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    Confucius, American Teachers, and Chinese Cultural Literacy

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    James Iddins
    A 2018 article advocating broader educator awareness of one of China's most influential thinkers. This article appeared in the spring 2018 edition of the journal/newsletter published by the Indiana Middle-School Educators Association (IMLEA).

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd

    Confucius, American Teachers, and Chinese Cultural Literacy

    Uploaded by

    James Iddins
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    A 2018 article advocating broader educator awareness of one of China's most influential thinkers. This article appeared in the spring 2018 edition of the journal/newsletter published by the Indiana Middle-School Educators Association (IMLEA).

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    A 2018 article advocating broader educator awareness of one of China's most influential thinkers. This article appeared in the spring 2018 edition of the journal/newsletter published by the Indiana Middle-School Educators Association (IMLEA).

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf
    0 views1 page

    Confucius, American Teachers, and Chinese Cultural Literacy

    Uploaded by

    James Iddins
    A 2018 article advocating broader educator awareness of one of China's most influential thinkers. This article appeared in the spring 2018 edition of the journal/newsletter published by the Indiana Middle-School Educators Association (IMLEA).

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf
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    OTT TICE ACE URE QT CCUM ‘According to the USCensus Bureau, in December 2017 alone China exported approxi- imately $45 billion worth of goods to the Unit States, and imported close to $14 bilfon in goods from the United States." And thisis only one-month snapshot of our economic rela- tionship with our Chinese frends. ifwe zoom outaitle mor, ou increasing inter- dependence becomes glaringly obvious. Economic analyst Kimberly Amadeo tls us that to-date, China now owns about 20% of US debt {$1.2trilion)? While these numbers are indica te ofthe practical economicinterdependence of cuurtwo cultures, what these mumbersmissis our increasing intelectual interdependence as well As American culture becomes increasingly inter- ‘ined with Chinese cute, it becomes all the more imperative for US mile and high school teachers to educate themselves and their stu- dents on the history and culture of our closest ‘trading partner. To not dosois to put binders on ourselves and our students, and to shut the door ‘to learning opportunities we desperately need i ‘we ae to prepare our students fo not only sur- ‘ve, buts thrive in this era of global academic and economic competition and cllaboration, | was fist forced to come to tems with my igno- rance regarding China and Chinese culture dur ing my graduate studies at Valparaiso University. | had never been exposed to Eastem thought, and that lack of exposure put me ata disadvantage during those intercultural exchanges. There | experienced classes with Chinese students where was ata completeloss foralensint theircltue, Due tothe respect- ful largely deferential perspective on csstoom iquette, however, | now realize that | often ‘misunderstood their silent reluctance to voice individual opinions in the classes there. Those same “reseed” students came out of thelr shells and led teams during a marketing intern- ship in which | was lucky to take prt They were enigmeas to me. Only after embarking ona study ofthe Analects of Confucius did start to gain lens into Chinese culture. Beginning to study the Jin dns Language ArtsSoca Stules Highland MS, Pathfinder Acodemy ‘Analects has been like stumbling ypon a deep well of academic and intellectual insight. Currently, | am so overwhelmed by the sheer depth and reach ofthe conten that Iam sure thisis a work | will lok to for guidance forthe rest of my teaching career, and even my life for both professional and personal improvement. Wihilethereis no way formeto do the collection cof teachings any justice, in the spit of improv- ing cultural literacy with regard to ur closest trade partners, [want to distil afew brie es- sons have taken away from my study so fat + The fous of the Analects, and the Chinese Confucian traction as a whole, deals with how to develop what Confucius calls “on summate conduct.” + Confucius never gives a definition of con- summate conduct He des however, ve countess examples of what consummate conduct locks like in various contets Urtimately, one comes 10 see that what Confucs teacheshisstudentsis largely not content memorization but the application of aformofiteligent, situational ethics, + The stuational ethics that Confucus shares through his teaching revolve around five principles which thinkall teachers wi fee called to thelr profession can get behind: Xin-integtty, Zhi-knowledge/study, Ue respect frites and rituals ofthe collective, Yiustie, Ren-benevolence/humaneness. + Achieving consummate conduct, or as we mmightsay, becoming an exemplary person, for Confucius, had to do with not only doing the right things, but also dang them inthe right way Hisstudents were required to tink critically about each new situation inorder to determine the ight way to do the right thing, given all ofthe variables spec to that situation, When al these aspects are aligned, one can be sid to be operating according to “the Way.” Life begins to happen fluidly for us, and so we canalso speak of experiencing “ow.” For American teachers, Confucius speaks to us fiom the dis- tant past, reminding us ‘that individual differences ' mater He reminds us that there defintely isa right and a wrong way, even in doing the right thing, Toa student that always jumos the gun, ‘we may coach restraint. To a student that is too reserved in a situation, we may coach assertve- ne. IF new variable enters the situation, we ‘may coach each to follow ther natural tenden- les. Specifics matter, and there areno shortcuts Above al, Confucius wams that an exemplary parson does not saci his or her integrity no matter what ~evenfit means that we ose our job, that we go without for a time, that we are misunderstood etc. There is absolutely nothing ‘more detrimental to self-worth and a meaning- ful existence than sacifcing our integrity for petty comforts along our journey. These conclusions are shored up by recent research on what employers now expec. In a revealing study completed bythe Association of ‘American Colleges and Universities, 93% of ‘employers surveyed said that “a demonstrated ‘capacity to think ctcaly, cornmunicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important ‘than a candidate's undergraduate major."3 ‘Another key finding was that 95% of employers surveyed want the candidates they hire to be able to demonstrate a history of ethical judge- ‘ment and integrity, have intercultural skis, and be open to new learning. Not only can Confucius acta a cultural bridge for American teachers, opening up new oppor- tunities for themselves and thet students, but Confucian ethics can reinvigorate our lessons and lve by forcing us to tink rtcaly rather than accept ready-made, by-the-book answers Tops: censesgovlfenegn-raelstattisi {ipo utegrttesig hps/rbebsanecoms deb to cha how ‘uch esto 30055 5 tas secures eeseseloes- ores ca ga le

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