TEDx Talks - Onwards to Success: Perseverance, Passion and the Journey of an Educator | Hooi Chee Mei | TEDxUTAR
Dr. Esther Huim narrates her transformation from a student who disliked English to becoming an English lecturer. Initially excelling in mathematics and sciences, she struggled with English due to a lack of interest in literature. Despite being denied her first choice in education, she pursued a degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) without a scholarship. Through perseverance, she graduated with first-class honors, motivated by the prospect of converting her student loan into a scholarship. Her interest in English grew through exposure to Applied Linguistics, where she found a connection between language and formulas, particularly in syntax. This newfound passion led her to pursue a master's degree and eventually a PhD, despite facing numerous challenges, including changing supervisors and financial difficulties. Dr. Huim emphasizes the importance of resilience, sharing how she overcame 20 job rejections before securing a position at Utah. She also highlights the significance of continuous learning and contributing to society through research and education. Her story serves as a motivational example of overcoming adversity and achieving success through determination and adaptability.
Key Points:
- Resilience is crucial; Dr. Huim overcame 20 job rejections and numerous academic challenges.
- Finding a personal connection to a subject can transform disinterest into passion, as seen with her interest in syntax.
- Continuous learning and adaptation are essential for personal and professional growth.
- Networking and seeking help from mentors and peers can provide crucial support during challenging times.
- Contributing to society through research and education can be fulfilling and impactful.
Details:
1. 📚 From English Hater to English Lecturer
- The speaker initially disliked English, as highlighted by the statement 'I hate English'.
- Despite this dislike, the speaker is now a lecturer at University tuu abdan utar, indicating a significant transformation in attitude.
- Key turning points or experiences that led to this change are not detailed but would provide valuable insight into the speaker's journey.
2. 🔬 A Passion for Science and a Twist of Fate
- The speaker is currently an English lecturer at Utah, highlighting a significant career transition from their academic strengths.
- In school, the speaker was a top scorer in mathematics and science, particularly excelling in physics and chemistry, indicating a strong foundation in scientific disciplines.
- Despite being a high achiever in science, the speaker scored lowest in English, which contrasts with their current role as an English lecturer.
- An intriguing journey of developing a passion for English will be shared, showcasing resilience and adaptability in overcoming academic challenges.
3. 🎓 Academic Challenges and the Pursuit of Excellence
- The speaker initially excelled in mathematics but struggled to maintain the same level of excellence in English due to a dislike for literature.
- Despite achieving good examination results (SPM and STPM), the speaker faced a setback when they were not granted their first choice to study sciences and were instead redirected to TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
- The speaker experienced disappointment in not receiving scholarships, but proactively discovered and applied for a PTPTN loan with the strategic goal of graduating with first-class honors to have the loan waived.
4. 📖 Discovering Love for Linguistics
- The candidate graduated with first-class honors despite significant financial struggles, including delayed PTPTN allowance, necessitating careful personal financial management.
- Transitioned from a practical science background to theoretical linguistics, requiring adaptation from using calculators to dictionaries and thesauruses.
- Faced challenges in understanding complex literary terms, seeking support from an English teacher father and literature-savvy friends.
- Developed a passion for linguistics, particularly in Applied Linguistics and syntax, inspired by an engaging lecturer.
- Discovered a strong interest in sentence structure and grammatical rules, leading to a newfound love for English.
5. 💪 Resilience and Achieving Mastery
- Graduated with first-class honors, leading to the waiving of a PTPM loan, demonstrating academic excellence.
- Encouraged by a PhD student to pursue a Master's, initially faced reluctance and struggled with English, highlighting personal growth and resilience.
- Successfully completed Master's in 2014 with a focus on syntax in Linguistics, overcoming intense scrutiny and self-doubt.
- Transitioned to PhD after analyzing complaint business letters, showing strategic decision-making and commitment to specialized study.
- Completed PhD in 2020, overcoming significant challenges such as changing supervisors and restarting the process, highlighting perseverance and adaptability.
6. 🤝 Overcoming Rejection and Embracing New Opportunities
- The speaker lost a part-time lecturing job due to COVID-19 in 2020, causing financial strain, but eventually graduated with a PhD in 2022 after a two-year delay, showcasing perseverance.
- Faced 20 rejections over 1.5 years before securing a position at Utah, illustrating resilience and persistence in the job market.
- Established a proofreading service during this time, growing it both locally and internationally, leveraging support from friends and family.
- Continued professional development through webinars and online conferences, emphasizing continuous learning.
- Participated in conferences and competitions, receiving awards and enhancing research impact, demonstrating the importance of persistence.
- A recent publication was accepted after 13 rejections, highlighting perseverance in academic publishing.
- Encourages resilience and stepping out of comfort zones to overcome adversity and achieve success.