Faculty Profile: Shimin Zhou

Serendipitous twists and turns in her life helped connect Shimin Zhou and Milton Academy. She grew up during the Cultural Revolution in Tianjin, China’s third largest city.  During this period, the education system came to a halt and many universities were closed. Fortunately, the year when Shimin was of college age, entrance exams were restored and campuses opened.  Students could write their college choices and were placed based on their exam scores. All of Shimin’s choices were ignored. Instead, Beijing Normal University, the top teacher training college, recruited her because the country needed good teachers, a profession much maligned during the Cultural Revolution. “I figured that when I was a student, I always wanted good teachers and since they thought I was good material, I would go for it.”

After she graduated, she taught at a competitive high school in Beijing. She loved her profession and her school, refusing many opportunities to teach other places. In 1986, she and her colleagues had the opportunity to come to Milton on a one-year teacher exchange program. Shimin did not put her name on the list, because she had a young child at home. But once again, fate intervened and she was chosen. “It was like another miracle. ” She came by herself, leaving her 3-year-old son and husband behind. Although this was difficult, she wanted to be a good ambassador. This opportunity planted a seed for her future at Milton.

After living again in China and then California, she returned to Milton in 1996 to to help staff the academic skills center.  In 1998 she joined the Modern Languages faculty and taught Chinese. She and her family moved into Hallowell House, where she has been ever since.  On her long weekend duty each year, she cooks full traditional Chinese meals with the students.

“I really love those girls. I feel I’m responsible because they are coming from home. I’m glad I can take care of them, and learn and share with them. We are a big happy family.”

Shimin has taught all levels of Chinese at Milton and now teaches Chinese II and IV. She couldn’t be more enthusiastic about teaching this challenging language.

“Teaching and learning go hand and hand. For me, I learn from the students. I think about what I wanted from a teacher when I was a student. I try to put myself in my students’ shoes. I’m always trying to be a good role model. Whatever work I ask my students to do, I always check it — every single assignment. My door is always open for any student who needs help.  Whatever I can do to reach and help a student makes me happy.”

Shimin also enjoys Milton student’s spirit. “The students work hard and are motivated to learn, but they also work in some fun.  They make learning fun.”

 

Back to Mod. Languages

Faculty Hugo Caraballo (2008) Modern Language B.A., Colby College Séverine Carpenter (2009) Modern Language Technicien Supérieur en Commerce International Mark Connolly (2002) Modern Language B.A., College of the Holy Cross M.A., Boston College Tracy Crews (2005) Modern Language B.A., Eastern University M.A., Middlebury College Bill Hamel (2001) Modern Language B.A., M.A., SUNY Albany Laurence Huughe (2004) Modern Language B.A., M.A., University of Paris IV—Sorbonne Ph.D., Brown University Isabelle Lantieri (2001) Modern Language B.S., Universite de Paris Victor Llacuna (2003) Modern Language B.A., Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona M.Ed., University of Barcelona M.A., Boston College Cedric Morlot (2010) Modern Language B.A., University of Nancy II, France Michael P. Murray (1986) Modern Language B.A., M.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst Mary Jo Ramos (1998) Modern Language B.A., Universidad de Puerto Rico M.A., University of New Mexico Lydia Thorp (2010) Modern Languages B.A., Skidmore College Sonia Perez-Villanueva (2010) Modern Languages B.A., M.A., University of the Basque Country Ph.D., University of Birmingham Shimin Zhou (1998) Modern Language B.A., Beijing Normal University, China