They say "Fortune favors the bold," and I’ve come to see it in a similar light: the brave are just as fortunate as the bold. My recent experiences have taught me that bravery isn’t always about grand, heroic gestures. Often, it is the quiet, terrifying courage to step away from the script. Between teaching job at the public school during the day and working in the Pilates studio at night—all while balancing the mental load of four different jobs—I’ve come to realize a new way to appreciate grace and ease. In my over a fifteen years of professional life, I have always valued preparation. I would walk into a classroom with a premeditated curriculum, notes of my "must-topics," and plans of what I was prepared to say. But I began to notice a pattern: the more rigidly I stuck to that script, the more I losing my opportunity to connect. The magic doesn’t happen in the lecture; it happens in the detour. The moments where the audiences truly listen—where th...

 Teaching history can be a challenge, especially when it comes to complex topics like the Early Republic. How do you make the establishment of the U.S. government and the balance of power engaging for 11th graders? Enter the Power Wheel ! This dynamic activity, designed for my 11th-grade U.S. history class, brings the Early Republic to life. Instead of passively absorbing information, students become active participants in exploring landmark Supreme Court cases like Marbury v. Madison , McCulloch v. Maryland , and Gibbons v. Ogden . Here's how it works: Laying the Foundation: Before diving into the Power Wheel, students engage in a brief warm-up to activate prior knowledge and connect to the theme of conflict resolution. Then, through direct instruction, they explore the context of the Early Republic, including the formation of the government and key events. Analyzing Landmark Cases: Students analyze handouts on three landmark Supreme Court cases, focusing on how these ...

As the holidays approach, it's natural for students' attention to drift toward festive plans. But what if we could harness that excitement and channel it back into learning? Introducing MedCon , a Medieval Economic Challenge that transforms your classroom into a thriving kingdom! I'm excited to share some royal resources and walk you through this engaging activity, easily adaptable for any middle school social studies classroom. Why MedCon works: Engaging Narrative: The medieval setting provides a captivating context for learning about economics and decision-making. Hands-On Activity: Students actively build their empires, make choices, and see the consequences spontaneously. Critical Thinking: MedCon challenges students to analyze options, weigh pros and cons, and make strategic decisions like a real medieval ruler. Gamification: My custom-designed online game console (built with HTML, Javascript, and CSS) brings student's empires to life with probability-based out...

Every Thanksgiving, our family celebrates this wonderful tradition with our friends with a chosen theme. This year we made a tropical feast. The idea was originated from kamayan feast in which guests can eat unimaginable amounts of food off banana leaves at a communal table, without any utensils. However, due to the safety-related constraints, we used plastic and food-safe gloves throughout the dining. While mom and I experimenting with different food recipes, we discovered new fusions by revolutionizing the traditional menu. The day when the guests walked in, whiffs of savory aroma whetted their appetite. But before they gorging the ambrosial cuisine, the presumptuous presentation made them grovel. :p After the full course of the all-you-can-eat meal, we played charades game and watched a movie. In this turbulent time, many unpredictable events could lead to crestfallen. Still, I am grateful for sharing this moment with my family and close friends.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close in early 2020, STEM World, like many other educational institutions, faced the challenge of transitioning to online learning. This presented unique hurdles for STEM education, which traditionally relies heavily on hands-on activities and project-based learning. In this post, I'll share how we overcame these challenges and created engaging online STEM experiences for K-12 students. Developing Engaging Online Curriculum: To address the need for remote learning, we proposed several online courses with different themes: Biomimicry, Data Science, and Biochemistry-focused Immunology. The Immunology class garnered the most interest, aiming to provide students with a deeper understanding of the human immune system and its interaction with viruses and bacteria. A Four-Stage Learning Journey: The Immunology curriculum was divided into four 90-minute sessions, each incorporating hands-on activities and computer programming assignments:   1. I...

  The Pasadena sun slouched through the gallery windows, casting long, skeletal shadows across the floor. A city held its breath, suspended in a post-pandemic haze. Four years ago, I’d strolled these same streets, a carefree student, the world my oyster. Now, the city felt like a ghost town, a fragile porcelain doll shattered by an invisible hand. The gallery, a stark white tomb, beckoned me with an eerie silence. Inside, Oiwa’s paintings shimmered, fever dreams of a world asleep. Distorted figures, landscapes warped by a nightmare, mirrored the chaos within me. A world where waking and dreaming bled into each other, a labyrinth of memories and anxieties. Wall painting inspired by Oscar Oiwa dreams sleeping world In my rented cell, a vast canvas stared back, a blank void. I began to paint, driven by a desperate need to give form to the formless, to capture the lingering dread of a world forever altered. As a child, I’d dreamt of soaring, unburdened by gravity’s chains. But adolesce...

  Another rejection from the other side.. This is about the 15th hostel place I have contacted for the inquiring of seeking a volunteer opportunity for Thanksgiving this year. Please note: if you are here to listen to the audio of the  Meditation For Developing Patience, Forgiveness, and Compassion,  please scroll to the bottom of the post. Thank you. “..thank you. But we have reached full capacity on our volunteering position this year.” That’s the typical response I would get from the coordinator after I had left my voice messages or wrote paragraphs of the email to persuade them letting me into the event. LA Mission, Pasadena’s Dinner At The Park and some prominent local churches in Los Angeles, Orange County, and Murrieta. They all either redirected me to sign up for a waitlist or kindly and briefly rejected my offer. I was a little dishearted when I found out that my plan to personally involve in public give away events were all been precluded. But at the same time, ...

Teaching English in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, has been an immensely enriching journey. While I approach my role as a non-native English speaker with humility, I'm continually inspired by the creativity and imagination my middle school students bring to their writing. My passion lies in fostering creative problem-solving and holistic education, and I strive to nurture these skills in my classroom. Unexpected Similes and Vivid Imagery: In one assignment, I asked students to write about a trip they had taken. I was delighted by the unexpected similes and vivid imagery they used. One student described the Great Wall as a "sleeping dragon," while another compared the grasslands to a "sea of green." These comparisons revealed not only their growing vocabulary but also their originality. Mission to Mars: A First-Person Perspective: Another assignment focused on a mission to Mars, allowing students to choose between first-person and third-person narration. Many of the boy...

  I remember that time at the Dengkou train station, heading to Baotou. I surged onto the train with a crowd of strangers, not knowing where the future would lead. But the anticipation I felt for what lay ahead was unforgettable. This is probably what people mean by "being hopeful," right? God's creation is subtle and unwavering. Thinking back now, how did I manage to hold my head high and cross half the globe, arriving penniless and alone to fulfill a dream of "homecoming"? I don't really remember that same sense of anticipation from boarding the train, but in the days that followed, stepping into an utterly unfamiliar city, I was never alone. I never went hungry. I weathered a winter with temperatures below -30 degrees Fahrenheit and swirling snow, yet I was never afraid. Today, when worries about the future creep in, that moment of stepping onto the train comes to mind again. It is a strong testament that we should never forget to believe, and then belie...

As a teacher and instructional designer specializing in English Language Learners (ELLs), I'm driven by a desire to optimize language acquisition. My experiences in classrooms across China have illuminated the powerful interplay of storytelling, gamification, and immersive experiences. Rethinking Repetition: Drilling, often utilizing techniques like "practice, present, produce" or "I do, we do, you do," is a common pedagogical tool. While it can be helpful for reinforcing pronunciation and memorization, traditional drilling can quickly become monotonous and disengaging for young learners.  To address this, I've experimented with integrating a narrative approach. By embedding target vocabulary within a compelling storyline, I've observed a significant increase in both comprehension and retention. From Random Words to Captivating Tales: To test this theory, I introduced seemingly random words like "brushing teeth," "sleeping bag," and ...

As a designer passionate about fostering collaborative experiences, I conceived and designed the ACT Symposium to revolutionize how creative professionals connect and innovate. ACT, which stands for Affecting Change Today, brings together designers, architects, and other creatives to explore new approaches to collaborative design within the meetings and events industry. From 300 Ideas to One Powerful Solution: The symposium centered around a design challenge: creating a visual identity for ACT itself. Over 300 logo concepts were generated, sparking a dynamic process of iteration and refinement. Through collaborative workshops and feedback sessions facilitated by my design, these ideas were distilled down to 100, then 10, and finally, a single, impactful logo emerged. This process exemplified the power of collective creativity and diverse perspectives in action. The ACT Experience: A groundbreaking event designed to revolutionize collaboration in the meetings and events industry. ACT, ...

The masculine nature  encapsulates childlike verve  never lost a smidgen of its impact  from the day I came across it. Courage When I was sitting in the kitchen that evening, I sketched a map of the United States and memorized major cities in each state. I thought I had 0 gift on the subject of geography since I was a kid in China. Now I concluded, a friendly-map is a matter of how square it is. haha I had to stop at Boise to pick up my car which I had had left for my Yoga Teacher Training in Mexico. Boise is my second home. Six years living in Boise and working at the tech giant, Hewlett-Packard filled me with memories and wisdom. I spent two days getting ready for the trip in a rented AirBnB place in Boise. Arranged equipment in the car and had the engine and tires checked before the major take off. Honestly, I had no detailed plan written down anywhere rather than just a flick of a thought. Because I am not optimistic in nature, I like to layout the worst so I‘d know b...