約翰霍普金斯大學（The Johns Hopkins University）


來訪與學生交流記事


 


約翰霍普金斯大學SAIS著名的國際關係學者卜道維（Dave Brown）教授和中國研究系副主任傅瑞珍（Carla Freeman）教授帶領十二名研究生組成的選舉觀察團，來台觀察台灣的立委選舉。台灣民主基金會安排約翰霍普金斯大學師生來台師大訪問，事先約好安排一場學生交流的座談會。我找了英研所和翻譯所相對數量的學生和他們進行交流。


        會場在行政大樓二樓第一會議室，我把座位排成一個口字形，讓大家可以面對面對談。我先放一個七分鐘學校簡介，再由本校學生Jenny以簡短的ppt說明台灣選舉制度變革與現況。然後就開始座談。我和卜教授約好，由雙方學校輪流提問的方式進行。英語雖不是我們的母語，但本校的同學接能以流利的英語表達思想意見，雙方就大家關心的選舉議題發問。同學們的議題，涵蓋青年們對選舉的冷漠，美國的族裔衝突與台灣的族群對立，美國對台態度是否傾向中國，海峽兩岸的民主化歷程，選舉政見是否關注教育環保經濟等議題，美國總統大選的最新變化，全球化下的兩岸關係，台灣知識份子如何看待兩岸交流，台灣M形社會的成因，美國是否也有同樣的困境等等。


兩校同學們的問題犀利，回答精彩，展現了年輕人關懷世事的情懷，本校同學的英語表達能力與批判性思考的深度，以及不凡的氣度，更是贏得卜道維和傅瑞珍兩位教授高度的讚許。我當然以同學們的表現為榮。會談結束，在學校的庭園餐廳餐敘，兩校年輕人經過一個半小時的座談，很快地打成一片，雙方熱烈交流，彷彿是多年的老朋友了。真羨慕他們。在我年輕的時候，這樣的國際交流經驗，幾乎是不可能的。現在的學生，機會增多了，但相對的壓力也跟著來。如何安全踏上國際化全球化的高速列車，需要更多的努力，更積極的態度，以迎接未來的機會與挑戰。卜道維在結論時說，他對未來的發展充滿樂觀的期待。同學們也表示對自己的未來，有信心。卜教授說他年輕時也在台灣學中文，有一段愉快的海外學習經驗。他也表達，歡迎本校同學前往約翰霍普金斯大學進修。


送走他們一行人之後，我在想今後要盡量提供類似的機會，讓同學們在校園裡就能經驗國際化。晚上回到家，就收到參與的學生Anna來信，感謝我提供這個難得的學習經驗，心裡頓覺溫暖，自己費心的安排，有了立即正面的效應。


（莊坤良2008/1/8）


台師大公關室報導：


http://pr.ntnu.edu.tw/news2.php?no=1645




學生來信：

 

Dear Professor Chuang,

 

I just want to say thank you for inviting me to receive the students and professors from Johns Hopkins.

This is a great experience for me and I think I have done my best.

 

Frankly speaking, this is my first time to speak English in front of so many foreigners.

I can hardly believe that I was the first respondent and spoke more than once!!! 

Well, I feel...great!!! And I want to share what I have learned.

 

It is so amazing when so many people coming from different backgrounds sitting together,

exchanging information and most important of all, trying to understand one another.

Isn't it the core value of language? For so many years, I've tried hard to convince my students

that learning English doesn't mean memorizing rules and vocabulary words but communicating with

people who share different mother tongues. And today, I experienced the magical process and

got a first-hand example to share with my students TOMORROW :)

 

Critical thinking was another issue popping into my mind when I heard the questions

they posed. Those students are capable of thinking critically (I am clear about critical thinking

after my presetation in your literature class. Ha!!!) and their questions forced me to think critically.

Later I found why it seemed to be difficult for me to address to their questions with ease.

In fact, it was because that I had never thought about them seriously. I just took many things for granted.

I was frustrated, thinking I need more mental exercise. But I am happy, for I start to see things around

with a keener eye. It is a good start, isn't it?

 

Today, I made a new friend, Christina, and we hit it off right away. We have the same concern about the educational problems and talk a lot about the next generation. She even suggested that we keep in touch afterwards. You know what? Right before I left the restaurant, she told me that I am really different from the teachers she knew and she believed if there are more and more teachers holding the some belief as mine, there must be hope for Taiwan's future. What she said reminded me of your teaching. You always encouraged us to teach differently from teachers who received traditional training and recommended lots of inspring teaching techniques. Christina's compliment reassured me of my belief and I think I have more confidence to stride ahead.  

 

I am so sorry for writing such a lengthy reflection.

Thank you for reading my scribble. I hope you can understand the mental stir I've experienced.

 

Thank you again!

 

Anna

 

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