Changes we should know as a teacher

1. we may complain that why the student just can not get it, it is so simple and easy. Well, in that case, try to learn something new, and you will understand why. Sometimes we just need to put ourselves into others' shoes.

2. It is obvious that it is an epoch dominated by technology, a generation with virtual connections. Therefore, as a teacher in such an ongoing generation, we should accept it and take advantage of it rather than refuse it. In other words, we should have a change of our mind towards the upcoming new things, be open-minded.

3. If education is analogized to market, then a good market should be customer orientated. In the same way, a good education should be more student-centered, more adapted to students.

4. Always try to explore some new technology for assisting instruction.

5. Stop routinize your teaching philosophy, coz it is a world with changing generations. 

Sun's First Reflection

Q: 

        what is something in your practice that needs to change. Is there something that we did or read that sparked something in you..  and made you think - I could be doing something different that would make me more effective in my job, my life, or my role as a student? Share a little insight about what sparked your interest and share any brainstorming or insights you might be grappling with about how technology is used in learning or for productivity and administrative tasks. 

A:

         What interests me is the idea that nowadays students are fundamentally different from their predecessors in terms of thinking and information processing. Therefore, teachers as "digital immigrants" have to adapt themselves to the new generation's language even if we may speak with "accent". As noted it is unlikely for the "digital natives" to go backward, so teachers should reconsider both their methodology and teaching content in a digitalized way for providing "digital natives" with a better education.   

         Also, as a generation instructed in a traditional way, we complain about the digital generation's short attention span. None the less, have we ever tried to find a reason for that except for justifying for our complaint? Have you ever thought maybe it is because of your tedious old-fashioned teaching approach which drifts students' mind away. Have you ever considered to introduce the Digital Game Based Learning to your teaching? Maybe or maybe not, nevertheless, the fact is that practice makes learning work, and Digital Game Based Learning is an effective proved alternative way of practice as to digital natives. As a teacher, we should keep up with the upwarding generation to strive breaking the isolation between teachers and learners. At least, we can start incorporating INTERNET into our teaching, since it is such an innovative way of making connection possible in any corner of the world. 

         However, it may sound a little ironic. When teachers are suggested to make a renovation of their teaching philosophy, even are blamed for keeping the traditional teaching style, it seems we have forgotten that teachers are teachers, they are not hi-tech masters or program designers. Definitely, teachers know the importance of adopting technology into teaching; Of course, teachers know that interestingness of the Digital Game Based Learning. At least, it is the case to me, a person with three years' teaching experience, born and raised up in technology prevailing era; it is for sure for me to understand the advantages of using hi-tech to support instruction. But the point is that changing is not simply about changing; it is not a wrong spelled word that could be easily erased and respell it correctly. Educational changing involves so many aspects, course design, software design, activity design, textbook design, just to name a few. In effect, it is not a task could be done by a single teacher, but by the cooperation of many disciplines. 

        As a teacher, I can make a change for a day, I can make a change for a week, but i can not make a change for a long run. Changing is always easy to say hard to do, right? Therefore, stopping criticizing the current teaching situation but make some substantial contribution to our education. 

C'est Moi, Sun.

Hi there, this is Peijian Sun. Currently, I am studying at University of Oklahoma as an exchange student for the 2011/2012 academic year. Over the last semester, not only did I endeavor to gain a high achievement in my academic study, but also I joined a club called “Christians on Campus”, which helped me get a more sound image of Americans. It is also because of this club that I have learned how to communicate with Americans, how to manage my study and life. During the winter break, I took three weeks to have a self-planned tour at both the east coast and west coast. It was an awesome trip, which taught me the importance of team-work and pre-planning. 

Back to my professional study, I a full-time master student majoring in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages at Minzu University of China. Over the past 2010/2011 academic year, I received the systematical training on how to be a qualified Mandarin teacher. And the courses offered by my university range from the most theoretical levels to the very practical ones. After one year’s intensive study, I gained almost all the required credits. In order to further strengthen my professional skills and English proficiency, I applied for the exchange program and ended up studying in University of Oklahoma. All the graduate level courses that I was and am taking are in regard with education and linguistics, which provide me with an utter most valuable opportunity of gaining the very best understanding of what education is about.

Regarding my working experience, I have had 3 years of empirical teaching at Zhejiang Shinyway Languages Institute, involving Listening, Speaking, Writing and American History courses. I also have had some experience in tutoring some foreigners Chinese, since Shinyway has a mandarin center. Moreover, I was recruited by Associated Colleges in China (ACC) last summer as a mandarin teacher, responding for teaching and tutoring American students Chinese. In my undergraduate and graduate college years, I served as a class head, department manager, and vice-president in the Student Union.

This is something about me, a man born and raised in China, now studying at OU.