On June 5th, 2020, the Young Teachers’ Teaching Competition of Nankai University was held in Haibing Building, Balitai Campus. 23 young teachers from 16 colleges participated in this competition after the preliminary selection. Moreover, this competition also introduced live webcast for the first time to facilitate the online observational learning for young teachers across the university.
Contestants regarded this teaching competition the arena to demonstrate their solid academic skills, and their scientific and reasonable arrangements of course content. After fierce competition, Zhang Chen, a teacher from the English Department won the first prize.
Zhang Chen, graduated from Nankai University with a bachelor's degree in 2011, was selected into the One Hundred Reserve Teachers Training Program of Nankai University. In the same year, she was sponsored by the government to continue with her postgraduate studies in the University of Sheffield, UK. Having obtained the PhD degree, she returned to Nankai University to teach in the English Department of the College of Foreign Languages.
Zhang Chen has an unwavering passion for English and is determined to take English as her major and career direction. She has a keen interest in learning English; based on her past experience of taking courses of linguistics at the undergraduate level and what she has gained from language learning, she gradually developed the idea of conducting academic research in the field of second language acquisition. Combining academic interest with vocation, Zhang Chen keeps advancing on the road of language learning and language teaching.
Zhang Chen possesses strong affection for her old school, where she has graduated from and later returned to with indissoluble bound. After graduation, she put the motto “dedication to public interests, acquisition of all-round capability” into practice. She continued to forge ahead in her work and study at the University of Sheffield; meanwhile, she was also deeply concerned about the development and changes of her alma mater: the construction of the new campus, the improvement of equipment on Balitai campus, and the innovative changes in the curriculum, all these made her proud and joyful.
Zhang Chen strives for perfection in English teaching, and constantly improves her teaching ability and teaching qualities. She explains professional knowledge earnestly, treats every student sincerely, and strives to improve the academic research. In addition, she is very knowledgeable and can impart the knowledge to the students in the most accessible way; she prepares each lesson with chariness and responsibility, fully mobilizes students’ autonomy and enthusiasm in learning, keeps a harmonious relationship with students and help them grow.
At different stages of her life, Zhang Chen keeps adhering to the motto “dedication to public interests, acquisition of all-round capability and aspiration for progress with each day”. She practices her ideals and beliefs both as a postgraduate student and as an early career teacher, and has made great contributions to Nankai University in the new century.
