Welcome to another installment of our student profile series. This time, we speak to Spencer - an amazing young man, who has made great strides in his education since first joining us. In this interview, Spencer gives us insight into what it is like to be a student at ME Education.
Spencer and his family are originally from Shanghai, China. They made the move to Hong Kong because they have a lot of families here. "My dad was given some work opportunities in Hong Kong and my mom got excited because she has many family members already living here. I am glad we made the move because now I get to spend time with my cousins."
ME Education has been the school of choice for Spencer and his family for a little over three years now. His parents first decided to enroll him at our school because they wanted him to work on his English language skills.
"In the beginning, I was not good at English so I could not understand what the teachers were saying. I asked my parents to give me a teacher who could speak Mandarin instead, but they worried that I would never learn English if I didn’t keep trying. I am very glad they did not get me a Mandarin-speaking teacher because now, I can speak English very well and I understand my teachers with no problem. Mr. John and Ms. Dora really helped me by explaining the vocabulary to me and asking me to take a look at the dictionary myself. Ms. Dora prepared readings for me every lesson and Mr. John taught me a lot of grammar skills. My English improved so much that now, I am able to read a lot of English stories and news."
Although Spencer has shown a great affinity for language, it is not his favorite subject. He enjoys the Math and Science lessons the most. Spencer has a great head for numbers and finds the classes enjoyable and exciting.
After graduation, Spencer intends to use his passion for numbers and mathematics by pursuing a career in mobile technology and gaming development. "I want to create the games that people play on their phones because I love them, and I know they make people so happy!" Spencer admits that he often has to help his parents with technology at home because he understands it better than they do sometimes.
"ME Education is helping me with my ambitions because we learn STEM subjects. These will allow me to further study the qualifications I will need to achieve my dream of becoming a software developer." Because the job market these days is largely focused on technology and the sciences, Spencer is correct that his STEM education will give him a great advantage in these fields.
Spencer admits that he does not enjoy studying for exams but when we asked for a tip he said, "Start early!" Excellent advice, especially for those who do not like the pressures that exam time can often bring. By starting early, you have the luxury of taking your time to ensure you understand the coursework and can revise with no stress. Stressful cramming is not a great strategy for exams.
For Spencer, his next big goal is to apply to Victoria Shanghai Academy. He says he feels prepared and confident to ace the interview and is grateful to ME Education for getting him to this point. He believes that joining our school and sticking with the program, even though it was difficult at the beginning, was an excellent decision and one that he is glad he and his parents made.
Outside of school, Spencer loves playing computer games, skateboarding, and going on the occasional hike with his family. "When we hike, my cousins and I go ahead, and then we have to wait for our parents to catch up!"
We asked Spencer if he could travel anywhere in the world, where would he like to go first? "Shanghai! I miss some of my old friends and I would like to see them again."
Spencer’s energy and excitement are contagious and our teachers love having him in the classroom. He is eager to learn and is a great example of how hard work and dedication pay off in the long run. Spencer is primed and ready to take his next step – applying to the school of his dreams and going on to qualify for a career that will bring him joy and satisfaction. The sky's the limit for Spencer and we look forward to watching him reach for it!
