At Kent School, there is no person to whom the label “ambitious” may be applied as suitably as to Dr. Ann Meng. Dr. Meng currently teaches all levels of Chinese and is the sole constituent of the Chinese department.

Dr. Meng possesses a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Child Development. She has developed a number of learning theories about different age groups which have led her to teach Chinese at high schools—“high school students are simply the best learners, and Chinese is my home language,” Dr. Meng says.

Teaching Chinese as the only teacher in a boarding school has allowed her to develop a highly efficient and specialized teaching style, creating a unique experience for her students. Dualism between Western and Chinese policies, especially, contributes to this unique experience.

Dr. Meng is a very strict adherent of Chinese policies that she believes are necessary for not only learning Chinese, but also for building character. Dr. Meng used the term “a made man (做人, zuò rén)” to describe the goal of this character building. ‘A made student’ is “consistent and reliable” in their efforts to learn and “never gives up.” She despises students that say, ‘Oh, that’s too hard for me, I’m going to quit.’ “I want to see students put effort into their learning and realize their own potential,” says Dr. Meng.

But Dr. Meng’s lessons also incorporate the fact she is teaching at a Western-style boarding school. For example, Dr. Meng alters the pace of her classes to fit the needs of the students, which is only possible with a small class size. If her students are stressed and under pressure, or are simply learning at a slower place, she will slow down and help them out, because she believes that “adjusting to Chinese is a very difficult task. Some students adjust slower than others, and if they really put effort into learning Chinese, they deserve help.” Since she is the only Chinese teacher and will teach the same student for three or four years, she develops extensive personal relationships with her students making Chinese memorable and enjoyable for both teacher and student.

Dr. Meng is an invaluable member of the Kent School faculty—she is not just a teacher, but a guiding mentor to every student that seeks her out.