The 32nd Joint-School Teachers’ Development Day of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong was held today under the theme “Positive Well-being for Teachers: Body, Mind and Spirit”. On a day marked by gratitude and deep reflection, colleagues from across the Lutheran family gathered to ask how, in a fast-changing age and under heavy work pressure, educators can recover the first love of teaching and the resilience of life through faith, self-awareness and the care of the soul. For YLLSS, however, the brightest and most moving moment of the day was the presentation of the 30-Year Long Service Award to our Vice-Principal, Ms TANG Chi-lai.
The programme was rich and searching. Dr LAU Wai-hoi, Deputy Head of the Education Ministry, opened the day with a welcome address. Rev. LAU Yan-tak then preached a sermon that wove science and faith together. With a sleight-of-hand at the tip of a pen, photographs of the real night sky, and a comparison of the speeds of different forms of transport, he reminded us that many of life’s dead ends, and the life-and-death moments faced by young people, often call for a truth beyond worldly knowledge — a “decoder” for the heart. Ms Shirley Loo, JP, then spoke plainly and practically about how teachers can look after themselves when dealing with parents and with psychological pressure. She set out seven principles of teacher self-care (ABCDEFG): awareness, balance, clear communication, dreams, empathy, a support system, and the gathering of positive strength. Each sharing fell like timely rain on weary hearts, reminding everyone present that only when we first tend to our own inner life can we walk the longer road.
The most stirring moment of the whole gathering came when Bishop LEUNG Mei-ying stepped forward to present souvenirs and the Long Service Awards. As Vice-Principal Ms TANG went up to receive her award, the hall broke into the loudest cheers, shouts and applause of the day. That applause was not only a tribute to thirty years of quiet, selfless service. It was the unspoken respect of every colleague. Thirty winters and summers have passed, yet her passion for education, her care for students and her loyalty to the school have not faded by a single shade.
At the close of the day, Principal Mr WAN, Chairperson of the Organising Committee, delivered the vote of thanks. He spoke with gratitude for the fine weather given from above, and still more for the steadfast support and companionship of the guests, the organising team and the entire staff. In an age of constant change, he said, a teaching team that watches over one another and walks in one heart is the school’s most precious asset. He also thanked Rev. Rev. Samuel LAU and Ms Shirley LOO for sharing that filled frontline teachers with fresh spiritual and psychological strength for the journey ahead.
