Published in Lishui Education (20 19) No.6 "Vision of Famous Teachers" column. Thanks to the editor-in-chief, Mr. Zhou, researcher, new colleague and teacher, and forever good assistant, Mr. Wang Jun.
What is the standard of a good history lesson? What abilities and qualities should an excellent history teacher possess? How to move from competent to excellent? I believe this is not only a topic that many colleagues often ask and think about, but also the goal they strive for, and it is also the ardent expectation of the outside world for the history education circle in middle schools.
In my opinion, this kind of question is a Mencius-style professional question, which involves a history teacher improving his basic skills through the practice of "skills" and then entering a "new realm" through the pursuit of "Tao".
1962 Bob? When he was 2 1 year-old, Dylan wrote a song "The Answer is Driving in the Wind", which has been popular ever since, and this is also the key work for him to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 20 16. The song sings: "How many roads must a person walk before he can be called a real man. How many oceans does a white dove have to fly to sleep on the beach? " It subverts the existing definition of success to some extent, explains that life is a journey, and can also encourage people's career to be a process of continuous learning, constant pursuit of change and improvement.
First, practice art: improve basic skills
Thinking about the professional quality of middle school history teachers has troubled me for more than 20 years. Intermittent, intentional or unintentional, or a reflection in my heart, or a questioning in the dialogue, I have not let go.
Read Michael? In the notes of Fulan's series of educational works, he still remembers the following quotation that he quoted to advise teachers to ask themselves: "Why did I choose to be a teacher in the first place?" What does a teacher mean to me? What can it bring to my work? I wish I could leave something behind. What can I do to remind myself from time to time and not forget my conscience? "Questioning and reflecting from time to time is the professional feature of history, so it has become the professional thinking feature of history teachers.
In the teaching process of young and middle-aged teachers-those who take the initiative to teach in open classes or are willing to attend classes-are mostly the backbone of the school. As a listener, I sometimes get distracted, and sometimes I get lost in thought, thinking that they are much better, more mature and more rational than "the old me". In the eyes of their peers, they attach importance to their own image and affinity in class, with clear language expression, almost no intellectual or scientific mistakes, complete teaching links, exquisite courseware and strong classroom control ability. As a result, a word jumped into my mind from time to time and frequently appeared in front of my eyes: basic skills. My first impression of these teachers is that their basic skills are solid.
What are the basic skills of middle school history teachers? Or, what is the professional quality of middle school history teachers? With this question that often haunts my mind, I have searched academic journals in recent years, and some think that middle school history teachers should have "solid professional knowledge, preliminary international vision and certain life and cultural vision"; Some suggest that middle school history teachers should carry out "school-based research, professional study, teacher cooperation and interaction, participate in the development of school-based history curriculum and reflect regularly"; Some advocate that middle school history teachers must carry out "thoughtful reading and meaningful lesson preparation"; Some advocate that middle school history teachers should "conduct research on teaching-related topics, participate in teaching competitions and organize reading salons through teaching material analysis's special reports and analysis of test questions".
Based on the basic skills and the professional development of middle school history teachers, I also raised several questions, which generally include the following aspects: the professional knowledge structure should be "deep", the reading area should be "wide", the teaching methods should be "lively", the historical frontier should be "watched" and the modern educational concepts and technologies should be "familiar".
Inspired by many contemporary educational ideas, Mr. Zhou, a history teacher and researcher in district middle schools, is eager to guide the growth of young teachers. From the perspective of cultivating the core literacy of history, he designed three major links of the basic skills competition for young history teachers in district high schools: one is written examination, which mainly examines the contestants' pedagogy, psychology, curriculum reform ideas, professional knowledge, propositions and evaluation questions; The second is the display of general skills, including chalk writing (blackboard writing), impromptu speech and courseware making, and the third is professional skills, namely teaching design and simulated classroom teaching.
The theme of "simulated classroom teaching" is "Roosevelt's New Deal". This is a classic chapter in the history teaching content of senior high school. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, all versions of high school textbooks have been highly valued and affirmed, showing rich colors. Generally speaking, Roosevelt's "New Deal" effectively solved the "economic crisis" that threatened the governance of the United States and even the world, and was a successful model on the road of capitalist reform in the 20th century. Objectively, it also makes the United States become the world's "arsenal of democratic countries" in the upcoming world anti-fascist war. At the same time, this chapter is also a hot topic of college entrance examination in recent years. Front-line teachers have always attached great importance to this chapter, so it is logical to examine the basic skills of "preparing lessons" and "teaching"
The current curriculum standards can be summarized into three key words: content, characteristics and function, that is, what is the "policy", where is the "innovation" and how is the "effect"? In teaching, if we take "teaching materials" as the argument, we can focus on three key words. From the perspective of "teaching with textbooks", that is, "from textbooks, higher than textbooks", the design concept is upgraded to Roosevelt's "people and things" (people inspire themselves, things are politically new), and its "innovation" is discussed in the historical background, and its "politics" is recognized, and its "fruits" are appreciated with students. Vertical, that is, putting the New Deal in the time frame of American and even world history, from its concept, there is laissez-faire before and interventionism after; Judging from its background, it is just between the two world wars and has constant entanglements with it. Horizontally, it is to put the New Deal in the spatial framework compared with the Soviet Union, Germany and Japan. This new policy is a part of the exploration and continuous reform of the capitalist and socialist systems in the 20th century, and it is also a choice made by the western capitalist world based on its own traditions in the face of crisis. Such a "vertical" and "horizontal" grasp meets the requirements of history discipline for the concept of time and space, historical evidence and historical interpretation of core literacy. Based on this understanding, I personally think there are many highlights in this competition:
Building a frame is a unique skill of a master in class. As far as the outline of the framework design is concerned, the teachers in No.2 Middle School are guided by the words You, Yao, Xin and Guo, that is, finding reasons, introducing necessity, analyzing innovation and discussing the fruits of the New Deal. The clarity of lines shows amazing order.
Clever presupposition is a common "trick" used by many teachers in classroom teaching. In the simulation teaching of the New Deal, many participating teachers laid the groundwork and asked who was the New Deal, who was leading and who was stepping up intervention. Through legislation, the protagonist was the American government, thus revealing that the American government started from the liberalism theory and changed from an "invisible hand" to a "hidden or present hand".
Metaphor is a common way for teachers to solve abstract theoretical or conceptual problems in teaching, but there are often appropriate and inappropriate points. Jin Xiaoying, a senior three teacher, borrowed a set of commonly used medical language, comparing the "economic crisis" to "America is sick", comparing the New Deal to "prescription" and comparing it to "prescription" when evaluating it, which can be described as full of spirit and both form and spirit.
A clear concept is the unique skill of the gatekeeper who tries to go home. Teacher Li Zhong and Wang Li emphasized that in the face of the crisis, former Hoover "adhered to tradition" and now Roosevelt advocated the "New Deal" from tradition. Although it was a "hasty chapter", its implementation caused a series of political, economic and social changes, which left a deep impression on American history and had a far-reaching impact on the development of the capitalist world later. The story is clear and distinct, showing her clear-headed and quick thinking. The New Deal helped the United States "get out of the trough" and "tide over" the crisis, but it did not emphasize "solving" the crisis, which showed that she was an outstanding gatekeeper. However, her humorous language style is reflected in the use of such household words as "nothing to find trouble" to describe the "work for relief" in the New Deal measures. I believe that such a teacher is just the type that students like in class.
Paying attention to reflection is the common feature of all excellent teachers. Teaching without thinking is shallow, thinking without teaching is empty. A good teacher must be good at thinking and reflecting. Teacher's growth = experience+reflection. Ye Lan, a professor at East China Normal University, pointed out: "A teacher who writes a lifetime lesson plan may not become a famous teacher. If a teacher has written three years of reflection, he may become a famous teacher. " Teacher Liu from Lizhong in a province wrote after class: "Compared with the traditional laissez-faire, the New Deal is strengthening state intervention, highlighting the word" strengthening ",creating a new era of state monopoly capitalism, promoting the development of capitalist countries to a new stage, and emphasizing the new application of capitalist democratic order, thus grasping the essence of Roosevelt's New Deal. Finally, it infiltrated the core literacy of the history discipline advocated at present. In view of the textbook's positive attitude towards the evaluation of the' New Deal', in order to help students understand and accept the historical truth as comprehensively as possible, materials criticizing the' New Deal' have been appropriately supplemented. " Teacher Wang Li of Li Zhongsheng reflected: "For teachers, they can be familiar with a set of textbooks in three years, operate a set of textbooks in six years, control a set of textbooks in nine years, and be comfortable in more than ten years. Without him, only my hands are familiar! And I am often satisfied with this' familiarity'. History is extensive and profound, and the knowledge involved in history textbooks is vast, and what you know may not even be a drop in the ocean, so the so-called' familiarity' is just ridiculous arrogance, which is confirmed by every competition experience. Error-free teaching is at best the work of' skilled' craftsmen, while meaningful classroom is the soul collision full of wisdom and the' art' of masters! Therefore, I cherish every opportunity to participate in the competition, so that I can fully realize my shallowness and have the opportunity to listen to sincere advice and see the shining wisdom. "
What should a history teacher show in the most "primitive" state? This is a question in my mind after I received the task of "impromptu speech" in the basic skills competition. Many years ago, people in education often quoted this sentence to briefly answer what is quality in quality education: when you leave school and forget knowledge, the rest is quality. As the saying goes, the road is simple. As a proposer, I insist that the quality of a history teacher in a middle school involves many fields, but if we put aside all auxiliary technologies and external tools and improvise a history teacher's "basic skills" in the shortest time, I think the simplest measures are: knowing people, deliberating and reading. Therefore, according to the lottery results, the contestants who participated in the basic skills competition won three "impromptu speeches" respectively: please tell us a historical story, recommend a historical monograph or introduce a historical figure.
Teacher Tan Juan from the province introduced a historical figure: Socrates. This is a master who broke through the thought of the Wise School, a leader who influenced Plato and made him form the thought of "utopia", a wise man and a brave man who used his life to test the shortcomings of Athens' democratic politics, a figure who could not be bypassed in the historical review of "what he said must be called Greece", and a thinker who was in the "axis era" in Jaspers' eyes and was as famous as Confucius and Sakyamuni.
Liu Heng, a teacher in the province, introduced a great book: The Golden Branch, written by James? George? Fraser (1854— 194 1 year). The foundation work of modern anthropology, the authoritative work of witchcraft and religious origin. According to him, this book is beautiful in writing, clear in meaning and fluent in reasoning, full of descriptions of customs around the world, and countless thought-provoking views and comments run through it. The book shines with the light of wisdom everywhere, but there is little dull and stale atmosphere. It is interesting to read and unbearable to release.
Teacher Xie Yan from No.2 Middle School recommended the Modern History of China written by Jiang Tingfu (1895- 1965). In the introduction, she pointed out that Jiang Tingfu's book not only clarified the theory of history, but also showed the author's concern for the fate of the nation and his deep feelings for his home and country between the lines. Jiang Tingfu is also known as "the pioneer of modern China history research".
Surprisingly, three contestants were chosen to tell a historical story, perhaps because the topic was too broad, but it failed to fully show the basic skills of history teachers in telling stories and to refine and contribute unique enlightenment, so it was a pity.
Second, the question of Tao: looking for a new realm
"Technology" generally refers to methods and paths, belonging to the level of artifacts and technology, which can be roughly understood as "basic skills". "Tao" refers to the track, the law and the fundamental principle of everything. From "technique" to "Tao", that is, from methodology to world outlook, when a history teacher has mastered "technique" or "basic skills" and is able to do it with ease, the pursuit of "Tao" is at his fingertips. At this time, the pursuit of history classroom is just a way for history teachers to move from competent to excellent and outstanding, which requires thinking and exploring a new realm of history classroom teaching from the perspective of values.
A history teacher can master the "basic skills", that is, the "skills" of teaching. At most, he can reach the level of "craftsman" and create class after class without any problems. So, is a class without shortcomings a good class? Is the undisputed class a demonstration class? Is the classroom without problems perfect? Sometimes it is found that with the excellent guidance and help of teachers, students' problems are solved in class, but while admiring them, there is often an inexplicable sense of loss.
Many years ago, the national Chinese core periodical History Teaching invited many colleagues to write articles according to the standard of a good class. Its intention is not to discuss the standards of a good class, but to draw people's attention to the elements of a good class. What is the core accomplishment of an excellent history teacher? In short, the theme lies in "finding a better classroom and finding a better teacher". Educational scholars who specialize in philosophical thinking of education have made more advanced thinking in this field.
About the classroom. Ye Lan, a professor at East China Normal University, published an article entitled "Reviving the classroom-on the deepening of teaching reform in primary and secondary schools" as early as the ninth issue of Educational Research 1997, which still has far-reaching influence and practical significance. In the article, she clearly pointed out: "Classroom teaching contains great vitality. Only when the vitality of teachers and students is effectively exerted in classroom teaching can it really contribute to the cultivation of new people and the growth of teachers, and the classroom will have real life. Therefore, in order to change the current situation in classroom teaching, we must study many factors that affect the status of teachers and students in classroom teaching, study the full richness of teachers and students' activities in classroom teaching, and study how to develop the life potential of classroom teaching. "
About the mentor. In his book Being a Living Educator, his disciple Professor Li Zhengtao divided teachers into four types: craftsmen, artists, Confucianism and philosophers. "One is a craftsman. If teaching is regarded as a technology, his technology is seamless, mature and even superb. Both students and "teaching" itself are the raw materials and stage for him to display his skills. His job is to polish his skills day and night. He is fascinated by his works, just as a mason faces his house and a blacksmith faces his sword. Regular teaching strategies, students' excellent academic performance and various teaching awards are all the work of craftsmen. When people send flowers to him, they often sigh with regret in their hearts. A craftsman always lacks two things: thought and passion. Craftsmen's technology is technology without thinking, and the education we want is technology with thinking and technical thinking. What's more frightening is that he doesn't have that kind of endless passion for life. He often smiles in front of his works and then falls asleep sweetly. " "The second is an artist. He is not only full of passion, but also full of artistic cells. Through beautiful language, expressive expressions, gestures and movements, teaching is artistic and even romantic. Artists' classes are always full of energy, and students are strongly infected and interested in attending classes. However, the craftsman's skill is precisely the craftsman's shortcoming. Artists' classes can be very active and vivid, but sometimes they get lost in randomness and carelessness, and the teaching effect is not necessarily better than that of craftsmen. " "Third, Confucian scholars. Traditional intellectual demeanor is its basic feature. He has the sense of responsibility and mission of intellectuals, full of love for education, warmth for children, dedication and sacrifice. He has a deep understanding of the subjects he teaches and is an expert in this field. But his limitations are also here. His vision is always in his own academic world. His image orientation is still a "candle", a devotee and a victim. " "The fourth is a philosopher. He tried to teach in thinking and creation, and pursued teaching supported by thinking depth and ideas. A philosopher is not satisfied with being only a victim, but also a creator and transcendence. Never stay in front of any established achievements, never stop pursuing the perfection of the educated life and the educator's self-life, and always carry out educational activities in the mutual blending of reason and emotion to realize the reflection and reconstruction of educational behavior. "
The most ideal teacher is a teacher who combines the characteristics of the above four types of teachers, and such a teacher will move from Excellence to Excellence. Then, how to move towards Excellence, and then from Excellence to Excellence, how can a history teacher's teaching, and even the memory of some classes, overflow intangible memories, impressions and influences other than taking exams and imparting knowledge? In other words, what is the beauty of history classroom teaching beyond ordinary meaning? What kind of class can make students remember deeply and have an indelible impact on students for life? At this point, the word "realm" naturally comes to mind. So where is the highest realm of classroom teaching and the new realm of excellent teachers?
Fang Xiaoru's poem said, "Exploring elegance and infinite meaning is a wonderful word". Wang Guowei believes that ci is superior to realm theory. Realm, with some mysterious beauty, is not only the embodiment of self-cultivation, but also the reflection of ideology, as if to describe a person who has gone through thousands of waters in Qian Shan and experienced vicissitudes, showing an internal artistic conception and external self-cultivation. After the "Basic Skills Competition", Liu Heng, a teacher from a certain province's Lizhong, wrote down the feelings of "mixed feelings": "People in their forties have to take part in the basic skills competition. Sweet, I complete the "three-year simulated five-year college entrance examination" every year, grow up with my classmates, and get good written test results. Bitter, when preparing for the basic skills competition, as the head teacher of senior three, I have to accompany my wife and children and my parents. Too busy to believe that kung fu is in peacetime. Spicy, impromptu speeches are unintelligible, simulated classrooms, and the gap between ideas and ideals is too big. " Tan Juan, a teacher in the provincial middle school, also reflected: "Teaching and learning are complementary factors. If you want to teach more brilliantly and brilliantly, you must deepen your literacy and devote your life to exploration and learning. For example, you have taught for three or five years and gained something. You think you have reached the top. This view is too superficial. In fact, this' mountain peak' is alive, and its height is rising with age and experience. And the only way to get close is to read and accumulate. Only climbing Mo Wen High is the attitude that educators should have. " Writer Mai Jia said: "Life is a circle. Some people have never walked out of the circle of fate in their lives. He just doesn't know that every point on the circle has a soaring line! " This is an annotation of excellent young teachers' rather anxious and introspective mentality.
The young and middle-aged history teachers who participated in this competition are already the backbone of the unit, the dependence of students, the backbone of the cause and the pillar of the family. Everything is natural, and there is nothing wrong with it. But if we want to go further, break through the comfort zone of career development and explore a new realm of "Tao", we must find a new fulcrum, start again and take off again.
After the accomplishment of "skill", the pursuit of "Tao" arises spontaneously. On the road to Excellence and new realm of middle school history teachers, comparing the characteristics and essential requirements of middle school history, I think: first, read more professional books, educational books, classic works and everyone's works; Second, diligent writing, educational narration, teaching reflection, reading experience and teaching papers; Third, always aware of the essence of the classroom, the origin of education, the significance of history and life; Fourth, leave blank, leave blank in class, leave blank in difficult answers, leave blank in dialogue and confrontation, and expect to leave blank in the future.
There is no standard for a good history class, but if there are some elements in the class, even one or two, it will help to pursue the highest realm of history class: ideological tension, emotional venting, thinking collision, rational questioning, poetic flow and desire for dialogue. Curiously, after class, teachers and students are still worried and looking forward to the next class. What are the disadvantages of such a class, even if there are some flaws or shortcomings? Such a teacher deserves to be an attractive teacher even if he has some harmless shortcomings. I look forward to meeting such a class and enjoying it, which will be welcomed by students, gratified by peers and lucky for history education. I am looking forward to meeting such a teacher. If I were friends with them, I would rather ask them to be teachers and teach for China together, inherit civilization and create education.
British educator Whitehead said: "Education should reveal the true meaning of greatness to students." This is especially true of history education, which shoulders the important mission of inheriting history and civilization. Although the pursuit from art to Taoism has a long way to go, and the journey from Excellence to Excellence is long, I have awakened, even though I set out, because the process is the whole meaning of education.
Once in the seventh grade Chinese class, I heard a teacher vividly speak a text entitled "Take one step, take another step" (the author is Morton of the United States? Hunter), I still remember the following clip: "Dad emphasized that I only need to do one simple action at a time and never gave me a chance to stop and think that there is still a long way to go. He has been telling me that I can do what I want to do next. "
That's just a preface.
Wu Yingmin, a famous educator and former president of affiliated high school of south china normal university, once warned colleagues in the education field at a forum: "Excellence is the biggest obstacle to Excellence!" This sentence has given me a great alarm, and I believe it can also arouse the introspection of my colleagues and inspire everyone to seek a new realm of education together.
Cited literature
1 Parker? Palmer, from The Power of Change: Deep Change, Michael? Fu Lan, Education Science Press, 2004, p. 17.
Chapter 2: Good Country: My humble opinion on the professional quality of history teachers in senior high schools —— Reflections on the college entrance examination questions in recent years, History Teaching, No.7, 2009.
3 Hou: Analysis of the professional development path of middle school history teachers, Teacher Development No.4, 20 10.
4 Zhu Ke: On Two Ways of Professional Development of Middle School History Teachers: Reading and Preparing Lessons, History Teaching, No.210.
5 Liu Hongsheng: "Exploring the classroom teaching confusion and professional growth of young history teachers in middle schools", "Training for Primary and Secondary School Teachers", No.5, 20 15.
Ye Lan: New Curriculum Reform No.2018 1 1.