Primary school Chinese language teacher Mr Stephen Gu says his Year 10 geography teacher left an indelible impression and continues to influence the way he teaches at Sydney’s International Grammar School.
WhichSchool? (WS): When did you commence in your position/role at the school?
Stephen Gu (SG): I started as a primary school Chinese teacher at IGS in 2021, but I worked at the Early Learning Centre as an educator through an agency in 2018 when I was completing my Master of Teaching degree.
WS: What are the top three highlights you’ve experienced as a teacher at the school?
SG: The first highlight was seeing how well Chinese was received at IGS. Since Chinese was a newly introduced language at the school, I was initially worried about how effectively I could teach it and share the culture. However, after some time, I saw that Chinese became very popular, and students were genuinely enthusiastic about learning the language and exploring Chinese culture. This was incredibly rewarding for me, as I felt I had found an effective teaching approach and successfully established Chinese at IGS.
The second highlight is the annual Language Camp at IGS. Although the preparation process can be quite challenging for me and other language teachers, it is always incredibly rewarding to see students’ smiles and hear their excitement about how fun and engaging the camp is. Even years later, some students still talk about their past Language Camp experiences, which is very touching. It makes me feel that this event is not only successful but also meaningful, creating lasting and memorable experiences in students’ lives.
The third highlight is hearing that many parents have recommended Chinese to their friends’ children. It is incredibly gratifying to feel that level of recognition and trust from the parents. I believe they must have heard from my students how much they enjoy learning Chinese, and they themselves must have seen their children’s progress and abilities to feel confident in recommending Chinese learning to others.
WS: What makes the school different from other schools?
SG: As a school located in the heart of Sydney, what makes IGS different from other schools is its rich cultural and linguistic diversity. The school feels like a microcosm of the city itself, where every culture is respected, embraced and understood.
I was truly impressed from my very first day at IGS. The school offers five languages – Chinese, French, German, Italian and Japanese – in primary school, and adds Spanish at the high school level. Every student is required to learn a second language and spends more than an hour each day doing so. This level of commitment to language education is extremely rare across New South Wales.
At IGS, students are encouraged to embrace their own cultural identity or explore other cultures and languages. They gain more inclusive learning experiences and develop the ability to understand the world through the lens of another language. I believe this is what truly sets IGS apart from other schools.
WS: Why is the school a great place to teach?
SG: The school is a great place to teach because it fosters a truly inclusive and respectful environment for all cultures and differences. In this kind of atmosphere, everyone is genuinely friendly and curious about exploring different languages and cultural backgrounds.
Unlike traditional settings where people might be overly cautious or hesitant around cultural differences, at IGS, teachers, students and staff alike are open and enthusiastic about sharing their own cultures. People are not easily offended by unintentional actions because there is a shared understanding that everyone is respectful and well-intentioned.
Working in such an environment makes me feel safe, supported and completely at ease.
WS: What are some of the challenges faced by teachers in the primary/secondary sector?
SG: As a primary teacher at IGS, one of the main challenges I face is managing time effectively, especially because the school offers such a rich variety of events and activities throughout the year. While these activities are engaging and exciting for students, they often require a significant amount of planning and coordination from teachers.
When too many events happen at the same time, I sometimes struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance. On one hand, I want to provide my students with the best possible learning experiences; on the other hand, a lot of my time gets consumed by administrative tasks such as communicating with parents, revising programs and sourcing learning materials.
If teachers could be given more dedicated preparation time during event periods – rather than relying on personal time – I believe I could perform even better in my role at IGS.
WS: Tell us about your approach or philosophy to teaching.
SG: I would describe my core teaching philosophy as being student-centred and driven by the belief that learning should be enjoyable, not pressured. If students don’t find meaning or joy in learning, even if I manage to make them learn now, they are unlikely to continue learning on their own in the future.
That’s why I make it a priority to listen closely to my students – what they enjoy, what they find difficult and what they’re curious about. I regularly adapt my teaching strategies based on their feedback and interests. This approach has proven to be very effective because often children understand children best.
WS: Did you have a teacher that inspired you? Tell us about them, and how they inspired you.
SG: The most unforgettable teacher I’ve ever had was my Year 10 geography teacher. I grew up in China, where the education system tends to be heavily skill-based, with a strong focus on academic performance. Geography was a subject I found dry and uninteresting, and I was close to giving up on it – until this teacher came along.
He reignited my interest in the subject by going far beyond simply reading from the textbook. He connected the content to real-life situations using his broad knowledge, and he delivered it all with a great sense of humour. His classes were funny, engaging and unforgettable. He also used creative techniques – like gestures and drawings – to help us understand complex ideas. I still remember some of his jokes and teaching tricks to this day.
He had a profound impact on me, and his style continues to influence the way I teach. Now, in my own classroom, I also use humour and sometimes intentionally exaggerated methods to keep lessons light-hearted and enjoyable. I can tell my students appreciate this approach, and it helps create a relaxed and joyful learning environment.
