大学英语综合教程 第二册 unit 1A

[05:14.44]how to do something whether it be placing a key in a key slot,drawing a hen or making up for a misdeed-
[05:23.58]he is less likely to figure out himself how to accomplish such a task. And,more generally,
[05:31.76]he is less likely to view life-as Americans do as a series of situations in which one has to learn to think for oneself,
[05:42.07]to solve problems on one's own and even to discover new problems for which creative solutions are wanted.
[05:51.09]TEACHING BY HOLDING HIS HAND
[05:54.48]In retrospect, it became clear to me that this incident was indeed key and key in more than one sense.
[06:03.76]It pointed to important differences in the educational and artistic practices in our two countries.
[06:12.30]When our well-intentioned Chinese observers came to Benjamin's rescue,
[06:18.38]they did not simply push his hand down clumsily or uncertainly,as I might have done.
[06:25.41]Instead, they guided him with extreme facility and gentleness in precisely the desired direction.
[06:34.58]I came to realize that these Chinese were not just molding and shaping Benjamin's performance in any old manner:
[06:44.30]In the best Chinese tradition,they were ba zhe shoujiao-"teaching by holding his hand"-
[06:53.36]so much so that he would happily come back for more.
[06:58.53]The idea that learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding applies equally to the arts.
[07:08.30]Watching children at work in a classroom setting,we were astonished by their facility.
[07:14.78]Children as young as 5 or6 were painting flowers,fish and animals with the skill and confidence of an adult;
[07:24.63]calligraphers 9 and 10 years old were producing works that could have been displayed in a museum.
[07:32.88]In a visit to the homes of two of the young artists,
[07:37.56]we learned from their parents that they worked on perfecting their craft for several hours a day.
[07:45.27]CREATIVITY FIRST?
[07:48.06]In terms of attitudes to creativity there seems to be a reversal of priorities:
[07:55.59]young Westerners making their boldest departures first and then gradually mastering the tradition;
[08:04.31]and young Chinese being almost inseparable from the tradition,but,overtime, possibly evolving to apoint equally original.
[08:15.33]One way of summarizing the American position
[08:19.57]is to state that we value originality and independence more than the Chinese do.
[08:26.93]The contrast between our two cultures can also be seen in terms of the fears we both harbor.
[08:35.00]Chinese teachers are fearful that if skills are not acquired early, they may never be acquired;there is,
[08:45.04]on the other hand, no comparable hurry to promote creativity.American educators fear that
[08:54.78]unless creativity has been acquired early, it may never emerge;on the other hand, skills can be picked up later.
[09:05.02]However, I do not want to overstate my case.There is enormous creativity to be found in Chinese scientific,
[09:13.98]technological and artistic innovations past and present.
[09:19.60]And there is a danger of exaggerating creative breakthroughs in the West.When any innovation is examined closely,
[09:28.79]its reliance on previous achievements is all too apparent(the"standing on the shoulders of giants"phenomenon).
[09:37.93]But assuming that the contrast I have developed is valid,
[09:42.61]and that the fostering of skills and creativity are both worthwhile goals,the important question becomes this:
[09:51.96]Can we gather,from the Chinese and American extremes,a superior way to approach education,
[09:59.61]perhaps striking a better balance between the poles of creativity and basic skills?
[10:06.93]Language Sense Enhancement
[10:10.69]Read aloud the following poem Working Class  by Tanua Dlinn
[10:14.66]What a mess said Miss Mawgan One cold and rainy day So I said we’d work together As we can’t go out to play
[10:26.91]So I tidied up the books shelf While Jack sorted out the pens Charmain’s drawer was very messy But not as bad as Ben’s