Page 6 - E-book 2012-13 final draft
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Foreword 1
序二
endless journey that is full of challenges, to be enlightened one must
seek greater knowledge and truth and at the same time, share the
valuable knowledge and experience gained so as to keep the flames
of education ablaze. An ancient Chinese story tells of a university professor who
went to visit a famous Zen master. As was the custom, the master
Prof. Mok Ka Ho Joshua quietly began the complex process of brewing the tea. Throughout
Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences the informal ceremony the professor talked about Zen, and his
Associate Vice President (Research & International Exchange) understandings of its multilayered philosophy. The master smiled
Director, Centre for Greater China Studies as he listened and slowly poured the visitor's cup to the brim, but
then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup, a
little bemused, until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's full! No
more will go in!" the professor blurted. To which the master softly
replied, "This is you. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty
your cup?”
Although the story carries multiple meanings, the
message beneath the simple words is that if we want to learn –
to be enlightened and excited – we must put aside some of our
preconceived notions, or empty the cup, to make room for the new.
One of the all too common notions is that learning in university
classrooms is a one-way transmission of knowledge from the teacher
to the student. This book challenges us to put this dated notion
aside and to view learning as a respectful interaction between
teachers and students.
The book embraces the idea of listening to and learning
from both teachers and students. As such, it conceives learning
not as a simple one-way process, but as a reciprocal relationship
between partners. The promise of this belief is at least three-fold.
First, the more teachers listen to and understand their
students, the more empathetic they will be to the needs, styles and
uncertainties of the students. In short, teachers will stay in touch
with the realities of the people sharing their classrooms.
序二
endless journey that is full of challenges, to be enlightened one must
seek greater knowledge and truth and at the same time, share the
valuable knowledge and experience gained so as to keep the flames
of education ablaze. An ancient Chinese story tells of a university professor who
went to visit a famous Zen master. As was the custom, the master
Prof. Mok Ka Ho Joshua quietly began the complex process of brewing the tea. Throughout
Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences the informal ceremony the professor talked about Zen, and his
Associate Vice President (Research & International Exchange) understandings of its multilayered philosophy. The master smiled
Director, Centre for Greater China Studies as he listened and slowly poured the visitor's cup to the brim, but
then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup, a
little bemused, until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's full! No
more will go in!" the professor blurted. To which the master softly
replied, "This is you. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty
your cup?”
Although the story carries multiple meanings, the
message beneath the simple words is that if we want to learn –
to be enlightened and excited – we must put aside some of our
preconceived notions, or empty the cup, to make room for the new.
One of the all too common notions is that learning in university
classrooms is a one-way transmission of knowledge from the teacher
to the student. This book challenges us to put this dated notion
aside and to view learning as a respectful interaction between
teachers and students.
The book embraces the idea of listening to and learning
from both teachers and students. As such, it conceives learning
not as a simple one-way process, but as a reciprocal relationship
between partners. The promise of this belief is at least three-fold.
First, the more teachers listen to and understand their
students, the more empathetic they will be to the needs, styles and
uncertainties of the students. In short, teachers will stay in touch
with the realities of the people sharing their classrooms.
