29 January 2013
SUCCESS: Poly student Shannon Cheng (9) has lived in America for only a few months, but she has already created a name for herself.
By Kira Roybal, Staff Writer
Throughout time, philosophers have tried to concoct a formula for the meaning of life. Perhaps the answer is happiness or love or freedom; but what, then, is the origin of these answers? Well, this ancient ancestor is success. It’s a universal and timeless ancestor, following man from his roots in Africa to his expansion into Asia, Europe and the Americas. It drives mankind to pursue its goals, no matter how small they may be.
Shannon Cheng came to America five months ago to do just that. She and her parents left their native Taoyuan, Taiwan to live in a foreign country on the other side of the world.
Cheng moved to America in order to pursue her academic goals. Her brother currently attends UCR, though Cheng is not sure whether or not she will do the same. She explained that universities like Stanford may be prestigious, but they are harder to succeed in; smaller colleges, like UCR, allow their students more one-on-one time with teachers, which gives students an upper hand in their academic pursuits.
Before she heads off to college, Cheng must first finish high school like the rest of Poly’s students. Schooling back in Taiwan takes a different approach than in America. Students do not travel from one classroom to another in order to get to their next class; that’s the teacher’s job. Lectures are a main component of teaching. Cheng said that “[the way] they teach [is] a little bit boring. They keep going on and on, and even speed up a little bit.”
High school students in America have that one special test to worry over: the SAT. Taiwanese students take a similar test, which they must do well on in order to advance into higher learning. Cheng said that this test used to be mandatory, but now it is only recommended. “90 percent to 95 percent will take [the test]. We need to study everyday,” she said.
Besides adjusting to the California school system, Cheng has also had to acclimate to American society. “People here are much more outgoing. People hug here, but people in Taiwan don’t. It’s just a different culture,” she said.
Another rather large difference between the two cultures is the language. Cheng said that her greatest disadvantage is her limited English vocabulary. She took English classes in Taiwan, but these moved at a slow pace. “Right now they’re probably still going through [how to use] ‘although’ and ‘but,’” Cheng said. She learned English by reading books; her mother bought her English books since Cheng was a young girl, and the two would practice reading them together.
Successfully learning a foreign language is the product of environment, but math is a universal method of communication. Cheng is currently participating in the CML (California Mathematics League) program; this organization provides mathematically gifted students with the tools needed to stimulate their interest and confidence in math. As part of Poly’s involvement with CML, Cheng and numerous other students take a series of quizzes (six in total) throughout the year; each quiz has six questions, though scoring a perfect six is a rarity. On the latest quiz, Cheng scored a five. She was modest about her achievement, however, simply mentioning that someone else did score higher.
Like many other students, Cheng is not sure about what the future may hold for her. She is certain about one thing, though: “I want to do well. My dad and mom spend a lot of money on me, [so I] should have some positive results.” This is the meaning of success; not being rich, famous or number one, but striving to achieve a goal – like scoring a perfect six.
Life may be full of changes, such as moving from Taiwan to America, but Cheng tries to keep her objectives in perspective. Her secret to cracking the CML quizzes is universal for any pursuit: “I just stay calm and tell myself that the questions aren’t that hard.”