T: +852 2520 5736
F: +852 2865 2815
E: info@chatteris.org.hk

A Year in Photos

Now the academic year for Chatteris Tutors has drawn to a close, Chatteris’ own Emily Brazier walks us through the last 9 months in pictures.

This academic year begun with orientation, COVID-19 style. Having made the bold decision to move abroad during a global pandemic, thirty newly-arrived tutors undertook two weeks of online workshops, student-facing lessons and team building activities from their quarantine hotel rooms.

The Primary Team strike a pose in their final Zoom training session | Image by Chatteris
The Primary Team strike a pose in their final Zoom training session | Image by Chatteris

After their release from quarantine, the new tutors set out exploring Hong Kong before joining the rest of the team for further face-to-face training. A lack of in-person students meant it was fellow Chatteris staff who sat behind the desks in a day of mock lessons.

Senior Chatteris Tutor Emmie practices her classroom management skills on Programme Management Team member Carli | Image by Chatteris
Chatteris Tutor Emmie practices her classroom management skills on Programme Management Team member Carli | Image by Chatteris

The school year started with a timetable of virtual lessons, which the team took on with ease. New groupings of tutors in schools gave second-year Chatteris Tutors opportunities to share their top online teaching tips with their newly arrived peers.

Secondary Tutors Caeti and Tommy deliver an online lesson from their school campus | Image by Chatteris
Starting her second year at her placement school, Chatteris Tutor Caeti shows the ropes to her new co-worker Tommy | Image by Chatteris

At the end of September, Mid-Autumn Festival gave the team a well earned break as well as an opportunity to celebrate and learn about Hong Kong customs.

Primary Tutor Grace and her colleague Ms Chan enjoy some traditional Mid-Autumn Festival treats | Image by Grace Baxendine
Chatteris Tutor Grace from our Primary Programme enjoys some traditional Mid-Autumn Festival treats with her colleague Ms Chan | Image by Grace Baxendine

Seizing any excuse for a celebration, a number of tutors also recognised some less mainstream holidays…

Justine, from our Post-Secondary Programme, teaches her students origami for International Cat Day | Image by Justine Tizzard
Justine, from our Post-Secondary Programme, teaches her students origami for International Cat Day | Image by Justine Tizzard

As the pandemic in Hong Kong progressed through its second, third, and fourth waves, our tutors found innovative ways to ensure their teaching remained up to scratch while adhering to pandemic restrictions.

Chatteris Tutors Greta and Jonathan swap their surgical masks for plastic shields in phonics lessons to ensure their students can see their mouth shape for the correct pronunciation | Image by Greta Brown
Chatteris Tutors Greta and Jonathan swap their surgical masks for plastic shields in phonics lessons to ensure their students can see their mouth shape for the correct pronunciation | Image by Greta Brown

As restrictions on sports were eased, Chatteris FC returned to the pitch with a new squad of tutors and alumni. Their two-match season may have seen a total of five goals scored, but the memories made were innumerable.

Chatteris FC players Hermione and Aishe smile with their opponents after their first match | Image by Chatteris
Chatteris FC players Hermione and Aishe smile with their opponents after their first match | Image by Chatteris

Throughout the year, many of our tutors chose to volunteer their time through our Community Outreach Programme with partner organisations such as Loving Kids Community Centre and TCK Learning Centre for Migrant Workers. Altogether we worked with 600 beneficiaries over 200 hours of volunteering.

A team of tutors run a colouring-in activity after a Gruffalo themed workshop at Loving Kids Community Centre | Image by Chatteris
A team of tutors run a colouring-in activity after a Gruffalo themed workshop at Loving Kids Community Centre | Image by Chatteris

Fast forward to Christmas time and our tutors had themed lessons and activities coming out their ears. Many well-behaved classes with complete incentive schemes were rewarded with a visit from Santa Claus.

Students at one of our 'One for One, Adopt a School' campuses try their hand at building a gingerbread house with the help of Chatteris Tutor Paddy | Image by Chatteris
Students at one of our primary campuses try their hand at building a gingerbread house with the help of Chatteris Tutor Paddy | Image by Chatteris

In the New Year, more students were back in the classroom although travel restrictions maintained the opportunity gap between Cross Boundary Students and their Hong Kong based counterparts. Through a careful balancing act, Chatteris Tutors ensured their classrooms were inclusive and interactive for students attending both online and in person.

Two keen Primary 4 students participate in a class quiz | Image by Chatteris
Two keen Primary 4 students participate in a class quiz | Image by Chatteris

This year saw us expand our English learning support to kindergarten students. Our tutors ran weekend classes to provide additional opportunities for young learners to practice their phonics skills.

Phonics lessons with Early Years students gave our tutors a high energy start to their weekend! | Image by Chatteris
Phonics lessons with Early Years students gave our tutors a high energy start to their weekend! | Image by Chatteris

In addition to lessons, our tutors strive to build students’ self-confidence through informal interactions outside of the classroom. While the year began with only online extra curricular activities, by May face-to-face English events provided valuable opportunities for fun, authentic language use.

A student tries their hand at stacking cups at an English funfair run by the Chatteris team | Image by Chatteris
At an English funfair, a student tries their hand at stacking cups under the guidance of Chatteris Tutor Eibhlin | Image by Chatteris

May zoomed around in a flash, marking the end of most Chatteris Tutors’ school placements. With heavy hearts our tutors bid farewell to the students who they’d learnt and grown alongside over the past academic year.

Chatteris Tutors Tommy and Caeti sent off their graduating Primary 6 students with a DIY ceremony | Image by Caeti Godly
Students at one of our One for One, Adopt a School’ partner schools celebrate their graduation with a DIY ceremony thrown by their Chatteris Tutors | Image by Caeti Godly

Despite all the challenges thrown at the world over the past year, our team of tutors have proved their resilience and dedication to serving our student and community beneficiaries. We are incredibly proud of our Chatteris community and look forward to welcoming a new cohort of tutors in August!

Interested in teaching English in Hong Kong? Apply now to become a Chatteris Tutor.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *