In the world of education, open classes have always been a high-profile existence. It is not only a stage to showcase teachers' teaching skills, but also a platform for students' learning achievements. However, with the passage of time, open classes have gradually lost their original meaning and have become a form of education full of contradictions and drawbacks. The collision between ideals and reality has put the open class in a predicament.
For teachers, the preparation of open classes takes a lot of energy and time. From the design of teaching plans, the selection of teaching materials, the arrangement of teaching links, to the repeated rehearsals of teaching demonstrations, every work requires a lot of effort from teachers. This kind of performative teaching is not conducive to real teaching skill improvement. In fact, many teachers feel more pressure and challenge than the joy of professional growth when facing the upcoming open class. They lose their usual natural flow in teaching, and in order to "show perfectly", they constantly pursue the perfection of details and the effect of performance, which is contrary to the original purpose of education. Public classes have gradually become a burden on the hearts of teachers, rather than a booster for professional growth.
The students repeated familiar content during the rehearsal of the open class, spending time and energy to get used to a performance. They are placed under the control of teachers in the classroom and are deprived of the opportunity to think and express themselves freely. This kind of learning experience that is deprived of initiative can adversely affect students' interest in learning and their sense of educational equity. Students are not able to truly enjoy learning in the classroom, to actively participate and express their opinions and feelings. They passively receive knowledge under the control of the teacher, and this way of learning is undoubtedly a neglect of the individual differences and subjective initiative of students.
As an important part of education, open classes should be a form of education that promotes the professional growth of teachers and the learning of students. However, today's open classes have put teachers and students under pressure to truly perform their teaching and learning. This makes us think: what does the open class look like that we really need?
Some netizens said: "When I was in school, what I was most afraid of was open classes. The teacher will tell us in advance what we need to prepare and how we will behave in class. I really hope that the teachers can return to the essence of the classroom and give us more room to play freely. This netizen's words undoubtedly represent the voices of many students. They want more freedom in the classroom, rather than being confined to the teacher's preconceived notions.
Some teacher netizens lamented: "Open classes are also a huge challenge for us teachers. In order to have a good lesson, we need to spend a lot of time and effort to prepare. Sometimes they even ignore the learning needs of students in pursuit of perfection. The teacher's confusion also reflects the teacher's dilemma in the current educational environment. They aspire to be able to bring their professional abilities to the table in their teaching, but at the same time they want to pay more attention to the learning needs and development of their students.
Against this backdrop, we can't help but ask: what does the open class really need to look like, is it a false prosperity full of performances and displays, or is it an educational feast that really focuses on the development of teachers and students? If we want open classes to truly serve education, then we must re-examine their purpose and value. Open classes should be a platform for teachers' professional growth and students' learning, rather than a platform for evaluating teachers or a stage for students to perform. Only by allowing teachers and students to play freely and grow together on this platform can education be made more beautiful and valuable.
To sum up, we need to redefine the meaning and value of open classes and return them to the essence of education. We need to reduce the burden on teachers to prepare lessons so that they have more time and energy to focus on student learning and development. At the same time, we need to value student participation and experience, so that they can freely express their opinions and feelings. Only in this way can we make open classes truly serve education, so that both teachers and students can have opportunities for growth and development. Let's work together for a better future for education!