Guardian Education

Author: Liu Tiefang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: It is precisely because of the desire for the free and comprehensive development of human beings that we develop a sense of attachment to the current state of education and the fate of people in reality, hold a deep humanistic reflection on subtle educational incidents, and maintain a warm humanistic sentiment toward our own small thoughts. At the same time, we engage in rational criticism and necessary reflection on various educational issues in reality, guarding over education with an ordinary, loving, and rational heart, and guarding over our educational dreams in our hearts. As our educational reforms gradually deepen today, I often cannot help but turn back and reflect on what the purpose of educational reform is? Or, how can we truly achieve the goals expected by educational reform? In my opinion, the purpose we should at least uphold is to gradually return more of the initiative of education to its practitioners, allowing them to truly become the practical subjects of educational life, rather than merely acting as executors or tools of educational authority—whether theoretical or of power—above them. This fully stimulates, liberates, and empowers the educational potential, creativity, and practical wisdom of every educational practitioner. This means we cannot simply set a standard answer for "what is education," "how should education be," or "education must be this way" and a mechanized mode of action. Instead, we return the right to question the meaning of educational life to the practitioners, allowing each educational person to continuously ask in their daily educational lives: What is education? What is good education? It is precisely through the continuous questioning and challenging of existing educational practices that the practical wisdom of frontline educators is nurtured, improving and enhancing the educational quality of life for every educator. When we reject the authority of theory or power from simply dominating educational practice, it does not mean that everything in practice is acceptable or good. I merely hope to genuinely enhance the autonomy of frontline educators in their respective educational lives, empowering each educator to explore, question, create, and discover in their own educational lives, and to gain the awareness and ability to find satisfaction and happiness in their educational journey. At the same time, we should show more tolerance and less dogmatism in educational thought and research, creating a space for free exchange and positive dialogue in educational discourse, making practical efforts to elevate the rational character of our educational lives. As we continuously strive to improve the quality of educational life and enhance the quality of educational life, and as we occasionally introduce trendy slogans like "postmodern," we must still hold fast to certain principles and protections for our educational lives, especially for modern education embedded in the long history of human civilization. "All roads lead to Rome." Before us, among us, and after us, countless passionate and wise individuals have pursued the dream of education and the "Rome" on the path of education—the educational ideal that people tirelessly pursue in the history of human education—could it not be the free and comprehensive development of every individual as Marx described, or the idea that "man is an end in himself" as Kant put it? Although education in reality is not perfect, the goal of the free and comprehensive development of humanity is an infinitely approaching process, yet it remains the guiding lighthouse in the hearts of every educator and a mirror reflecting the reality of education. It is precisely because of our desire for the free and comprehensive development of humanity and our concern for human perfection that we develop a sense of attachment to the current state of education and the fate of people in reality, maintain a calm heart toward the complex educational phenomena, hold a deep humanistic reflection on subtle educational incidents, and maintain a warm humanistic sentiment toward our small thoughts. At the same time, we engage in rational criticism and necessary reflection on various educational issues in reality, guarding over education with an ordinary, loving, and rational heart, and guarding over our educational dreams in our hearts. Perhaps, each person's strength is small and insignificant, but perhaps the development and progress of education require just the accumulation of countless ordinary and persistent efforts. Regardless, our ordinary and persistent efforts will support and illuminate our simple educational lives. I am deeply grateful to Mr. Fayan of East China Normal University Press for his kindness and urging me to compile an anthology of educational essays. I have pieced together fragments of my thoughts and feelings from my daily work or leisure in the field of education. Although the articles vary in length, they all reflect my serious reflections on educational issues. Many of them have been published in journals such as Dushu (Reading), Shuwu (Book House), Jiaoyu Cankao (Educational Reference), Jiaoshi Zhi You (Teacher's Friend), Mingri Jiaoyu Luntan (Tomorrow's Educational Forum), Zhong Xiao Jiao Li (Primary and Secondary School Management), and Jiaoyu Kexue Yanjiu (Educational Science Research).