Xiong Xiaodong's Education Prose——
Flying
across the Pacific ——Recall
and Thinking over a Stage in My Life
The plane took off and almost
vertically flew into the upper sky. The high buildings, roads and rivers on the
ground became more and more small. As the plane flew into the layers of the clouds,
nothing can be seen as we were in the universe. Except for the dazzling sunshine
and rolling cloud sea below, the scene was so monotonous that I draw the ray separation
board and began to think over my own things.
The
target of my travel was Columbia University of USA. I must accomplish 4 tasks:
(1) Attended 97 NCTM National Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota sponsored by University
of Minnesota; (2)Attended the courses teaching of ?Ethnomathematics In The Curriculum?
at Columbia University; attended discussion of the teaching and delivered lectures
2 times to introduce personal mathematics education research and the subject concerning
the theory and practice of cultivating and training excellent students in middle
school mathematics education; (3)Visited first-class high schools at New York
and North Carolina and set cooperation research network with 10 famous high schools
like Stuyvesant High School etc; (4) Attended mathematics doctoral level study
courses at Columbia University and the theses's answering session.
A
common middle school teacher from the lowest level of town school, having experience
in the country middle school, key country middle school and key middle school
of city level, then stepped into the world first class university to deliver a
speech. What does it depend on? Sure, it depends on the great opportunity of the
development of our country. And, it also depends on my striving and struggling
spirit and character. What does the character come from? What is the origin? How
does it develop and form? Many of my students used to be interested in the question
and they asked me the question many times. I think the main reason is that my
life experience, which is full of frustrations, and my perseverant and determined
belief.
Unfair
Treatment in the Childhood
My mother used to work in a large
scale country middle school. My home then was in the household dormitory of the
school. After graduation of primary school, due to the left-route policy, I was
not able to enter my mother's middle school and other public middle schools. I
could only to study in a private junior middle school.
The
school was previously a funeral home with many houses. When it was changed to
the school, the conditions were of course very bad. The most uncomfortable thing
was that every morning I had to go to my school from my mother's middle school
and to meet with my primary schoolmates. Then by 45 minutes to 1 hour' walk, I
would arrive at the shabby private junior middle school to study.
I
had extremely bitter pain in my heart then. But I did not give up. I studied hard
and I was the top student in my class. My mathematics results were all 98 marks
or full marks. My Chinese and English were also in the first and second place
of the class.
Upon the graduation
of junior middle school, my result of the senior high school entrance exam was
excellent. But at that time, the enrollment of high school was not judged by the
result of the exam. For there was no private high school, and I could not be enrolled
by the country middle school. This meant that I was unable to go to school. I
could clearly remember that my mother was very worried at that summer. My aunt
specially came from Zuzhou to accompany my mother. (my aunt was teaching mathematics
at high school in Suzhou). The old sisters worked more than half of their life
in the middle school, but they were very worried about their own child's enrollment.
At last, the enrollment letter came, and I was admitted to study at my mother's
school. The reason was to let my mother wok with ease, not because of my excellent
academic results.
In my senior
middle school, I studied even harder. In the three years of senior middle school,
all my test results of mathematics, physics, chemistry and English were above
90 marks. My Chinese compositions were often selected as the model compositions,
which were evaluated and read aloud in the class. I was a top student and quiet
well-known in my school. Upon graduation of Senior Three. All the subject teachers
wanted me to study their subjects in the university, for they were certain that
I could make achievement on their subjects.
The
Difficult and Embarrassed Time in the Culture Revolution
When the culture revolution began,
many Senior Three graduates felt sad that they could not be enrolled by the university.
I remembered that I felt nothing at that time, for I had excellent academic results,
but that could not guarantee the admission to university. Many people were enthusiastic
about revolution and they went outside cities for union. I heard that people from
bad family background would be ordered to return home when they went outside cities
for union. But if just staying at home, you would be charged to be indifference
to national events and no intention to participate in the revolution activity.
In this dilemma, I went to Beijing for one time and stayed in my sister-in-law's
home, which meant I had participated going the outside cities for union and avoided
to be ordered to return home.
In
the time when there were the red guards all over the country. My mother was criticized
by the red guards and to participate in the labor work every day. She was living
in the cowshed and my home was searched and sealed. In the year 1966, 1967 and
1968, I was living in my schoolmate's home.
Upon
graduation, some went to the mines and factories, other went to the farms and
the border areas. At that time, those from bad family background had no permit
to enter into the mines and factories, nor to the border areas. It was said that
is this kind of people were let to the border areas, they would be betray his
country. The only choice for me was to work in the country. I was assigned to
work in the XingBang community. I had no choice at all these difficult and embarrassed
situations. For I had no ability at all to change it. What I could do then was
only to wait, wait for the clear sky after the thunderstorm days.
I
Want to Enter the University
When working in the country, I
did not date with girlfriends, did not come back the cities, just worked hard
in the country alone. I would rather spend half of my salary on the expense of
electricity to learn English on radio. This "stupid" thing was passed to the party
committee of the community. The head and the secretary of the party committee
of the community Yang Fuquan visited me in the production team. He asked me that
what I would like to be in the future. I answered, "I want to enter the university."
In the February of 1971, I went
to teach at the middle school in the community for there was in need of teachers.
In that year, the enrollment of university students with working, agricultural
and military background began. I was sent by the community as "the one can be
educated well", but at last I did not pass in the country level.
In
the year 1972, 1973, 1974, I was sent to try the university by the community for
three consecutive years, but all failed. I heard that the leaders in the community
spoke all fine words to the direct responsible leader, but with no successful
result. The leaving secretary Yang and the successor- community secretary Jiang
Yueqing told me, "Xiao Dong, I am afraid that you will be unable to enter the
university. It's better for you to find a job and to make wages to be self-independent
" I was assigned to work in company of the commercial bureau of the county.
I loved the work to be a teacher.
And I loved my familiar county school. I spoke to the party secretary of the commercial
bureau of the county of my strong intention to do teaching in the county. Then
I was temporally transferred from commercial bureau to the educational bureau
to continue the teaching work in the middle school of the community.
From
the year 1977, the college entrance exam system was recovered. In the first year,
I sent my student into the examination room then I went into the examination room
too to take the exam. My result of the exam was among the top ones in the county,
but I failed. And most of my students were enrolled by the university. It was
said that at that year the admission was still affected by the left-route policy.
In 1981, I attended the exam for
professional training and was finally enrolled. The many years' dream to have
university study was eventually realized. The first day I moved to the dormitory
I was as happy as 18 years old student. I was too excited that I could not sleep
in the evening for several days. All are changing and the era is moving forward.
It is the reform that has helped me to realized my dream. Though it took 15 years.
But I was not afraid. I was quick at thinking. And my flexibility was no worse
than young people. I had full confidence that I would be better than them.
Mother's
Case Was Reversed
What's wrong and problem with
my mother on earth? For more than 10 years, I had been puzzled. Until 1980, the
personnel from the special case group told me that mother became something mad
that she did not let the personnel of the special case group enter my home. In
fact, the case of my mother was very simple. Mother was born in a declining landlord.
Her grandfather left her father 18 Mu burial ground. Her father was working as
an account in a textile factory in Shanghai. And the 18 Mu burial ground was managed
by the elder brother of her father. Mother had 5 sisters altogether with no brothers.
Mother was the fifth child, the youngest. All the elder sister was married and
then the 18 Mu burial ground was transferred to be the property of my mother.
Therefore mother turned out to be the landlord. At then, as long as mother gave
the witness to proved that she was teaching in middle school in Shanghai in the
year 1947, 1948, 1949. Then judgement of the case would be reversed. And then
mother did not cooperate with the special case group. They asked me to persuade
my mother to proved that she was innocent.
It
was such a simple case involving the landlord element that lasted more than 10
years. It was really easier to be solved than a difficult mathematics problem.
I eventually understood my mother. I showed great sympathy for my mother and tried
to persuade her at home. Experiencing the hard time in the culture revolution,
mother became very sensitive. She told me not to believe them. For today you would
be proved innocent and tomorrow you might be charged that you want to reverse
the judgement and you will be criticized. Therefore, mother made her decision
not to disclose the witness. I provided the special case group with the names
and addresses of some aunts, whom mother and I visited in Shanghai when I was
in my childhood. They might be the colleagues of my mother before liberation.
It was within 2 weeks, the personnel from the special case group told me that
the witness had been found. And the witness proved that mother was working in
some schools in Shanghai some years before liberation. The judgement of mother's
case was eventually reversed. And mother's social position was the teacher (namely
the clerk).
However the economic
return and compensation was not carried out. The headmaster that persecuting mother
was still in the post of the headmaster. The sealed household property was not
returned. The deducted salary was not paid back. Mother said let it be. For she
did not want let me be too involved in the case to ruin my whole life. Furthermore,
mother became almost blind and so sick that can not walk. But I did not agree.
I began the marathon to help my mother's case to be proved innocent. I found the
party secretary Xu Lirui and vice party secretary Ji Yongzhou and told them the
conditions of my mother. They warmly communicated with me and told me that they
will order relevant responsible departments to deal the case according to the
party's policy. Then I went to the relevant department of the country's educational
bureau for many times. At last, in 2 years' time. The economic return and compensation
was carried out. Though mother died in these 2 years. But if she knew the result
that all had been completed, she would feel comfortable.
I
had no happy childhood joyous youth time. But I never collapse and give up in
my life. I learned to wait and live with patience. I felt the need to be perseverant
and hard working. In the embarrassed and hard time, I continued to look for my
dream. It is a belief, a kind of infinite power which made me step forward. When
the dream was broken for many times, I tried my best to grasp the hand of the
dream. And It's my belief that the dream would come again and eventually be realized.
Where there is a will there is a way. Though many years have passed. The kind
people I met, namely Yang Fuquan, Jiang Yueqing, Xu Lirui, Ji Yongzhou, Sun Lulang
are still in my mind. They told my the truth in my different stage of the life.
The dark day will sure pass and the bright day is ahead. We should believe in
our party. The party also has a process of growth, development and mature. So
long it is party for the interest of the people, it is a correct party. I, like
a boat sailing in the sea. The reason that I did not go the wrong route or did
not sink was that I had much help from too many kind people. No matter it is a
severe wind or thunderstorm or big fog, I would made continuous effort to look
for the sun in the east.
As
time goes on, life is aging. The life lives in the spirit. So long the spirit
is active and creative, then the life is always in the splendid stage. I always
reduce 15 years from my actual age (from 1966 - 1980) to give requirement on my
study and work. It really works and that I have no sense of exhausted, but it
seems that I am really in my 20s or 30s. In that way, I am active, energetic,
quick thinking in my everyday life.
On
the other hand, I also understand that the mature of the life lies not only in
the impulsion and enthusiasm. What is more important is the accumulation of the
power in the silence. The life, like a sailing boat, can not be so easy with no
frustration, like ups and downs. We should learn to wait, wait for the upcoming
arouse and spurt. In the philosophy of life, the spring is everlasting. I will
treat myself as the one in the nature of spring, with perpetual upward momentum.
The plane is still flying. I looked
my watch, it must be 2 o'clock in the morning. I am not a bit exhausted. But I
tried my best to close my eyes to have a nap. When arriving at New York, I will
face a new city, unfamiliar people and culture. It will be an exciting experience,
which needs substantial energy.
Postscript
Great progress has been made in
the three years' education and teaching. The first progress is in political ideology.
All forty-three students of the class joined the Communist Youth League. Thirty-eight
students submitted their application letters to the Party one after another, and
they also took part in the study group of the Party constitution. The second field
is in their academic performance. Four students achieved so remarkable scores
that they were enrolled by the combination classes of bachelor, master, and Ph.D.
degrees of Shanghai Jiaotong University. Five students entered the experiment
classes of the same university. Three students had scores good enough to be enrolled
by the base class of science in Fudan University, sponsored by the State Education
Commission. Two entered the experiment class in Tongji University. Three were
admitted in the base classes for both arts and science in East China Normal University.
Four more students ere sent directly to the combination classes of bachelor, master,
and Ph.D degrees of East China Normal University. Altogether 21 students, 49%
of the total number, entered the combination class, the base class and the experiment
class. Apart from this, the rest of students got an average math score of 134,
and the physics score of 129, which is also praiseworthy. The third field is in
science and technology. 13 students have formed a math contest group, and they
have won 23 awards, including the first, second and third prizes. The mini-theses
in science and technology of the students have also won prizes in all kinds of
competitions, including the Shanghai Science and Technological Seminar for adolescents,
the Invention and Creation Competition of the Adolescents, and Yida Invention
Competition sponsored by the Jiaotong University.
They
have made great achievements on the exploration on creation education of China's
excellent students of mathematics and science and have formed a systematic education
and cultivation method to fully develop China's talented students. Large amount
of precious experience and cases analysis have been obtained.
I
have made great progresses in the past four years. I am now the member of SPSSI,
the American Psychological Association, the member of National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM), the Director of Beijing International Exchange Association
of China
Director of China
Cultural Promotion Association (CCPA), the Guest Research Fellow in China Managerial
Science Research Institution, and some other professional affiliations.
Invited
by Columbia University of U.S.A., I visited United States of America twice as
a visiting research scholar at April, 1997 and 2001. During the visiting, I attended
NCTM National Meeting, attended the courses teaching, such as ? Mathematics Education
in Asian ? at Columbia University, visited to some famous universities presentation
in seminar there such as New York University, City University of New York, and
so forth, visited the first class high schools as Stuyvesant High School, Bronx
Science High School、Collegiate School, and have discussed furtherly with the professors
on world gifted education.
The
lab in the name of X.D.Xiong Education Laboratory sent the message of the lab
research work to the world in July, 2000. The lab journal High School from first
issue to the eighth by the end of 2001, which includes Xiong's Education Paper,
Xiong's Education Case Study, Xiong's Research-based Courses, Lab Newsflash, etc.,
all in both English and Chinese, have been sent to the famous universities and
educational research institutes at home and abroad.
In
September 2000, X.D.Xiong Education Laboratory opened its own web-site www.xiongxd.com,
which consists of English Version and Chinese Version. The web-site totalizes
eight parts which are Xiong's Education Works, Xiong's Education Case Study, Xiong's
Education Paper, Xiong's Mathematics Teaching and Learing of High School, Xiong's
Viewpoint, Xiong's Mailbox, Leaving Word and Lab Newsflash.
I
received the notification form People's Daily Publishing House that my thesis《
Six Aspects in Creative Education of Top Students of Mathematics and Science》
had been selected into the collection《Contemporay Selected Theses of China》 in
September 2000.
I received
thesis prize winning notice from academic committee of China Managerial Science
Research Institute at February, 2001, which read: my thesis titled ?Administration;
Innovation; 21st Centuary? has been awarded as the first prize of China Managerial
Science Research Institute's academic achievements of the year 2000. The article
has been recommended and selected into the large scale literature of ?China Contemporary
Spirits Treasury? by China Economy Publishing House, and will soon be go to press.
Invited by Beijing Oriental Gifted
Culture and Education Research Center and China Youth Daily, I attended the Third
National Advanced Quality-based Edcuation Forum held at the National Library in
Beijing in October, 2001. The famous economist、educator Mr. Yu Guangyuan, Tan
Songhua, the research fellow of Education Development Research Center of Education
Commission, Liu Jian, the research fellow of Curriculum and Text Book Development
Research Center of Education Commission, Fu Guoliang, chief editor of 《People's
Education》, Li Yanjie, the vice-chairman of an Executive Council and Correspondent
of the Art of Education Seminar of China, He Jianming, vice-chief editor of 《Chinese
Writers》, Wang Hongjia, famous writer, and I delivered speeches for the forum.
……
All
level Chinese Government has positively recognized my hard work, and awarded me
certain honors. Since then I confirmed my education beliefs. In the later long
days, I will cherish the opportunities of the very times and devote all my spirit
and intellegence to the people's education which I have chosen as my lifelong
career. |
