On Personalized Learning and Teaching

On Personalized Learning and Teaching

It is wildly believed in America that “learning has always been and always will be a personal matter”, quoted from Changing the School Learning Environment. In comparison, language teachers in China have begun to recognize this fact in recent years, yet most of us have not realized sound personalized teaching. Fortunately, I came to Yale and learned several effective methods from my tutors Carrie and Siggy to personalize education.

Last week, I observed Carrie’s writing class, which will definitely impact on my personalized teaching in future. Factually, I have never thought of a way to connect students personal feelings with the reading material; instead, Carrie did it by asking students to describe their sense of hearing in their house after reading a vivid description in The Class Castle. Hence, each student had solid experience to share and to write.

Also I will never forget Carrie’s beautiful tone with which she read the article for her students, successfully leading them to walk in to the author’s life. So when she asked who would like to read the next paragraph, I prayed there was no volunteer, for I aspired to continue listing to her voice, emotional and clear, perfectly matching the story. And this is the way a teacher shares her personal feelings with the students when they read together

The most forgettable scene is that yesterday Carrie shared her experience in Qinhuangdao, Hebei in China, which is also my hometown. She told her personal story and feelings so sincerely that she could not help shedding tears. At that time, I suddenly felt we were so close to each other as if we had known each other for many years although we come from different countries across thousands of miles.

In short, this is the power of sharing personal experience and feelings with students and personalizing students’ learning, thereby not only stimulating learners’ inspiration to write, but also helping them set up a harmonious relationship, which further improves students’ trust in their teacher.  

   

Several Touching Moments

Several Touching Moments

Admittedly, I am sensitive to love, love among strangers, and that coming from statues or even pictures. Until now I have lived in America for approximately a month, during which several touching moments have lingered.

Last Sunday, I went to church with my colleagues. That was the first time I listened to church songs and hugged strangers to wish each other peace and happiness. At that moment, a kind of nameless warm seized my mind consciously or unconsciously, illustrated by the tears turning around and around in my eyes. When I review that moment now, the most impressive picture in my inner heart was a woman with deep sincerity penetrating from her charitable eyes and gentle voice. Now I understand why in psychological treatment for a group has provided a warm greeting and touching fingers segment at the very beginning. It is designed to help people reach love coming from strangers and further obtain comfort for the soul .      

In addition to the touching moment provided by the strangers in church, I was also moved by the statues as well as pictures of mother and kids inside the metropolitan museum of art and the singer outside. In the museum, there are countless art treasures, but what attracted me most were the statues and pictures implying love between mother and kids, for I have missed my son very much in recent days. Only when a person’s inner need is touched, will she do a certain relative activities. Accordingly, you will understand why I took so many photos about the same eternal theme--mother and son in the museum.

When I came out of the museum, I found an American was singing classical Chinese songs such as Jasmine and Song of Going to School, etc.. Then, to my surprise, he sang our national anthem, which suddenly evoked my deep patriotism and without any hesitancy, my colleagues and I applauded for his talent and donated money to him.

The above-mentioned touching moments are only a tip of iceberg in my life in America. As a matter of fact, with a sensitive heart to love, we will unexpectedly meet amazingly wonderful people, scenes and stories.

A Walk into China----Hunan Taste

A Walk into China

              ----Hunan Taste

Today, it is our show time. As a member of Central South University who are taking part in a teaching program at Yale University, I have delivered a lecture on Chinese culture in term of Hunan taste in New Haven Free Public Library.  

Factually, last week the first group of my colleagues did a fantastic job, so you know how pressured we felt. Some of us  sought to find a more profound topic, but after thinking twice, I decided not to shift. Because plain as it may seem, food serves every person no matter where you come from or no matter who you are. And China is widely acknowledged to have the best food in the world, as in the common reflection in Asia: “the way to content is to live in a American house, to have a Japanese wife and to employ a Chinese cook”. More important is that, to a large extent, eating habit reflects a country’s cultural personality and philosophy. 

First, I showed a video clip of “A Bite of China” to the audience. In the video, we know there are so many kinds of pepper and chili serving cooking. And we make diverse chili sauce, hence being capable to cook plenty of famous local dishes. 

    What is more, In Hunan there is a famous saying like tongue twister: “不怕辣，辣不怕，怕不辣” in Chinese. This sentence means Hunan citizens like spicy food so much that they can not enjoy the meal without hot flavor. “辣”means spicy. 

And “spicy” is also used to describe personality. Ladies in Hunan are named spicy girls. Obviously, they do not refer to the English song group. Here “spicy” is used to describe people who are hot, frank, straight, brave, smart, and outspoken. And Song Zuying, a well-known cultural ambassador born in Hunan has sung a song spice girls to vividly describe Hunan ladies’ diet habit and character.

    In addition, it is believed that personality is influenced by eating habit. So we have hot dishes and spice girls. Further more, cooking skills, as the secret in the kitchen, reflect a nation’s philosophy and cultural personality. Concern of the excellence of food is found in all segments in the process of cooking for Chinese people. Timing beginning and ending, the degree of power in different stages and proportion of oil to water according to food all require specific knowledge. All of these factors are arranged in a delicate degree, which reflects the core of Chinese cultural personality: harmony. This is a kind of harmony of power, water and oil; and also a kind of harmony of color, flavor and taste.

   Moreover,Chinese people are very hospitable who love to share dishes they make. This picture reminds us of the happy time we shared dumplings and typical Hunan dishes with 15 colleagues and our tutors two weeks ago. Sharing food with others also shows  harmony among people, including family members, colleges, friends,and even friends coming from different countries. Because Chinese people never stop aspiring harmony of body, mind and soul as well as harmony of heaven, earth and human being.

    When I review the lecture today, I am so thankful for the support from Carrie, Siggy and Xia Feng, etc.. Without their help and encouragement, I would not finish this task. And I also want to show my gratitude to my unitive colleagues, like my family members, who are always considerate and supportive.

Unforgettable Trip to Newport and Boston

Unforgettable Trip to Newport and Boston

Last weekend, I started a new journey to Boston with my colleagues. Frankly speaking, we began this trip with doubt and regret because of misunderstanding of travailing route. But after the tour guide’s introduction, all of us were delighted with our unexpected good fortune, as the bus would send us back directly to Yale. Otherwise, we had to go back to New York to take a subway. 

The first stop was Newport Mansions, bringing us a unique perspective on the the people who lived there. This was the most impressive historical house tour I have ever experienced and the most splendid decoration I have ever seen. Yet what attracted me most is the natural scenery with harmony of vast blue sea, energetic green grass and gorgeous colorful flowers. I forgot who I was but integrated myself into the greatest nature. I could hear the sea’s croon with birds’ soaring into the sky and wind stirring the grass.

After visiting Harvard and MIT in Boston, we went to enjoy a lobster dinner in a Chinese restaurant. Factually, in my memory, lobster did not taste good; however, what I ate that evening was so delicious that until now I can clearly remember the feelings when we enjoyed ourselves with the appetizing delicacy.   

Finally and fortunately, we did not need to go to New York but directly went back home in Yale when other tourists continued their trip in our our campus. Speaking of this, I sincerely show my gratitude to Leo King who is always there to offer us help when we need her guidance.

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

Yesterday, I went to New York to see The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest running musical. I did cherish this chance as several days ago in order to get the ticket my colleagues and I stood for an hour to sign up. And after seeing the opera, I think it deserves to represent Broadway’s best opera for its moving story, fantastic effect of stage and fair-sounding song.

Indeed, it is one of the most impressive love story I have ever known, and the other is Titanic. Three days ago, in the class I observed, the instructor asked us what was love. All of us believed love was devotion. Accordingly, in the opera, the definition of love was illustrated by Phantom, who loved Christine in despair and violence and finally gave her up to aid in carrying out the good designs of Christine and her true love. In the end of opera,when only a mask was left on the chair, I shed my tears like beans.

Besides, I was astounded by the magnificent magic effect of the stage. For instance, when Raoul suddenly jumped into the cellar, I really worried about his safety even though I knew there was no need for me to do so. In addition, the candles and the mist, the mask and stairs attracted me and led me to a mysterious world.

The best factor of opera, of course, is the song itself. “A world with no more night. And you are always beside me to hold me and to hide me. Then say you'll share with me. Let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you here, beside you. Anywhere you go let me go too. That's all I ask of you......” Until now, the song of The Phantom of the Opera still echo in my mind.

Sine all my colleagues and I were so deeply attracted by the opera, it could not be considered only entertainment. Instead, it is also the respectable representative of American culture and art, which will always remind us of our wonderful cultural tour in America.