As we return from winter break and begin the new semester, we are also welcoming a new faculty member to campus. Daphne Wang is the new Upper School Chinese teacher, and we are delighted that she is joining the KO community, albeit virtually.
Mrs. Wang originally wanted to become a teacher because she loves to see students grow into global, worldly citizens. “I want [students] to know other parts of the world,” Mrs. Wang said. This stems from the fact that Mrs. Wang grew up in Northern China. When asked about the differences between life in America versus in China, she commented that the people in China seem, for the most part, a lot closer to one another in that entire families come together several times during the week. “Also in China, we don’t take cars or private vehicles,” she said. “We actually use all of the public transportation, so that’s a huge difference.”
Teaching is her passion, and Mrs. Wang loves to be around curious students. Her favorite thing about teaching is the fostering of an open and inclusive classroom environment that encourages student participation. “I try to make Chinese more like-life, not just a subject,” Mrs. Wang said. She hopes to create a more student-centered classroom with less focus and reliance on standard textbooks.
Besides teaching, Mrs. Wang also enjoys cooking. “If I was not a teacher, I think I would like to become a chef because I just love cooking,” Mrs. Wang said. Another one of Mrs. Wang’s hobbies is getting together with friends to sing karaoke. However, due to COVID-19, this has unfortunately not been possible. “In the past, always once a month, we would go and sing at karaoke,” she said. During quarantine, her favorite thing to do has been spending time with her kids.
Although Mrs. Wang is new to the KO community, she has been able to swiftly overcome the barrier of teaching online to truly get to know her students. “Mrs. Wang is a fun and engaging teacher,” sophomore Bella Theodorou said. “Her classes are interactive, and my favorite part is when we get to discuss Chinese culture.”
While Mrs. Wang will not be teaching in-person classes this year, the KO community looks forward to welcoming her to campus in person in the future!
