December 31, 2011 Beiyuan Notes: 2012, Within Reach by Chen Chun
I.
In the morning, I reviewed homework with the students. We did an excessive amount of listening and calculation training, and I also counted some data from last night. Thanks to the help of Kaijia Cheng, who always quietly does good deeds, he gently handed me the statistics table, and the data below was specific and standard.
Jiayan, Bingyan, Yanfei, Hongjiang and others are all excellent children. They have gradually learned to handle things in an orderly manner, remaining calm and composed, which is very good. During the parent-teacher meeting that day, I also communicated with the parents about the importance of self-management for children, gave some model examples, and spread more ideals.
II.
At noon, Zenghua, Xin Yan, Jiale and others came to my office to chat. I let them sit in a patch of sunlight near the door. There are a few small stools in the office, all handmade by Mr. Huang. He repurposed some abandoned chairs, sawed off parts, and reinforced the seats, making them suitable for the children. They quickly moved the stools and sat around to chat.
Xin Yan said, "Mr. Chen, I think Nianjie and Saiyu also want to learn bad knowledge, but they just don't find it interesting anymore. Interest is very important. My mother says that children are very greedy. If we change some abstract things, for example, candy sorts, it would be easier to understand."
Zenghua nodded in agreement, "Me and Tansu often do homework together. Sometimes after finishing, we play some intellectual games. For instance, the staircase game, where we walk and say something related to math as we go. Solve one problem, take a few steps, negotiate well, and see who reaches the finish line first. This is also fun!"
Aihua continued, "Mr. Chen, I think they lack repetitive practice. After a while, they forget. Sometimes even seemingly simple problems, they can't recall at all. It's really confusing." This idea has psychological value; some math skills require a certain amount of practice to become proficient. It seems Aihua and the others have discovered such a learning secret.
Xin Yan followed up on Aihua's point, "S's family relationship is very complicated. Her parents are always arguing. Maybe she is thinking about these things in class?" Could this be possible? S is indeed very quiet in class. Her attention may not necessarily be focused on studying. The children's analysis of the family background is not unreasonable. What they pay attention to is not necessarily less than what we adults do, nor is their analysis necessarily shallower.
Xin Yan continued, "Recently, I've been reading a book about etiquette, which makes people more cultured. But I'm not reading it happily. Some things are not naturally within myself. I feel it's better to be natural and not force it." Jiale looked at me beside her, seeming to agree with this statement.
Jiale's performance in and out of class differs greatly. In class, her voice is very soft. Aihua joked, "It's like a sound coming from underground, barely audible. But after class, she is lively and outgoing." When asked why there is such a big difference, she always looks down and doesn't speak, sometimes her eyes get moist. Jiale's overall character is introverted, not loud, similar to the other two children.
III.
Chatting with Xin Yan and the others until 11:55, several children peeked at the door. These younger children are very cute, jostling each other and laughing heartily, shouting, "Tell stories!" Xin Yan helped me carry two small stools back to the "story grassland". The weather yesterday was not good, but today there was sun and little wind.
When we arrived at the story spot, the children naturally gathered around. They could come freely or leave freely, as long as they didn't disturb others. Once I started, they became quiet because this is the rule we established from the beginning: stories need a quiet environment. Even the children playing football nearby voluntarily moved away from this area. Strictly speaking, we disturbed them, but they also knew that this large patch of grass belongs to the story lovers' paradise. Some of them also enjoy listening to stories, like Tian Tian and Jian. They immediately stopped chasing and joined the circle. Tian Tian told a story about an iron pot and a clay pot first, full of philosophy. Despite his eager expression, the other children still understood a profound truth: the iron pot cannot withstand the test of time compared to the clay pot, although now the clay pot is not shiny like the iron pot. Could Tian Tian be born a storyteller? He told the story very fluently.
Once almost all the children arrived (a few regular story enthusiasts were always on time), I began telling a new story. The story of Reynard the Fox had ended, and a new story was needed. Coincidentally, today is the last day of 2011, the end of a conclusion and the beginning of a new start. Therefore, I chose the story of "Ant Forest and Kuna". This story is quite science fiction, intriguing to the children, filled with imagination and creativity. And it provides many opportunities to incorporate the latest scientific information. The on-site effect confirmed the prediction; they listened very attentively and occasionally shared strange ideas with me. Jian stood out especially, with very quick thinking.
We decided that the fir tree in the northeast corner of the campus would be the first landing site for ants returning to Earth. They flew past like milk cartons every day. Tian Tian constantly looked at empty milk cartons, imagining the ants inside. Haha, props are right by our side. Would they become characters in the story? Each child will become a new character in the story. I hope they gain insight naturally. Wishing them health, safety, and happiness in the new year!
IV.
In the afternoon, I attended the New Year's Eve party at Han'er School. The children's multi-talented performances (piano, singing groups, choir, solo dances, etc.) were impressive, and the teachers' special skills (martial arts, dignified presence) were awe-inspiring.
Mr. Zhang, the physical education teacher's ball juggling tricks (and a blindfolded segment, not easy!) and magic performances could have made it onto the Spring Festival Gala, but Mr. Zhang declined (his words were: "Last year, the Spring Festival Gala invited me, but I turned it down. That's my specialty, I only share it with the children!") The laughter from the children in the audience erupted.
Principal Yao's calligraphy performance was elegant and dignified. He personally wrote "Dragon and Phoenix bring good fortune, peaches and plums bloom beautifully" as the theme couplet for the evening gala, symbolizing the progress of the faculty and students in the new year in both learning and career. His New Year's speech was heartfelt, sincere, and candid. He gave an overall review of the achievements of 2011 and further explained the school's mission culture. We believe that 2012 will be even better for Yucai.
The singing of the handsome male and female teachers at Yucai reached professional standards. The bass hit high notes, the soprano went low, and there was no distortion in between, spectacular.
The entrance of the Tai Chi master with a leap into the air shocked the entire venue. It's estimated this move is a fresh technique in the Xian-style Tai Chi, disclosed publicly for the first time, haha.
Every gift-giving segment brought excitement to the whole venue. Then a countdown occurred, and then a youthful face from early spring was captured on the small screen. Unbelievable cheers and screams followed, then going up on stage to receive gifts and exchange New Year's greetings. Han'er was the third lucky winner in the second phase. She wore a white T-shirt with short sleeves, looking very cool.
Teacher-student interaction on the same stage, a harmonious atmosphere, especially in such a setting, blends everyone into a joyful mood. Life experiences become richer. The campus is primarily a place for teacher-student interactions, a field of young lives with varying degrees of maturity and vastly different growth backgrounds. With fewer formal displays, there will surely be more insights into youthful life. Each of us who personally experienced it will undoubtedly be enchanted and nostalgic for this campus.
V.
In the afternoon, Han'er called over, "The 15:30 bus has already left, no need to wait for him at the station. The 16:30 bus will return."
At 17:28, Bus No. 273 arrived at the station, and Han'er returned home. She seemed to have a cold but was in good spirits.
VI.
In the evening, I received a text message from Brother Yu informing me that the topic project for the fee-based 12th Five-Year Plan had been announced. The school's submitted topic passed the blind review and was officially approved. During the submission process, I received guidance from many teachers. It was still winter break, and for over 11 days, I continuously researched materials, revised documents, sought reviews, and remade changes. I forgot the exact day when the final document was submitted, but Mr. Zhang Kejian said, "Next, we just have to wait for the approval, but research work should not wait. Do what you can do first." The topic ultimately decided to focus on gender differences in subject teaching. This is an empirical study requiring some quantitative data methods, which is a deficiency. Attempting to do it, issues exist, the key is to propose and improve methods.
On the last day of 2011, everything went smoothly.
2012 is within reach, with only five minutes left before the new year begins!