In the past five years at BSM, five Chinese teachers have come and gone resulting in inconsistency in the program. Along with this disparity, the program has been given a deadline to shut down at the end of next year.

Ms. Zhao was hired as the replacement at the beginning of this year and had another short-lived experience at BSM, leaving after the first semester. Ms. Su has become the replacement and plans to stay until the end of the program. Students such as Dominic Argenta have felt that the mix of Chinese teachers has brought in a wide sense of culture from multiple generations and has made learning much more interesting. He thinks that although there has been difficulty in new teaching styles almost every year, it has given students adaptability in how to learn. “I think that bringing a lot of different teaching styles to the program has helped us learn in a variety of different ways. It’s a blessing in disguise,” Argenta said.

The first year as a teacher at a new school is always tough, and even more so during a pandemic. Su’s teaching experience consists of being a substitute teacher for the past three years and a Chinese tutor for the last ten. Even in these trying circumstances, Su is optimistic about the year and her career at BSM. “I feel good. I love it, and I heard this school is well known in this town, so I’m so excited,” Su Said.

Although she has only been at BSM for a couple weeks, Su highlighted some of her favorite parts of the school and community. She said that she really liked the support system BSM offers because there’s always someone to talk to whenever there is a problem of some kind, especially as a new teacher.

Su also discussed how within the language department, Ms. Hansen, Spanish teacher and the head of the BSM language department, has helped a lot with feeling supported as a new teacher with very small things such as having lunch with each other and introducing her to the faculty. “I like the support on the technology side. Especially Peter, but yeah, he helps me a lot…Megan and the other language teacher because we have lunch together,” Su said.