When a child's painting was failed by the teacher because it was "too fat", Xiao Ming (not his real name) excitedly took his art assignment - drawing a chicken and couldn't wait to show it to the art teacher. This chicken is round and looks quite cute, because it is based on a real hen in Xiao Ming's grandfather's house. However, the art teacher's reaction was unexpected: "This chicken is so fat, it has completely lost its chicken form, and it fails!" ”
Xiao Ming's smile froze instantly, and his mood fell straight down like a roller coaster. He couldn't understand why his work based on a real-life hen would not be recognized.
When Xiao Ming returned home, he told his father about the situation with a depressed face. As a "digital native" who grew up in the Internet age, Xiao Ming's father immediately realized that this was a typical case of the collision between concept and reality. He decided to take action, not just for one of Xiao Ming's assignments, but for all the children who faced educational injustice and limited creativity.
Xiao Ming's father put Xiao Ming's painting side by side with a photo of his grandfather's hen on social media, along with a message: "This is my child's artwork and his source of inspiration." The teacher gave him a failing grade, do you think it's fair? The post was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
The reaction from netizens was swift and strong. Most people expressed support for Xiao Ming's work, believing that artistic creation should be free, especially children's artistic expression, and should be encouraged rather than limited by frameworks. Others, on the other hand, believe that the teacher's approach has a reason for education, and that it is to educate children to pursue higher artistic standards.
The discussion quickly went beyond the painting itself to become a broad discussion about how education should balance creative freedom and technical norms. Parents, teachers, and even artists are involved.
There is no simple right or wrong in this matter. It makes us rethink: Do we focus only on the results and ignore the process in our children's education? Is it just the norm and forget the creativity?
A child's world is full of whimsical ideas, and every attempt they make deserves respect. Perhaps, we should learn to re-understand the world from the perspective of children, rather than trying to frame them in the 'right' framework in the eyes of adults.
Xiao Ming's "too fat" chicken did not change his grades in the end, but it sparked a profound conversation about education, art and growth on the Internet. This chicken is not just a chicken, it has become a mirror of our self-reflection, making us have to think about whether we also need to learn more about life and art from the innocent thoughts of children.