begin again, only this time, more wisely."
One of ME’s star students, Michael, is the focus of this student profile blog. He is a shining example of what perseverance, hard work and determination can achieve.
Before joining ME Education, Michael had been a student in a local Hong Kong school but he and his mother had hopes of him joining an international school for his secondary years. The school they had their hearts set on, was King George V School (KGV). Sadly, Michael’s first application attempt was unsuccessful. After working through his disappointment, Michael got back up and decided to try again – with a different approach this time. That’s when we met Michael and his mum.
Michael joined ME Education in year 7, in the hope that we could help him prepare for his second application. His teachers were Mr. Jimmy and Mr. Raymond. Everyone was clear on the objective: Ensure the next interview attempt is a success! From day 1, both Michael and his teachers set their goals in motion and began focusing on his writing, grammar, interview, and conversational skills.
At first, it was a struggle. Michael would sometimes 'forget' to do his homework or would not feel like participating in the lessons. Mr. Jimmy kindly but firmly let him know that if he was not prepared to do his homework, he should not come into class as there would be nothing to work through. From then on, Michael understood what was expected of him and began to live up to this expectation. He stopped neglecting his homework and began putting in the effort.
Mr. Jimmy would give Michael writing composition exercises to complete on a weekly basis. Using his limited vocabulary, Michael would complete the task with a word count of 80. Every week they would work hard on these writing composition exercises and after a while, he went from writing 80 words to between 200-300 words at the same time.
Mr. Jimmy helped Michael identify where his weaknesses were in writing while helping him to advance and build upon the lessons each week. All the hard work paid off and Michael’s grammar and writing skills improved tremendously.
"I would like to thank Mr Jimmy a lot for his rigorous guidance. Without his teaching, I would not be where I am today."
The unsuccessful first interview played on Michael’s mind and he was anxious that he might repeat the same mistakes. With that in mind, he worked with Mr. Raymond, an ME Hong Kong International School Interview Specialist, who helped Michael prepare for the entrance exam and interview, ensuring he was 100% ready before trying again.
Mr. Raymond suggested that after the interviewer had finished with his questions, Michael should ask some questions of his own. His experience had taught him that when students ask the interviewer questions about the school, it shows their interest and enthusiasm and leaves the interviewer with a positive impression. It is also a great way to demonstrate conversational skills, good grammar, and confidence.
At last, it was time for Michael’s 2nd application attempt. He put all his new skills into practice and walked into the interview with his head held high and a well-earned sense of confidence and determination.
Michael passed the interview with flying colors and was granted admission to King George V School.
The combination of discipline, persistence, hard work and the right guidance helped Michael achieve his goals. We can’t wait to hear all about his new school and how he is enjoying it.
Well done Michael! All of us at ME Education are proud of your dedication and your success!
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