Cai Junmei : Joint Progress in the Lifelong Pursuit

Cai Junmei, associate professor of the School of Journalism and Communication of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), has been appraised and selected as the model of moral, educational and academic excellence by Shanghai education system in 2018.

Since April in 2018, the Party committee of Shanghai Education and Health Affairs and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission began to implement the model recommendation conforming to the guidance of the 19th CPC National Congress and the spirit of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. This activity of model recommendation aims at exploring advanced teachers in Shanghai, encouraging teacher to shoulder the lofty mission of moral cultivation and talents nurturance, and advocating the social respect for teachers and teaching career.

Having devoted in education career for more than ten years, Cai Junmei is widely acclaimed for her diligent teaching attitude and efficient teaching methods. With profound reflecting kept in her thick teaching diaries, she initiates the teaching idea of “Do English”. As a qualified teacher and mentor, she not only respects and cares for students, but also inspires students through discussion in class so as to promote students’ responsibility, ability of critical thinking. As an English lover, she focuses on language learning and explores its development.

The personal interview of Cai Junmei is fully reprinted as follow.

Cai Junmei : Joint Progress in the Lifelong Pursuit

Tracing Source and Forging Ahead

Comparing English as a long river, Cai Junmei yearns for tracing its source, inheriting and carrying it forward in various branches. As important aspect of English studies, linguistics has answered the most fundamental question of language generation, which attracts Cai particularly. And the proficiency in the internal system of language has provided a boost for Cai in the external application of language in teaching process. After completing her PhD in English language and literature, Cai decided to stay in SISU as a teacher.

For the teaching of intensive reading, Cai is good at discovering new knowledge and interesting parts in classic texts so as to efficiently arouse students' interests, which is repeatedly stressed in her teaching idea. The secret of the active classroom atmosphere that she creates by heated discussions and profound thinking is in her constantly updated teaching journal.

In the preparation work of teaching, Cai will first lists the teaching outline and then adjust the structure and content according to the common problems and mistakes that students encounter in the course. In each new round of teaching, she will modify and update the courseware so as to help students achieve deeper understanding.

Cai encourages students to choose English as the second major to further study and comprehend the language and continuously improve their English proficiency. At the same time, she also suggests students to choose the most suitable minor subject after comprehensive analysis of their own situation, development vision and interests with the resources of SISU and other universities in Shanghai. She always provides rich teaching contents for students who minor in English studies. For example, she will choose practical and interesting materials in lexicology class to help expand vocabulary. And she will share the most basic pronunciation features in linguistics class and provide some students with individual correction guidance.

For more than ten years, Cai has diligently explored the source of English and its interdisciplinary development, and has led countless students of SISU to the international stage.

Absorbing and Passing on

As an English teacher, Cai also pays attention to the dynamic state and ecology of English teaching in universities around the world. From September 2011 to September 2012, Cai went to Oxford University for visiting study. In the campus with rich cultural and historical atmosphere, Cai felt the ritual sense of English learning in her auditing, and brought the teaching mode based on conscience and sincerity back to SISU.

Cai knows well that British students are more concerned with “Do English” than “speak English”. After returning to China, she paid more attention to the possible influence of English as a communication tool on the academic circle and social practice. Her students would be provided more professional materials to promote critical thinking skills. For example, when referring to the text related to “911”, she shared the role of the media in a major disaster, and invited students to consult the data report.

During the visit, Cai also felt the compatibility of Oxford University. Some of the libraries of Oxford University are open to all members of society. Deeply moved by the respect and trust it shows for all those who desire knowledge, Cai shows the same attitude towards her students and avoids communicating with them in an authoritative manner so as to create a comfortable atmosphere.

Shining warmly and Carrying on

“Warm” is the most profound impression that Cai has left on her students. And Cai, also regarding her students as her best companions and family members, always advocates interest-oriented principle, and respect and equality in class. “I sincerely respect and care for students. And only when I love and respect knowledge can I bring my interest and enthusiasm to the class, and carry the spirit forward. ”

Profoundly influenced by the modesty and kindness of her own teachers and the professors in Oxford University, Cai also has been equally modest and genial since the first she became a teacher. Regarding her students as friends and families, Cai always exhorts students to take care of their health besides rendering academic counseling. When students get ill, she always asks for details in person, or visits them in dormitory or even shares tips for treatment.

In spring, Cai sometimes invites her students to go outside the classroom and share fun and joys together in sunny days. On festival occasions, Cai will also bring chic small gifts for students. One day, she bought some cards from a volunteer team and wrote a “May” on each one. She distributed them to students and told them to complete the sentence beginning with the word “May” so that each of them could get a wish they wanted.

As a teacher who sincerely shedding light and heat on her students, Cai Junmei has never ceased her teaching travel. She also sincerely encourages her students who accompany her in this travel that as learners of English and journalism, they should “Do English” rather than simply “Speak English”. It is supposed to be a strong-minded person and to have independent judgment rather than blindly follow others; it is supposed to be a responsible person and to make your own voice heard on the world stage with language skills and professional knowledge; it is supposed to be a person who reveres knowledge and to perceive truth with conscience and passion. She hopes that the students of the School of Journalism and Communication and all of the SISUers could be ambitious, aspiring and independent.