A Reflection of Teaching Life: Tig Saib Txoj Khwv Hauv Lub Neej

A Reflection of Teaching Life

After retiring, I had a chance to reflect on my past career. Being a teacher, I not only taught in the classroom, but also was involved in work outside and inside of school. I will walk you through my teaching job, my family life, and other community work.

My first 13 years of my teaching in Minneapolis Public schools, I had so much energy to teach students, to do after school activities, and to be involved in other things. In my bilingual classroom, I taught Math, Social Studies, Economic, Health, and a Hmong language class. Each subject had its own challenge: both the concepts and the English language. To get the concepts to the students, I had to do my best in translating the English words into Hmong words, but it was very difficult because Hmong does not have technical words. Most of the time, I had to explain around the concepts and to give students real examples. In my Hmong class, I even faced a greater challenge because it had no curriculum and no printed resources. As a result, I had to develop my curriculum from scratch. My Hmong class consisted of students that were non-Hmong, illiterate Hmong, and literate Hmong, so my curriculum had to meet Hmong as a Second Language, Beginning Hmong, Advanced Hmong, and Enrichment Hmong. The class seemed to be unrealistic and unteachable, but it was possible through the great behavior and motivation of my students. Once I taught a group a lesson, they would do their work independently without causing any disruption. Besides the regular teaching, I often did after school activities such as leading a Hmong newsletter group, meeting with students for the Hmong New Year Celebration, and sport activities. Each school year, I had meetings with Hmong parents and attended parent teacher conferences in both English and Hmong.

The last half of my teaching career, I moved around the Twin Cities serving bilingual and mainstream students. When teaching mainstream classes, I taught math courses and left behind most after school activities and community work. These mainstream classes were in the middle schools, so I attended more college courses for my middle school endorsement license. My energy had been drained through the year, so I opted to take an early retirement.

My family life included school work, college courses, family duties, and children’s education. After a day of work, I found no time to rest at home. Each night, I corrected student assignments and prepared lessons. The thing that consumed most my time was the correction of Hmong essay papers which had to align closely to English essay structure and grammar. The reason to follow English writing structure and grammar was due to the fact that Hmong never had to write papers or understand formal grammar. Along with lesson preparation and school work, some nights I took college courses to improve my teaching skills and to advance my educational degree. Little time was left for my own children, but it was still enough to check their school work and to play with them. During the weekend, we had time for outdoor activities such as picnics, fishing, and shopping. Being involved in my children’s education was not only at home. I also participated with the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and became a member of the school site council. In the PTO meetings, we shared ideas, concerns, and teacher’s needs. We fundraised to buy needed school materials or to reimburse teachers who bought needed supplies for their classrooms. The site council, on the other hand, looked at data and information with regard to student learning and programs; it also allocated funds to meet students’ needs.

Community work covered a wide range of duties. I was the president of Hmong Parent Teacher Organization in Minneapolis in the late 1980’s to 1990’s. This organization was to educate Hmong parents to support their schools and to understand the school services that their children received. In addition, I participated in various Hmong non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities, attended workshops, and community meetings. My community work also extended to serving my church in various positions, from Sunday School teacher to elder. To improve my faith and serving others, I attended Sunday School and took college courses. Sunday School provided an ongoing Bible study, while college courses provided certificates and degrees. All my studies improved my faith, my service, and my becoming like Christ.

While writing this paper, I realized that my teaching responsibilities, my family obligations, and community involvements were very complicated. I could not figure out how I did them, but they blended seamlessly with my teaching life. This does not mean that I did not struggle and become exhausted. It only meant that once I retired from my teaching career, I recovered and forgot all about the demanding and complicated work. I believe that all teachers work hard and they performed more than double work of other professions. Teachers are to be appreciated and supported at all levels because their tireless work brings success to the most important members of our nation.

Teaching Recources Authors

Muaj Siab Kawm Ntawv Hmoob:

The Joy of Learning Hmong Alex Lo and Lee Thao

Brief History of the United State Neng Yang and Lee Thao

Brief Hmong History in Laos Neng Yang and Lee Thao

Health and AIDS Lee Thao

Guide for Hmong Writing Michael Yang and Lee Thao

Hmong curriculum Lee Thao

Hmong Primary Book Kia Yang & Hmong Literacy Committee

Tig Saib Txoj Khwv Hauv Lub Neej

Tomqab so dejnum, kuv muaj caij rov tig saib kuv txoj khwv yav tas los. Kev ua ib tug leeskais, kuv tsis yog qhia hauv chav qhia ntawv xwb, tiamsis kuv ua ntau yam num sab hauv thiab nraud. Kuv yuav piav txog kuv teg num qhia ntawv, kuv tsevneeg lub neej, thiab haujlwm zejzog.

Thawj 13 lub xyoos uas kuv qhia ntawv rau cov cheevtxuj hauv nroog Minipauliv, xeev Minisautas, kuv muaj lub siab kub lug qhia cov meyes, pab lawv tomqab lawb ntawv, thiab ua lwm yam num. Hauv kuv chav qhia ob seemlus (bilingual class), kuv qhia Zauv, Livxwm, Economics (kev siv nyiaj txog khoom thiab num), qhia kev noj qab haus huv (health), thiab qhia ntawv Hmoob. Txhua yam kev kawm nyias muaj nyias qhov nyuaj: cov tswvyim thiab lus Akiv. Kev muab tej tswvyim rau cov meyes, kuv yuav tau ua tib zoo txhais lus Akiv rau lus Hmoob. Thaum peb tsis muaj lus Hmoob rau lus Akiv mas kev qhia ntawv kuj nyuaj kawg li. Kuv yuav tau siv ntau lolus Hmoob los piav lub tswvyim kom lawv paub lossis muab ua lus pivtxwv rau lawv. Hauv kuv chav Hmoob mas hajyam nyuaj vim peb yeej tsis muaj tus lw qhia thiab ntaub ntawv los peb tsis muaj. Yog li no, kuv thiaj tau pib thiab pheev txhua yam tshiab. Chav Hmoob no muaj cov menyuam uas tsis yog Hmoob, cov menyuam uas tsis paub ntawv Hmoob, thiab cov menyuam uas twb paub nyeem thiab sau ntawv Hmoob lawm. Thaum zoo li hais no, kuv yuav tau baj kev qhia li Hmoob hom lus thib 2, Hmoob qib pib, Hmoob qib txawj, thiab Hmoob qib nrhiav tswvyim. Chav Hmoob no yog ib chav uas wim li tsis muaj tseeb thiab qhia tsis tau. Tiamsis nws muaj tseeb thiab kuv qhia tau vim cov meyes muaj tus cwjpwm zoo thiab lawv muaj siab kawm heev. Tomqab kuv qhia ib pab lawm, lawv mus kawm lawv ntawv thiab lawv tsis phov rau lwm pab. Dhau ntawm txoj kev qhia ntawv, kuv tseem coj pab sau xovxwm Hmoob, sablaj nrog cov meyes txog Hmoob lub tsiab 30, thiab lwm yam kev ua si. Txhua xyoo, kuv tseem muaj sablaj nrog niamtxiv Hmoob thiab nrog lawv taug menyuam tej kev kawm.

Ib nrab ntawm kuv lub neej qhia ntawv txuas wiv, kuv ho ncig mus qhia ntawv rau ntau lub cheevtxuj hauv Nroog Waib. Tej thaum kuv kuj qhia cov chav ob seemlus, tiamsis feem ntau kuv qhia cov chav ib seemlus, lus Akiv. Thaum qhia cov chav ib seemlus lawm, kuv qhia cov chav zauv lawm xwb. Ntu ntawd, kuv tso tej dejnum tomqab lawb ntawv thiab tej dejnum zejzog. Cov chav ib seemlus no yog nyob rau cov cheevtxuj qib nrab (qib 6 txog qib 8). Yogli no, kuv thiaj mus kawm wiv kom kuv tau daim ntawv pov thawj qhia ntawv qib nrab. Txoj kev khwv ntau lub xyoo tau ua rau kuv lub zog qaug zujzus, kuv thiaj li xaiv so ua ntej kuv lub hnub nyoog.

Hauv tsev, kuv muaj num cheevtxuj, num kev kawm, num tsevneeg, thiab num rau kuv cov menyuam kev kawm. Tomqab ua haujlwm ib hnub, kuv yeej tsis muaj caij so hauv tsev. Txhua hmo, kuv yuav tau tshuaj kuv cov meyes tej ntaubntaw thiab baj kev qhia rau hnub tomntej. Qhov siv sijhawm ntau tshaj ces yog kuv tshuaj cov zajlus (essay) Hmoob uas yuav tau mus raws kom ze Mekas tus cai sau ntawv thiab Mekas tus cwjkais kabntaw. Peb ua li no vim peb Hmoob yeej tsis tau muaj kev sau zajlus thiab tsis muaj tus cwjkais kabntaw meej. Dhau tej num cheevtxuj, tej hmo kuv ho mus kawm ntawv txheej siab los pab kuv txoj kev qhia ntawv thiab kom kuv nce qib rau phab kev kawm. Ua tej dejnum li hais no tas ces sijhawm tshua tsawg heev rau kuv cov menyuam. Txawm li ntawd los kuv tseem muaj caij saib lawv tej kev kawm thiab nrog lawv ua mejis si. Ob hnub so (weekend), kuv tsevneeg kuj muaj sijhawm mus sab nraud, xws li noj mov hav zoo, nuv jes, thiab mus kav kiab kav khwv (tablaj). Kev pab kuv cov menyuam txoj kev kawm tsis xaus rau hauv tsev. Kuv tseem mus koom Koohaum Niamtxiv thiab Leeskais (PTO) thiab mus koom koomhaum tswj kev kawm (site council). Hauv lub Koomhaum Niamtxiv thiab Leeskais, peb tuaj sib tawm tswvyim, tham txog kev txhawjxeeb, tham txog kev cheemtsum ntawm cov leeskais, thiab nrhiav nyiaj los muas tej khoom qhia ntawv rau cov leeskais lossis thim nyiaj rau tej tug leeskais uas tau siv nyiaj muas khoom qhia ntawv rau nws chav lawm. Hauv lub koomhaum tswj kev kawm mas peb tshuaj xyuas menyuam tej kev kawm thiab cheevtxuj tej kev qhia; muab nyiaj siv kom raws li meyes tej kev cheemtsum.

Kuv li dejnum zejzog los muaj ntau. Kuv yog tus tuamtswj lub Koomhaum Niamtxiv thiab Leeskais Hmoob hauv nroog Minipauliv rau cov xyoo xaus 1980’s thiab cov xyoo 1990’s. Lub koomhaum no yog ua los qhia cov niamtxiv kom lawv paub txhawb lawv cov cheevtxuj thiab paub txog cheevtxuj tej kev pab cov menyuam. Dhau no kuv tseem mus koom ntau lub koomhaum hauv Nroog Waib, koom kev kawm, thiab kev sablaj. Kuv txoj kev koom zejzog no tseem los txuas mus rau kuv kev ua dejnum hauv tuamtsev pehawm Vajtswv. Kuv ua tus leeskais qhia hnub kaj mus txog rau tus txwjlaug. Yuav kom muaj txoj kev lojhlob ntawm phab kev jeeg thiab kev pab lwm tus, kuv kawm hnub kaj thiab kawm wiv hauv cheevtxuj txheej siab. Kev kawm hnub kaj yog kawm txog phau Vajlugkub hos kev kawm hauv cheevtxuj txheej siab yog kev kawm kom tau ntawv povthawj. Ob yam kev kawm no puasleej txhawb rau txoj kev lojhlob ntawm kev jeeg, kev pab lawm tus, thiab kev tig yoog tus Tswv Yexus Khetos.

Thaum kuv sau zajlus no, kuv pom tias tej num qhia ntawv, tej num pab tsevneeg, thiab tej num zejzog ntau thiab cov heev. Kuv tsis paub tias kuv ua li cas es kuv thiaj dhia tau tej num no, tiamsis zoo li tej num cia li sib dhos haum rau kuv txoj kev qhia ntawv. Nov tsis txhais tias kuv tsis jib teebmeem thiab kuv tsis sab. Nws tsuas qhia tias thaum kuv ua tej num no tiav log, kuv tseem khov kho thiab kuv hnov qab txhua yam uas nyuaj thiab covnyom yav dhau los. Kuv jeeg tias txhua tus leeskais ua dejnum hnyav, ntau tshaj 2 baug ntawm lwm txoj num. Txhua tus leeskais tsimnyom raug qhuas thiab txhawb nqa ntawm txhuaj leej txhua tus vim lawv txoj kev ua num nquag plias pab tau cov neeg tseemceeb rau lub tebchaws.

Cuabyeej Pabcuam qhia ntawv Cov Sau