Recently, the results of the selection of outstanding alumni of the Open University of China (OUC) were announced, recognising 328 alumni from various industries across the country.
These individuals, with accomplishments as their foundation and technology as their wings, demonstrate resilience, confidence, and a pragmatic, enterprising spirit, writing a unique chapter of progress of the OUC people. From today on, the stories of some alumni will be selected for sharing . By reviewing their outstanding deeds and listening to their life insights, the OUC’s achievements in talent development over the last 45 years are highlighted.
Tang Minfei enrolled in the undergraduate programme in Chinese Language and Literature at Hubei Open University (OU) in the autumn semester of 2004. He now serves as a Chinese language teacher in junior middle school division and executive principal at Mianzhou School in Xiantao City, Hubei Province. Tang has been recognised with titles such as National Model Teacher, Head of the Hubei Provincial Master Teacher Studio, Hubei Master Teacher, and Hubei Provincial Special Grade Teacher.
Over his 27 years of teaching, Tang Minfei has devoted himself to creating "extraordinary courses", shaping lofty character and soul of his students, and giving them the wings to soar in life.
Offering the Moral Education Course "Progress" with Self-Developed Teaching Materials
Tang Minfei is a renowned national class teacher and one of the Top Ten Class Teachers of Hubei Province. In 2014, his 300,000-word educational work Grant Children Great Power: Notes on the Practice of "Humanities" in Chinese Language Teaching was published as a premium book by China Water & Power Press. The book details concepts and methods for fostering growth and success of teenagers through setting up ideals, gaining motivation, and shaping character. It has been highly praised by teachers and students across the country and was recognised by the Hubei Provincial Association of Primary and Secondary School Principals as an outstanding school-based textbook.
Tang Minfei uses this book as the textbook for the moral education course of "Progress", turning the Friday afternoon class meetings into classes of "Progress". The students are always especially excited in these classes and can't put the book down.
Nurtured by the classes of "Progress", the students are growing up sturdily. Thanks to Tang Minfei, over 390 students have succeeded in passing the entrance examination of top-rated demonstrative high schools in Hubei Province, and hundreds of students from his classes have been admitted to prestigious universities in China.
Exploring Distinctive Classic Literature Classes to Add Powerful Momentum to Moral Education Course
Classic literature holds an abundance of moral education resources. Tang Minfei’s exploration on how to integrate classic literature into the curriculum and moral education dated back to over a decade ago. Each week, he gives a class of “classic literature works" enriching students' minds with spiritual nourishment, which is very popular with the students. They also engage in lively discussions on moral and value-related issues in the class group chat, allowing their sense of right and wrong to quietly grow in the direction of truth, goodness, and beauty.
Tang Minfei created the "Classic Literature Works Festival," combining moral education with classic literature works. During the festival, students participate in a variety of activities of “classic literature works show”, including textbook drama performances, appreciating films adapted from classic literature works, and singing songs from classic literature works, selecting "Teenagers of Classic Literature Works", and holding mini-forums on classic literature works. These activities are infused with moral education.
Students in Tang Minfei’s class read an average of over 2 million words per school year, and many years later, these children still fondly remember Tang's classes of classic literature works.
Creating a Book Management Method and Building a Unique Strategy for Ideological and Political Education
Tang Minfei often gives books as gifts to his students. Such gifts not only encourage the students but also carry profound educational significance from their content.
When students show improvement, Tang Minfei would like to reward them with books, inscribing words of encouragement. When students are disobedient, he also gives them books with written messages. To him, books as “shadow teachers”, subtly influencing each student through their contents.
For over 20 years, Tang Minfei has consistently implemented the moral education programme of “Progress”, making books a unique strategy for ideological and political education. His work as a class teacher and his achievements in moral education have been widely covered by media outlets such as Primary and Secondary School Class Teachers, Primary and Secondary School Students' News, New Class Teachers, and Moral Education Newspaper.
Cultivating the Class to Support Progress with Blossoms and Fruits on the Journey of “Research”
Tang Minfei has also been dedicated to research on “Green Language Education” that is a Chinese education concept that emphasises student-centric approach and focuses on students' individual development and life experiences, and has achieved notable results.
With the tireless efforts of Tang Minfei himself and members of Hubei Tang Minfei Master Teacher Studio, the theoretical system of “Green Language Education” has taken shape and gained some influence in Xiantao City, as well as in Hubei Province and beyond. He has involved in extensive field teaching, online classes, and thematic lectures on Green Language Education in Hubei, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and other regions. Tang and his studio members have also published over 40 papers on the theme of Green Language Education in journals such as Chinese Teaching & Studies, Primary and Secondary School Students' News, Education, and Composition Weekly.
In addition to his exploration and promotion of Green Language Education and the publication of Grant Children Great Power: Notes on the Practice of "Humanities" in Chinese Language Teaching, Tang Minfei has published several hundred teaching papers in journals such as People’s Education, China Education Daily, Bulletin of Chinese Language Teaching, Chinese Teaching & Studies, Chinese Language Monthly, Chinese Language World, Teacher’s Journal, Teaching and Administration, and Teacher’s Monthly. He has also engaged in the compilation of newspapers and journals, such as Middle School Students Review. He has been a strong proponent of public classes, having won first prize in city-level teaching competitions nine times. He has participated in the competitions for excellent public classes (including video classes) at or above the provincial level eight times and has been awarded eight times. In 2024, at the National Master Teacher Studio Academic Annual Conference in Taiyuan, his studio was recognised as an “Advanced National Master Teacher Studio”, and he himself was named “Leader of National Outstanding Master Teacher Studio”. His academic report at the conference, titled Building the Learning-Centred Teaching Model of Three-Learning, Three-Showing and Two- Summarising, received a first-class achievement award.
By OUC News Network