The origin of Vaughan's interest in studying English and what it means for other students in China and across the world. Vaughan对学习英语兴趣的来源及它可以为中国其他英语学习者带来的启示:
"What do you think are the odds that you’ll be accepted into Jiangxi Normal University?" my mum started to bother me again with same the clichéd question. "Oh, my God! Could you please give me a break? I’ve told you countless times before that I have confidence in making it. Why is it that you don't believe in me?" I replied impatiently.
To confess, being a Chinese high school student is a really challenging thing, especially in the third year when the dreaded college entrance examination is right around the corner. Throughout the course of high school, I hardly enjoyed any of the fun that ought to come with being a teenager; I felt pressure coming from all directions and instead of enjoying happiness, I struggled with breathlessness and fatigue. Every day, waking up at 6:30am, I hurried to school for my mandatory morning recital, which began at 7:00am. This did not leave enough time for sufficient rest. The earliest I could even think about going to bed was 11:00pm, which was when I finished my evening classes and finally returned home. Driven by my parents' expectations and by my own desire to stand out among my peers, I kept pushing myself harder and harder, which eventually caused me to become, in my opinion, a mentally unhealthy student. For instance, I used to over-emphasize the importance of grades and tests and I would do whatever it took to raise my score by even just one point. I studied for high grades instead of true knowledge, and I gradually found myself lost in the devastatingly fierce competition of the Chinese school system. I was afraid of failure, and became sensitive and easily irritable. Parents and teachers alike ignored the fact that I was losing out on a vital part of my adolescence. And the unfortunate fact is that my experience is shared by millions and millions of kids across this country. The adults in my life thought I was too young to make any independent decisions and they were possessive of me. The headmaster of my school even forbade my classmates and I from taking PE class because he thought we should pay more attention to the coming college entrance examination. This year, I heard that approximately twenty thousand high school students in Chongqing city alone have dropped out of school at the third grade because they thought the Chinese college entrance examination could do no good for their future. Well, while I don't totally agree with their decision to quit school, I am sure that the Chinese education system is in dire need of change. And not just a small change; a revolutionary one.
Before my enrollment into JXNU, I always imagined my college experience would consist largely of me resting peacefully in the shade of a big tree, arms and legs outstretched, the soft grass cushioning my body. I would be reading my favorite book and bunches of college students would be laughing and chatting happily around me. I would talk to my friends about all different kinds of issues, and we’d follow global issues very carefully. How wonderful it would be! However, when I actually arrived here, I found that students weren’t interested in anything except the grades on their tests and playing video games in their spare time. All they did was complain about how boring and tiresome college life was. Well, what's the cause of this problem? Are students naturally gifted complainers? Are kids not being challenged enough? Are the wrong incentives in place? To find out the answer, I spoke with many of my peers and asked them the same quesitons. While the responses I got were varied, they are all interesting and worth listening to.
The most common response I got was that students have trouble finding good friends and/or confidants. Why? Well, due to the one-child policy, most Chinese parents have just one child and these moms and dads treat their children like "pearls in the palm," which actually does very little good for a child's interpersonal growth. Children are spoiled and become self-centered at a very early age. They develop very little sense of what it means to share and tolerate others. Parents regard schooling and grades as the magic keys to every door while ignoring the importance of many essential qualities such as true friendship, cooperation, and following one’s heart.
Another common response I got from students was that they are simply not interested in learning for learning’s sake or broadening their intellectual horizons. In college, most students continue employing the old learning methods they used high school and are not active in exploring new topics. Instead of asking questions or being creative, they just take notes of exactly what the lecturers say in class and come test time, recite them back mechanically. Due to a serious lack of opportunities, students are unaccustomed to putting theories into practice. Some college students may even give up studying altogether and only seek the pleasure of games and the opposite sex. I personally know many boys in my school that spend at least 12 hours a day playing computer games or hanging out with friends. They have little time for study and think college is the final stage of their life, which in my eyes is really wasteful. So many great minds and ideas are not being nurtured simply because of the structure of the Chinese education system. College is no longer a glorious place for people to study and seek knowledge, but rather a horrible land for people to end their dreams. In my mind, we need to end the over-emphasis on grades and start cultivating students' interest in independent self-driven learning.
Currently, China's Central Education Department is in the process of making some big changes to the college entrance examination system, which is one important way to bring a bright future to the minds of China. Another way – a way that is within reach of each and every one of us – is to embrace the ideals of mutual understanding, true knowledge, and intellectual/cultural exchange. Engage with people that are different from you, share with them your culture and knowledge, and listen to others’ ideas. Take criticism seriously and praise lightly and continue to seek answers to unanswered questions. Pursue growth and improvement. We as students are the ones suffering from limited opportunities for creativity and personal development, so we as students need to make a change. I hope CUKE can serve as a model for this beautiful future. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
