The Chinese Box and Going Outside of It

The Chinese education system does not emphasize creativity.  Maybe it's the collective nature of the culture or the post-revolution ideology, but thinking outside of the box is something that is simply not expected.  Students simply sit and listen (or don't) while the professor lectures.  The chief means employed to measure their understand are exams.  At the beginning of the semester I explained how how I expected them to debate and discuss ideas--a lecture class with a mix of the Socratic seminar.  Oh how young and foolish I was then!

This doesn't mean my students aren't creative.  Far from it in fact.  They're just not used to a teacher caring so much about what they think.  In fact, they've come up with some pretty radical, and in some instances, highly-unorthodox ideas.  For instance, I recently had them play a game in which they transformed five random objects (a coat hanger, a book, a watch, a remote control, and a spare table leg that just happened to be in my room) into some new product with a completely different function.  Some responses were typical; The coat hanger became a bow/arrow, the remote was reprogrammed to control human action, and the watch hypnotized people.  But some were also pretty inspired: Not only was my watch a necklace, but it was a necklace that helped you lose weight! (The group did not, however, give an adequate explanation of the science behind it)  And it was quite amusing to see Thomas Hardy's Return of the Native become an instrument to fix a shaky desk (and a brick for hitting muggers with).

This however does not, does not even compare to one other moment of possible brilliance.  Our final "unit" has been "acting" or the closest possible equivalent and in one scene I had bargaining for various objects in a shop.  My student "Motumbo" (don't ask), either not content with the naturalism of the previous performances or just trying to get out of a speaking role, decided to portray a singing tree.  Whatever the motive it was a refreshing bit of creativity. Knowing that these kids are radical enough to personify vegetation is a great comfort.

Leb Wohl