Author: Zhengru Wu
“I see possibilities in my kids.”
Liu Zhe sits in front of a computer screen in his study, sips a cup of tea, talks about his life – eloquent, energetic, funny, much like his classroom presence. A high school history teacher for 6 years, he makes it his goal to help every student succeed with his unique approach to teaching.
Growing up in traditional Chinese classrooms, his students are no stranger to dogma, conformity, and a test-oriented learning approach. From dawn to dusk, the gaokao is arguably the center of everything for 18 years of a traditional Chinese student’s life, if they wish to pursue their higher education in a Chinese university.
This system can prove to be effective, yet grueling. Many families seek opportunities elsewhere, such as international schools that send students to universities overseas. Here, students are exposed to an open, liberal environment that encourages self-exploration and extracurricular initiatives outside of classrooms.
Out of the many exceptional teachers at Shanghai Pinghe School is Liu Zhe, who teaches IB History. “I am most proud when a student grows,” says Liu Zhe. “Just like teens talk about celebrities and basketball stars, we teachers talk about students – those that transform and continue to achieve their potential.“
Indeed, Liu Zhe sparks growth in students – and he does so through his creative approach to teaching. Combining his lectures with MUN, debate, and various forms of discussion, Liu Zhe not only helps students understand history as an academic subject, but also inspires students to appreciate history for its complex yet fascinating realism.
“We learn that history is not binarism, right or wrong. In his classrooms we see different perspectives,” says Mindy, who took his class in 10th grade.
As the only history teacher in the school, Liu Zhe takes on a demanding task, one he handles with great dedication and enthusiasm. From helping design curriculum, creating subject database, and introducing history books to the school library, to diligently preparing for lessons, paying attention to subtlety, and following up on students on an individual basis, Liu Zhe strives to be of help to students both professionally and personally.
“I see possibilities in my kids,” says Liu Zhe.
“Eat breakfast.”
While traditional Chinese classrooms are focused much on students’ grades as the sole measurement of academic achievement, some feel the same way about the IB curriculum – especially in a world of increasing competition among Chinese students who seek higher education overseas. The pressure to earn 7s and 6s (equivalent of A+ and A) is exhausting, and even more so when overseas college applications have become more difficult than ever for Chinese applicants – due to uncertainty brought by COVID.
Yet however onerous the rigor of the IB curriculum or relentless the anxiety of college application, Liu Zhe makes sure students eat their breakfast. As Mindy recounts, “Some are really worried about grades… They go into class in the morning asking Liu Zhe, ‘Do you have our exam scores back?’
Grins, Liu Zhe would reply by asking, ‘What’s breakfast in the canteen this morning?’ If a student doesn’t know the answer, he would say ‘Eat breakfast. Let’s go. I’ll go with you. That is how you survive IB.’”
As an expression of gratitude and love in return, on his birthday, students break into his classroom and sing him birthday songs with a cake and self-made gifts.
“I was the dead serious type.”
When it comes to academics, “I was the dead serious type,” Liu Zhe adds humorously. Before he became a teacher, he thought students would be struggling in his classes. “I can’t ruin their future.”
In fact, teaching as a profession was never thought of in his early years of life. In high school, Liu Zhe wanted to be a palaeontologist. Apparently, his love for old fossils died when he received an unsatisfactory chemistry test return. But that failure didn’t set him back. In fact, it provided an opportunity to seek new possibilities.
In college, he majored in the History of Shanghai, the city he was born and raised in. After completing master’s degree, he then pursued his studies further in France where he received his P.H.D. Coming back to China, Liu Zhe stumbled upon the job of a history teacher, something he never imagined himself doing in high school.
Since then, Liu Zhe never stopped making an impact in his students’ lives. As an educator, Liu Zhe’s compassion, dedication, and a genuine curiosity for the possibilities in students continue to help perfect his teaching.
Along the way, he develops long-lasting relationships with his children – those who embark on a transformative journey, explore new ideas, and most importantly, eat their breakfasts.