The fire alarm sounded!

On Sunday, September 22, while I was teaching coding to elementary students of 9-11 years old at Wellesley Chinese Language School, the fire alarm unexpectedly blared through the building. I quickly instructed the children to leave, and soon, over 100 students and teachers gathered on the lawn outside. The fire trucks came promptly. After about half an hour of checks, we were cleared to return to the classroom.

Back inside, John, one of my students, mentioned that another child, Matthew, had pulled the fire alarm. I discreetly asked other students to confirm if they had seen Matthew activate it, then approached Matthew directly. He denied it in the beginning. To ease his fear of punishment, I offered him a lollipop, the treat I always brought me to my class for kids. I calmly encouraged him to be honest and take responsibility for his actions, reassuring him that the school would likely forgive a first offense. Eventually, Matthew admitted to pulling the alarm, explaining he hadn’t realized the consequences. I praised his courage in opening up to his mistake and assured him he’d made the right choice. Afterward, I spoke with the school principal about the incident, sharing my conversation with Matthew, and recommending a warning as punishment for this first mistake. I felt this approach would protect Matthew’s confidence and reinforce his honesty. I also committed to guiding him closely in future classes to prevent similar issues. The principal agreed with me.

This experience highlighted that teaching is more than delivering lessons- it is about characters building. Being a teacher as a volunteer, I care about my students and the school where I have worked. While nurturing the students’ responsibility and integrity, I have grown to be more responsible, resilient, and adaptable.