Liberal Studies @ IKTMC

Liberal Studies is a combination of many educational tasks. A famous man of letters, Han Yu (韓愈), had a famous quote that, ‘The job of a teacher is to teach the fundamental way of being a person, the knowledge and skills to contribute to the society, and to help students tackle frustrations in the game of life.’ (『師者，所以傳道、授業、解惑也。』)

Liberal Studies is an attempt to facilitate our students to understand the world in an open-minded and liberal way and construct their worldview. Thus, Liberal Studies fits Han Yu’s definition of the role of a teacher.

One of the marvels of Liberal Studies in IKTMC is our tradition of organizing plenty of activities to facilitate students to see the world.

From time to time we have organized visits to various organizations and destinations in Hong Kong and Mainland China. A tram ride in Central helps new arrival students to get to know Hong Kong; a drama or a wonderful debate in the interactive educational centre of Oxfam makes the subject interesting.

A boat ride in Sai Kung sea or Tai O to understand traditional fisheries was an eye-opener. While wandering, appreciating the historical UNESCO heritage of Kaiping Guard Towers, singing, dancing and giggling with the primary students in a school in Guangxi, and feeling amazed at all the marvels and wonders at Shanghai Expo, would be unforgettable experience for many students.

Another gem of Liberal Studies is its high degree of autonomy in learning. We can probe deep into any relevant issues and learn through interactive ways.

I still recall the good old days when I taught students ‘racial equality’ and ‘equal opportunities’, we were reading Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ together.

I loved the moment when I was explaining to students the concept of self esteem by telling them many encouraging moments in my life. It was not about books or text, but life education. It is how one person influences others.

Enthusiastic teachers and their curious students together can always make Liberal Studies very fruitful. It is always the best gift and motivation for our teachers when students say ‘You have guided us to see the whole world.’