How I spent the long vacation

Sunday, August 30, 2009

The long summer vacation is winding to a close. What have I been doing in the past two months? Aside from a short teaching enhancement course and the pilgrim tour in Korea, I have spent most of my time reading the ‘South China Morning Post’. Though a regular subscriber, I cannot do much reading on school days because of the tight work schedule. The most I can manage is one or two news articles and some opinion pieces by famous commentators. The purpose of the reading is mainly to keep myself adequately informed and to select current issues for my students to discuss in their Oral English class and to comment on as their weekly writing assignment. Thus targeted, the reading is lacking in depth and far from pleasurable.

During the holiday, however, I can read to my heart’s content. My favourite is the opinion page, ‘Leaders and Letters’. The editorial gives a clear picture of and comments on an issue of public concern. The column ‘Insight’ finds famous columnists putting forth their arguments about much-talked about topics. There are other voices in response to comments or giving their own. All in all, the page is a forum where different points of view are laid open to readers’ appreciation or criticism.

Aimed to impress the readers, the letters and articles are usually credited with the brevity and preciseness so often lacking in an ordinary kind of article. The use of exquisite language skills required of journalism makes the articles inviting and persuasive. Letters to the editor also draw attention to varied viewpoints about controversial topics.

Indeed, I am fascinated so much by this way of voicing one’s opinion that I have even submitted several letters to the editor, expressing my viewpoint about two issues, namely, ‘Pseudo-models at the Hong Kong Book Fair’ and ‘What I think about the drug-testing scheme’. To my great delight, both letters were published, one in the Internet Forum and the other on the main opinion page. The joy I felt was no less than a student’s when his work is accepted by the teacher.

I admire the columnists’ brilliant writing skills. I regret my inability to spend time developing these skills. But these excellent writers will always be my models reminding me of the need to keep trying to improve my own writing even though I will never be able to achieve their high standards.

The holiday having drawn to an end, I will once again be buried in work up to my neck. But I will still try to squeeze time for reading and writing and, above all, to learn from great writers and commentators.