Zookeeper
Core tips: Which four learns? Learn to learn (learn how to learn), learn to be (learn how to behave), learn to do (learn how to do things), and learn totogether (learn how to get along ).
Small pass by thinker
Xu Jilin is a distinguished professor from East China Normal University, a doctoral advisor from the History Department, deputy director of the Chinese Institute of modern ideology and culture, the key research base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, and director of the China Joint Research Center of modern China and world, East China Normal University-British Columbia, he is also a member of the Standing Committee of Shanghai Social Security Association, vice president of Shanghai History Society, and Director of China History Society. He is mainly engaged in the history of Chinese thoughts and intellectuals in the 20th century and the Research on Shanghai urban culture. I have been writing about "10 theories of Chinese intellectuals", "Self-disintegration of enlightenment" (co-author), "intellectuals in the big age", and "public exchanges of Modern Chinese intellectuals" (co-author) and how to restore the life of the Enlightenment, and the Enlightenment and anti-Enlightenment of contemporary China.
Over the past few years, more and more college graduates have complained that they cannot find a desired job. Many organizations lament that it is really difficult to find a competent college student. This forms a very large contrast and conflict. So what kind of college students do we need? What kind of college students should we cultivate? How should we work as college students? In today's speech, I want to give a lecture on "four learn for College Students" based on the Comparison of Chinese and western university life ).
The reason why a university is a university
Whether a university is good or not depends on whether there is a creative cultural life on the campus. This culture is in a broad sense, including literature, art, and technology. It can be imagined in all aspects.
Before getting started, I want to talk about what university is? What kind of students should we cultivate as a first-class comprehensive university?
The university is not just a utopia. From its history, although we often say that Chinese universities are very old and Yuelu College in Changsha, Hunan has a history of one thousand years, the University actually originated in Europe. The earliest University was born in France, Italy, and then to the UK. As we are familiar with Oxford and Cambridge, they are all originated in the medieval Europe.
According to its original meaning, the word "university" actually includes two aspects. First, the University is a place where students from all over the world can be accepted. We know that medieval Europe was dominated by religion. The Christian Church led by the church in Rome is not a single nation. It hopes that all beings in Europe, at least, will survive this tradition. The better the University, the more international the University, the more foreign students. Therefore, openness is the first standard for universities. Second, the University is the place where liberal education is provided. The place where a gentleman is trained is mainly a gender in Europe. Whether it is the University of Paris in France, The University of Hong bao in Germany, the University of Cambridge in the UK, Oxford University, all for this purpose. The purpose of setting up a university outside the church is to cultivate a knowledgeable nobility. The knowledge at that time may be different from what we understand today. Today, we pay more attention to applied knowledge and technology, and at that time, people prefer to cultivate their temperament knowledge. Therefore, the people they cultivate are usually Boya scholars.
Not only Europe, but also the tradition of Chinese education. Although Confucius does not have a college as Plato does, he has three thousand disciples, which forms an educational space and atmosphere. From Confucius to the various schools that emerged in the Song Dynasty, including Yuelu, bailudong, and Donglin, we will find that their educational philosophy is very similar to that of European universities. First, they are inclusive. It not only accepts local people, but also welcomes students from all over the world who are interested in Confucian Studies. These students are often dissatisfied with the imperial examination, and think of the College to find something truly valuable. According to the Chinese tradition, the school does not teach you knowledge but how to behave. Who are they? Become a moral gentleman recognized by Confucianism, a gentleman of knowledge and writing.
It is also Boya education. Whether it is China or Europe, the University's origin goal is very clear. So why is this very clear idea blurred today? This is related to the industrial revolution, especially the large-scale development of universities after the Second World War. With the popularization and popularization of universities around the world after World War II, the number of universities increased dramatically, and the nature and goal of education naturally changed.
So what makes a real university recognized by the public composed? There are three parts: first, in terms of teaching, it is an academic and research-oriented teaching, and it is never applied. 2. The University is also an academic research institution. As Mei Xiaoqi, Tsinghua's old principal, said, the university is not a master but a building. Unfortunately, many universities in China are keen on building, rather than cultivating masters. The third most important thing is the creative cultural atmosphere. Whether a university is good or not depends on whether there is a creative cultural life on the campus. This culture is broadly defined, including literature, art, and technology. It can be imagined in all aspects. The above forms three very important standards of the University. Only by meeting these three conditions can we say that this is a true and ideal university.
Now let's start with the question: Four learn for college students. This sentence was proposed by Professor Jin Yaoji, the principal of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a famous Chinese Emy. In 2003, he was invited to give a speech at the East China Normal University to discuss his university philosophy. He said that college students should learn four learns in college. Which four learn? Learn to learn (learn how to learn), learn to be (learn how to behave), learn to do (learn how to do things), and learn totogether (learn how to get along ). I strongly agree with Professor Jin's point of view. Next, let me use it on his behalf.
Learn how to learn and behave
A Boya mind is shaped by a lot of good knowledge. Nowadays, many people put useful knowledge in their heads. Such a person has limited development space and is a top-notch technical talent at most.
The first is learn to learn. As we all know, going to college is just learning. But what do you learn? This is probably not clear to everyone. A major is of course, but I have already said that a university is a place to train Boya scholars. Therefore, it is also important to learn other things than a major.
Here we will encounter a question of "blog and appointment. Bo, Boya;, refers to your professional knowledge. The two may be a little nervous.
Our current parents are eager to consider what Major they choose for the college entrance examination. You want a high school student to be confused by the exam-oriented education just now. Does he know what Major he really likes? Many people choose to measure the value based on a more secular perspective. For example, you can choose what you want to make a lot of money and what you want to eat. However, when you enter the university in English, French, German, and American fields, you do not have to be a professional. The sophomore year is general education, and the so-called major is available for you to choose from. That is to say, after you have completed many courses, you can select a major only when your mind is full and you discover your interests. Discovering what you like and what you are suitable for is a process, rather than a one-time decision.
I also have some experience. So far, I miss my college life. At that time, professional learning was boring. The most interesting thing is to sit in the library, read books, read magazines, and listen to all kinds of related and even irrelevant lectures. If you asked me about the usage of these lectures, I don't know. But slowly, your personality, your mind, and your knowledge have been edified by such an atmosphere. When you enter a good university, you will find posters on the walls filled with various academic lectures, rather than practical leaflets. I had a deep impression when I was at Harvard for half a year. There are more than 50 lectures from various departments and research centers at Harvard University every day. Taking the East Asian Research Center of fzheng Qing as an example, there were an average of three lectures every week, almost one lecture every other day. At the Harvard School newspaper, there are four major versions of lectures, which are very rich. That really gives you the freedom to choose. The general lectures were well attended by more than 20 audience members, but the atmosphere was very warm and there were plenty of discussions. That atmosphere is the true University atmosphere. How to become a liberal arts scholar does not need to be studied in a university. My own experience as a person is: Don't worry about what it is, as long as you have a little bit of interest in this content, as long as a famous professor to give a lecture, you must listen. You will get some unexpected gains.
The combination of Bo and ya is a balance between useful knowledge and good knowledge. Today's society is very practical. It is useful and useless. Many of us always want to obtain a certificate and accumulate some useful knowledge. But in fact, it is useless knowledge that can cultivate people's minds. I call it good knowledge. A Boya mind is shaped by a lot of good knowledge. Nowadays, many people put useful knowledge in their heads. Such a person has limited development space and is a top-notch technical talent at most. Only people with good knowledge can be creative and imaginative. However, useful knowledge is not intended for you. What it teaches you is a set of rules, rather than how to break through and create. Therefore, we must never put on a utilitarian idea to learn things so that we can truly achieve great success.
The following is even more important than above, that is, learn to be. As we said just now, the University should cultivate the temperament of Boya scholars. Being human is the central goal of university training. From the tradition of the West, this is a more important goal than learning.
Dr. Feng Xiang from Harvard University and Yale University recently spoke in an interview about this. He said that law schools in the United States, like Yale, never regard training professionals as their own goals. So what does Yale cultivate? Students of excellent quality are trained. He will be a lawyer, a judge, a president, or even a Hollywood script. The best law school in the United States never sets goals for students. It is the purpose of Cultivating Excellent and collar talents.
How can Foreign Universities Cultivate nobility? The real nobility has two meanings in the university. First, it should cultivate your spirit of self-discipline as a noble. Many European universities in Oxford and Cambridge have maintained the school tradition, such as King's College, Queen's College, Trinity College ...... The school has lived in a collective life, and the students in the school are trained in the form of training nobles. This training is like living in the Qing Dynasty. It is very hard, with simple conditions and strict discipline like the military. What do nobles think is the most important? Honor. This tradition has also been inherited by Western universities. They regard their alma mater as more honors than anything else. A large part of the funds, especially for private universities, come from donations from alumni. Why donate? Because they think this is a very important reward. I am a Harvard student and I got a good job after graduation. This honor was given to me by my alma mater, so I want to pay off. This honor is always with him.
Second, the more noble you are, the more concerned you are about civilians. I was particularly impressed when I was at Harvard that almost all Harvard students would consciously volunteer in nearby communities every weekend. For example, in the local Chinese community, you can see that many Harvard students are helping New Chinese immigrants learn English and how to tax. I attended a higher oral English class in a church in Boston without tuition fees. My teacher is a very young girl and graduated from Harvard Business School. She works in a big bank and is very busy at work, but she still takes two or half days every week to volunteer and teach English. I asked her why she did this? She said a few words. The first sentence is, "This is Harvard's tradition." The second sentence is, "I have only worked for myself for the past two days. This is my favorite one. "
Learn to work and get along with others
Today's society is very focused on team spirit. Not to mention companies, that is, conducting research at universities, all forms of teams. Some people are very competent in research, but are not good at communicating with others.
The third point is learn to do. To become a nobility, you must first learn to do things.
What I said just now is a big event. We encourage you to have a great ambition. But just as the pyramid was not built in a day, to do things, you must first learn to do all kinds of things. This is especially important for universities.
Some of us read books very well, but they do not do things. Today, many of us go out to look for a job, which gives us the feeling that things will not be done, and things will not be done. Although a lot of things may happen as soon as they are learned, many abilities need to be accumulated. Learning to do things is also a kind of ability. At present, many of our universities have a variety of volunteer groups and activities, as well as many job-study opportunities. I always think that even if you are busy, you must attend these activities. What is important is not what you get in monetary return, but learning to do things. This is important.
I have a few doctoral students who come from rural areas and are relatively poor at home. In order to show that I would learn with all my heart, I said to me, "Teacher, I would rather live a bitter life than work. "I said to them," You are wrong. The best students should read books well and work well. This is a good student. "In foreign schools, whether you have money or no money, most of them work. For example, serving as a waiter in a restaurant or cafe near the school. At noon today, your classmates are here to serve you, and at night you will serve him. This is common. By doing this, they have improved their living abilities and exercised their survival abilities in society. I often say to my students that after I graduated from middle school, I went to the countryside for three years. After I graduated from college, I stayed in school as a TA, started from the TA and lecturer, and started from the bottom layer. It's just because you have done things. Today we can achieve things. Do not think that success can be achieved directly without doing anything small. Only a little bit, every detail is sure, can be made into a major event.
In foreign countries, college students have participated in many volunteer groups, student associations, and even various volunteers, and they have done a lot of things. As a result, they quickly adapted to the company's pace as soon as they entered the company. Now, everyone wants to enter a large company because of its high income and bright future. However, corporate culture is not a university culture. The university can also tolerate casual and casual content. Today's company is as rigorous as the military. The better the company is, the more rigorous the company is, especially foreign companies. The entire atmosphere is very strict. If you want to enter, you must adapt to this culture. Most of the time, this is from the cultivation of small things.
Every year from Boston to February, there was a citywide volunteer group joint recruitment conference in Central Park, which was very lively. Volunteers are here to help you. If you don't have to pay, you have to pay for the fare and energy. However, so many people are trying to exercise their abilities, and these experiences are highlighted in the job form and resume form.
The last learn is to learn how to get along with others. We can find that today's society attaches great importance to team spirit. Not to mention companies, that is, conducting research at universities, all forms of teams. Some people have research capabilities, but are not good at communicating with others. Today, in college, we need to cultivate how to learn to get along with others and how to be team-oriented.
As I said just now, why should the nobility be trained in colleges, rather than individual cultivation? Because the knights cannot speak their own words, they must have strict discipline and cooperation spirit. In 1995, I visited St. John's College at the University of British Columbia, Canada. According to the British model, the University not only has a variety of specialized schools and departments, but also colleges. What does this school mean? It is not a teaching and research institution, but a group of teachers and students in daily life. It is a community ). This is what St. John's College does. It is not only a dormitory, but also a rich array of functions. People in the school come from different majors and different countries. In addition to class, they usually perform various activities in school units. Competitions between students are also competitions between colleges and colleges. In addition to the school, the student's sense of honor also comes from the school. In addition to the Department, the professor also belongs to a certain school because he wants to communicate with the students of that school. The Chinese University of Hong Kong is also in this model. They have four schools: SINIA, Chongji, Yifu, and union. Every student belongs to a school. Although you come from different departments, what you live here is a complete collective life.
I felt very deeply in the group of St. John's College. Each student has a small room, but it is independent and comfortable. The school stipulates that each student enrolled in the school should make an academic report every year to introduce their latest research results to other students. Secondly, meals are made together, and the dishes are arranged in advance every week. At dinner time, in addition to meals, everyone is sitting around the table and chatting freely, participating in a variety of sports competitions and interest associations. That is to say, the most important lesson of a university includes training you how to join a community and organize a community. If you have not participated in any community activities during college, your college life is lacking.
Today, we have too many things to learn in college. The university is not only a knowledge-based classroom, but also has the ability to develop in an all-round way. Although work is not easy to find, as long as you have enough ability, you can be invincible. Of course, we are not only studying for a job, but also the beginning of our wonderful life. Li Bai said, "I am born to be useful ". The most important thing is how we learn to shape ourselves into a person with personality, taste, knowledge, and ability, not just a person with expertise. This is our goal as a college student.
(I would like to thank the Journal for providing the "Speak loudly" lecture hall. )
Thinker: Talking about the four learn of College Students
