The key issue in teaching is to teach the students how to learn. The first thing the students need to learn upon entering the university is also the way to learn and the way to build a good basis for future undergraduate studies.
The mutual appreciation as shown in the title refers to the appreciation of both others and yourself. By appreciating others, not only will one be able to discover the difference between oneself and others, but also find strengths among the differences. The sea is vast due to its capacity to contain. Borrowing others’ strengths will on the one hand help us improve ourselves and on the other hand, help us make new friends. Self-appreciation is a manifestation of inner confidence, with which, one will be able to face difficulties at ease and pursue new goals while giving full play to his potential. Meanwhile, one with confidence, will also tend to help others more passionately and sincerely. The self will become increasingly disciplined, realistic, determined and optimistic. In teaching, there is another dimension to the meaning of appreciation, which is the mutual appreciation between teachers and students. However, such mutual appreciation is the most wanted in nowadays teaching practice.
As a teacher, the ability to appreciate yourself and every student of yours will bestow you with good qualities and charisma.
The mutual appreciation between teachers and students is indispensable for creating an intelligent classroom. But from the questionnaires on classroom teaching, we can observe that the courses lack uniqueness, enthusiasm and such mutual appreciation, which renders certain teaching practices rather dull and plain. The absence of passion and highlights in class makes it hard to ignite the intelligence and interest of the students, resulting in truancy, a common phenomenon in universities today.
The reason why appreciation should be encouraged is that it is a mental catharsis, eliminating negative factors in class. With such attitude, you will find sunlight brimming in what both the teacher and the students see, encouraging one’s dedication and creative efforts. Therefore, if there is the mutual appreciation between teachers and students in class, we are bound to get unexpectedly good results.
In order to keep the students focused and attentive, the devotion of the teachers doesn’t simply suffice. It is also necessary that teachers have an excellent teaching approach, unique thinking, intelligent language, passionate voice and sufficient eye contac with the students. When teaching, first of all, you need to tell the students what this class is about, so that they can follow you. In this way, students gain not only the satisfaction in acquiring knowledge but also take joy in the way the course is taught.
Some might argue that such situation is rather ideal than based on reality, but actually, there are lots of teachers around us who devote their passion and efforts to their profession and their students. They sometimes sacrifice a huge amount of time doing research, calculations and experiments just to design a case that might interest the students more. A good teacher, as a matter of fact, can be found in every classroom in every teaching building, whose enthusiasm arouses from the desire of disseminating knowledge among students. Moreover, praises and compliments can be heard at every occasion.
Teachers find it most gratifying to be appreciated by their students. It is in this condition that their intellectual potential can be fully unleashed and their knowledge best illustrated.
On the other hand, to the students, the objective of attending classes is not just to obtain credits and to pass exams, which is a fine example of learning without caring too much about what you are learning, reason why they soon find it hard to remember what they have learned. The study today of the college students is aimed at acquiring knowledge, mastering new content in a down to earth manner and enhancing the ability to learn and raise questions, from which they can benefit a lot during their entire life time. At the same time, it is also necessary to take the initiative of gaining the attention and guidance of your teacher, who is also able to spot the students with critical thinking. Once there is mutual appreciation between teachers and students, the distance between them will narrow and new concepts can be introduced, helping the students developtheir creativity.
Nowadays as the channels for obtaining knowledge are on the rise, teachers are confronted with more challenges. If the traditional teaching pattern is still followed and teaching is still deemed as simply imparting knowledge limited to the textbooks, the aforementioned distance will widen. To maintain a good learning state, we need the cooperation of both teachers and students, who make true efforts in the direction of creative thinking and research. Only in this manner can we encounter more often this mutual appreciation between students and teachers.
The writer of the article is a member of the WHU Supervising Group and retired professor at the School of Mathematics and Statistics
(Translated by Jiahao Xiang, edited by Diana & Sijia Hu)
