Timon Xue, an Interpreter Before, PE Teacher Now!
Teachers in the Spotlight
Timon Xue is the new 29-year-old, 1.88-meter-tall PE teacher at Dulwich International High School Suzhou. Before joining us, he worked as an interpreter at Jiangsu Dragons Kentier basketball club for five years. When he came to Dulwich, Timon immediately felt it was “a very positive working environment.”
1 Jiangsu interpreter
“Jiangsu interpreter” used to be Timon Xue’s professional title. In 2015, Timon (graduate student in physical education and basketball training at Capital University of Physical Education and Sports) began his internship as an interpreter in Jiangsu Dragons Kentier basketball club. He was responsible for the communication between players and foreign coaches, as well as foreign aids. “I was very interested in my basketball major, and I wanted to utilize my English skills fully, so I chose to join the team as an interpreter, “he said.
Back then, about 30 people were in the Jiangsu Dragons Kentier basketball club, including about seven foreigners. As the only interpreter for the team, Timon was responsible for the communication and coordination between foreign coach and Chinese management leaders, foreign coach and players, as well as foreign players and Chinese players. In addition to daily training and competitions, he was also responsible for travel arrangements. The club frequently flew to three cities a week. Timon needed to adjust his mindset and make emergency plans as soon as possible to deal with flight delays or other emergencies. “It was difficult time for me to find a balance between work and study. In 2017, in the last year of the postgraduate program, I wrote my thesis on the plane and train. When I went to a city, I had to prepare for the competition and training first and stay up late at night writing my thesis.” In the end he completed his thesis and graduated, then became a full-time interpreter.
Over five years at the club, Timon translated about 1000 matches. He has travelled to almost all the provinces in China and has also been to the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, and other countries. Many TV stations have interviewed him, and enthusiastic fans often asked for a photo with Timon after the game. “There would be people taking pictures with me and people asking me questions on Weibo. I remember one time in Suzhou, someone took a picture with me and uploaded it to Weibo, saying ‘today I saw the handsome, down-to-earth, and lovely boy again.’”
Timon said what he learned from the club most was the importance of communication and coordination in interpersonal relationships. “The most important thing I’ve learned in recent years is how to deal with people and communicate effectively. Communication is an instrumental skill for teaching students in school.”
2 Dulwich Life
In September 2020, Timon resigned from the Jiangsu Dragons Kentier basketball club. “The work pace of the team was too fast, and I didn’t have time to learn or improve. I realized that I still needed to work hard and improve, so I needed to find a job that provides a good work-life balance. I think teaching was a good choice.”
In March 2021, Timon joined Dulwich. Although he made many preparations before entering the school, the teaching model and style of Dulwich International High School Suzhou still made him feel fresh and new. “In many public schools, PE is more for students to learn a specific sport. At Dulwich International High School Suzhou, sports are used as a medium to cultivate students’ comprehensive ability, including their teamwork, communication, how to win and lose with dignity and respect their opponents in the competition. These skills are taught with words and deeds through sports. Students may not continue with many sports after graduation. But it is still meaningful to use PE as a medium for them to learn transferable skills, which overset my understanding of physical education. “
Timon believes that PE at our school is student-oriented. It allows students to create their own rules, analyse and solve problems by themselves. Taking handball as an example, the PE teacher will give the students some basic rules. Then, they will design their own practice and cooperation methods for a fixed ten-minute time period according to these rules. After that, the students will be divided into groups for competition. Finally, the PE teacher will give feedback based on the competition. “Instead of teaching students that you should put your hand here to pass, we are giving them some hints, that is, how can you pass the ball to your goal, or how to ensure that your partner will not make mistakes in passing, we give students a framework for them build a complete understanding. “
A PE class usually has 20 to 25 students and lasts for one hour. In the role of trainee PE teacher, Timon has to cooperate with other PE teachers. He is usually responsible for the first 20 minutes of the lesson. Timon gives instructions and plays sports videos on the big screen in the gymnasium at our school and explains professional English sports terms to lower school students on the blackboard. For safety reasons, the school requires students to change into sportswear and sports shoes before a PE class and remove any sharp objects. Female students need to tie up their hair to avoid sports-related injuries.
Timon is delighted with his work. “The working environment at Dulwich is very positive, and my colleagues take the initiative to help me. They give me the self-confidence to let me do what I need to improve. The environment is very efficient and full of positive energy. “
3 Tips for English - Learning
om a Bachelor of sports training (basketball) in Capital University of Physical Education And Sports to a master of sports education and training (basketball), Timon has won six first-class scholarships in seven years. He has excellent academic scores. To prepare for CET-4 and CET-6, Timon taught himself English since he was a university student. “At the beginning, I took a lot of detours, because there was no English in my immediate environment, so I didn’t know where to start. Then I started with simple words and grammar. As a language learner, I thought learning grammar and sentence structure can lay a good foundation for writing, reading, listening, and speaking abroad. Slowly, after I met more foreigners, I realized that listening and speaking are also essential, so I spent a lot of time listening and speaking. One way is to read first, then recite, and finally retell. “
Sports schools are renowned for their strict military-style management. The Capital University of Physical Education and Sports students need to get up at 6:30 and run, and breakfast is from 7:00 to 8:00. The morning class is from 8:00 to 12:00, and the afternoon class is from 1:00 to 4:00. After the intense and busy physical training, it was Timon’s English learning time. “At that time (after 4 o’clock), I was the only one who could occupy a whole classroom. From freshman to senior, I always went back to the dormitory about 10:30, when the lights turn off. I spent all my time playing basketball and learning English.
Despite the years that have passed since he graduated, Timon still keeps reading and exercising. He is a regular participant in the “Baitang Park Run” with his colleagues and enjoys spending the weekend in the library. As for his plans, Timon says: “I want to be satisfied with myself in the present, challenge myself, and constantly improve.”
