Case:

Confucius says, “Out of three men, there must be one that can teach me.” Great educationist Confucius had highly summarized the philosophical relationship between teacher and students in this sentence. I have been following and practicing this idea all the time, so I get along very well with my students, because we are not only students and teacher but also friends. Furthermore, students are very active in English class, which create a strong atmosphere of learning. So in English class, teacher and students often make astonishing performances every time. I have been thinking about the requirement of New English Curriculum Standard all the time, how to let students to learn autonomously and achieve the teaching target with the teaching process under the teacher’s casual control at the same time, so as to meet the student oriented teaching methods and philosophy that the New English Curriculum Standard required. Although the teaching plan was revised several times, I never felt satisfied. Under the stress of worry and anxiety, my voice got hoarse. Thanks god, it was to review the lesson next day. I wondered what the students should do to minimize the negative effect caused by my sore throat. Suddenly, I had a brainwave, why not let the students to play teacher so I could see what kind of teacher in students’ mind would be and how autonomous the students would accomplish the learning task.

When class greeting was finished the next day, I said: "You play the teacher and me student in this class.” Students were stunned for a moment, then eager to have a try. Because everybody was itching to be a teacher, even though a short-term one, so I announced that I would invite several students to give the class in cooperation. Thus a unique English class in which teacher and students cross-played the roles was put on stage:

Teacher: Who can help me review the words in Unit 1?

I invited an average student. He quickly stepped onto the platform holding the new word cards made by himself. After his classmates reading his cards one by one in unison, he disordered the cards and then let other students to guess:

What's the next?

The students under the platform raised their hands actively and answered eagerly, which showed the learning effect can compare with my normal teaching.

Teacher: Who can help me review the main sentences?

At that moment, I saw that there was a hand being raised hesitantly. I hesitated, because this student was below average in this class. As I was glancing over the expectant but unconfident eyes, I caught a glimpse that the radiance of his eyes vanished rapidly. I immediately made a decision to invite the student to go on the platform. He opened his eyes widely, looking at me unbelievably, other students were some what puzzled, and the dynamic class got quiet immediately. I gave him an encouraging look, signaling him to take the stage.

Exceeding everybody's expectations, he performed quite well except that he was a little bit of timid and his sound trembled at the very beginning. This student invited his classmates to answer in unison, then group, finally individual.

S: Who's your English teacher?

Ss: Mr. Lin.

S: What's he like?

Ss: He's short and strong. He's very kind.

……

When he finished, his classmates can't help beginning to applaud. I patted him on the shoulder and said calmly: Good job!

During the next dialogue performance and extended exercises (making conversation by themselves based on the text), I was astonished and delighted by the students’ performance again and again. I felt I had discovered something, something deep and uncovered hitherto. I seemed to see a brand-new world, which the students not only spoke correctly and fluently but also imitated their teacher's usual action and facial expression from time to time. They combined their new and old knowledge to perform vividly and incorporated their own understandings for exotic culture. In this way, the preset teaching target was achieved naturally.

What deserves to be mentioned is: That below average student made great efforts to study English from then on and have made great progress.

Review:

According to the English Curriculum standard, English curriculum embodies the student centered thought in teaching target setting, teaching process, process assessment and other aspects. In the whole teaching process, the teacher is required to consciously guide the students, give full play to students’ master role in class, and let students have the initiative. Meanwhile, the teacher only acts as "organizer ", " guide ", " consultant ", " promoter ", etc. Teacher should also give students the maximum chance to participate in and display their abilities, develop their good learning interest and habits, so as to allow students to build their knowledge frames, improve their skills, strengthen their wills, activate their thinking, present individual characters, develop intelligence and broad their horizon under the guide of teacher, thus achieve various targets specified in the curriculum standard.

The Standard points out the students’ important role in the whole learning process. During curriculum reform, we’ve always emphasized to let students be the master of learning; each student has equal opportunities to draw the teacher’s attention; never look down upon the students who have difficulties in learning. But in fact, teacher still dominates the whole class. I examine my conscience: If it were the open class today, would I still give that student a chance? The answer is self-evident.

This lesson makes me unforgettable is that it makes me realize my restriction other than the success of the class. I thought I have been adopting the multi-degree teaching method in teaching and making different learning requirements for students in different degrees, especially for the students who have difficulties in learning. For example, reduce the difficulties in learning; only ask them to observe discipline in class, etc. It seems that we have offered them a series of preferential treatment. But in fact, we have continuously dampened their self-esteem and learning enthusiasm, because we have been doubting about their IQs and abilities.

I understood at last: The only thing that I need to do is how to light up students’ passion of learning, light up every student's passion of English learning. Truly return class to students, because it is the world for them to show their abilities. We must be convinced that every student is talented in performing. If it could not be achieved yet at present, then let us just do it as much as possible.