Hong Kong Principal Shares Personal Journey from 'Crybaby' to 'Troublemaker', Urges Parents Not to Rush Judgments
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago6 MIN
Summary
The principal of Fukien Secondary School Affiliated Primary School, Chui Au Yi-wa (徐區懿華), has published a reflective essay sharing her personal journey from being a troublesome child to becoming an educator who advocates for understanding children's hidden needs. On her first day of kindergarten, she was so overwhelmed by the unfamiliar environment filled with strangers that she clung to the doorframe, wailing uncontrollably. Her teacher did not force her inside but instead took her to play gross motor games, allowing her emotions to gradually settle. During primary school, she transitioned from a "crybaby" to a "troublemaker," consistently disrupting class by pushing pencil boxes off desks and poking her classmates' backs to create noise in the otherwise quiet classroom. The teacher punished her by barring her from outdoor recess for an entire month, even treating her as an adversary.
Key Points
- Chui Au Yi-wa (徐區懿華) is principal of Fukien Secondary School Affiliated Primary School and mother of three children
- On her first day of kindergarten, she clung to the doorframe crying and was not forced inside; instead, the teacher took her to play gross motor games to calm down
- In primary school, she became a "troublemaker," pushing pencil boxes and poking classmates' backs to create noise in the classroom
- The teacher punished her for a full month by preventing her from going outside during recess breaks
- She believes the crying stemmed from insecurity due to growing up in daycare rather than at home
- As an educator, she interprets her disruptive behavior as a sign of quick thinking that outpaced the slow classroom pace
Why It Matters
This personal narrative from a school principal carries significant weight in Hong Kong's competitive education landscape, where parental anxiety about children "losing at the starting line" is pervasive. By sharing her own transformation from a child once deemed "difficult" to a successful educator, Chui offers a powerful counter-narrative to the tendency to pathologize normal childhood behaviors, encouraging educators and parents to investigate underlying needs rather than simply punishing symptoms .
This personal narrative from a school principal carries significant weight in Hong Kong's competitive education landscape, where parental anxiety about children "losing at the starting line" is pervasive. By sharing her own transformation from a child once deemed "difficult" to a successful educator, Chui offers a powerful counter-narrative to the tendency to pathologize normal childhood behaviors, encouraging educators and parents to investigate underlying needs rather than simply punishing symptoms .