Chapter 10

On the morning of August 29th, the Beijing Film Academy's Performance Department held a preparatory meeting for the start of the semester. The meeting was chaired by Dean Chen Jianfeng, with teachers from various grades and relevant personnel in attendance.

The meeting took place in the conference room of the Performance and Directing Building. Zhang Ran, a new teacher, arrived early, not daring to be careless. However, Dean Chen Jianfeng had not yet arrived, so everyone sat in their seats and waited.

The conference room was lively, with people doing various things—drinking tea, chatting, and listening to music. Zhang Ran sat next to Cui Xinqin, chatting idly with her. As a teacher of the 1996 Star Class, Cui Xinqin had a lot to teach Zhang Ran.

As it approached nine o'clock, Chen Jianfeng walked in with a stainless steel cup, sat down at his seat, glanced around the room, cleared his throat, and said sternly, "Everyone is here, let's start the meeting! Today marks the official start of the semester at our performance school. I will give an overview of the preparatory work for the start of the semester."

Chen Jianfeng gave a general introduction to the preparatory work for the start of the semester and then made the following arrangements for teaching: "First, we require all departments to cooperate with the Academic Affairs Office to handle student registration, investigate unexplained absences, and report attendance rates. Second, we need to understand the reasons why students have not paid their tuition fees. For those who cannot afford to pay, we should promptly inform them of the school's relevant green channel policies and actively urge them to pay their tuition on time..."

These were all old topics, discussed every year at the start of the semester, and the content was always the same. In the conference room, everyone except Chen Hai, who was pretending to take notes, seemed a bit listless.

After Chen Jianfeng finished his arrangements, he looked at Huang Zhenyu and said, "Old Huang, you speak next!"

Huang Zhenyu picked up his cup, took a sip of water, put it down, and scanned the room. "I will only talk about one issue—the lesson plans. Most teachers use the lesson plan templates provided by the Academic Affairs Office, and their lesson plans are well-written and content-rich. However, some teachers do not take lesson planning seriously, and their lesson plans are just for show, such as Zhang Ran from the 01 class, whose lesson plan is actually printed..."

Zhang Ran, the first to be criticized, looked a bit embarrassed. What was wrong with printing lesson plans? There were more convenient ways, so why insist on handwriting them? Wasn't this just formalism, wasting everyone's time?

Chen Jianfeng frowned, thinking that Huang Zhenyu was going to great lengths to undermine his authority. Criticizing Zhang Ran first, who had just been discharged from the hospital after a half-month stay, was unfair. Did he have the time to write lesson plans?

The other teachers who were criticized also looked unhappy. They were tired of the lesson plan inspections and found them meaningless.

After Huang Zhenyu finished speaking, he looked at Zhang Ran and said, "Zhang Ran, you have just returned from abroad and have your own views on our college's education. Share your thoughts!"

Zhang Ran was not foolish. Some things could be discussed privately, but not in public. A new teacher criticizing the education at the Beijing Film Academy would not go down well with the other teachers. He shook his head and said, "I just arrived at the Beijing Film Academy and am still in the dark. I don't know what to say."

Huang Zhenyu smiled and said, "It's okay if you're not familiar. Just share what you know! You've returned from the United States; you must have some thoughts."

If Zhang Ran said something negative, it would make him seem arrogant. If he said nothing, Huang Zhenyu would have more to criticize. Zhang Ran was brought in by Chen Jianfeng, and if Zhang Ran was incompetent, Chen Jianfeng would be held responsible!

Unexpectedly, Chen Jianfeng also said, "Zhang Ran, go ahead! You just returned from abroad, so even if you make a mistake, everyone will understand!" He was giving Zhang Ran a way out, knowing that as a newcomer, it was normal for him to be a bit radical.

Zhang Ran, a seasoned professional, understood Chen Jianfeng's intention. Chen Jianfeng wanted him to counterattack and silence Huang Zhenyu. He was a bit frustrated, as he had joined the Beijing Film Academy for its film resources, not to get involved in power struggles.

Since both Huang Zhenyu and Chen Jianfeng wanted him to share his thoughts, he could not refuse. After a moment's thought, he said, "Since Vice Dean Huang is willing to listen, I will share my thoughts. If I say anything wrong, please bear with me."

Huang Zhenyu was delighted, knowing Zhang Ran's capabilities. He smiled and nodded, "That's right, young people should speak up and tell the truth!"

Zhang Ran directly criticized the lesson plan inspections: "Many educational administrators check teachers' lesson plans as part of their work inspections. This is because lesson planning is a crucial part of the teaching process. However, many inspections are mechanical, focusing on the detail, length, and completeness of the lesson plans, as well as whether there are teaching reflections and postscripts. As long as these elements are present, it is considered a job well done.

In reality, a good lesson plan is based on the teacher's knowledge and flexibility. A good lesson plan should consider both the curriculum and the students' learning situations. A lesson plan is just a preliminary outline, and many unexpected events can occur in the classroom that require the teacher's educational wisdom to handle. If a teacher only follows a pre-set lesson plan rigidly, the class is likely to fail. Excellent teachers prepare multiple versions of lesson plans and adapt them naturally to create a beautiful classroom, demonstrating true educational artistry, not a rigid and mechanical lesson plan.

In this age of widespread laptop use, writing handwritten lesson plans is like being stuck in the primitive era of slash-and-burn agriculture. The evaluation method of checking handwritten lesson plans reflects outdated and rigid educational management thinking, prioritizing simplicity over the actual workload of teachers, which is a form of educational laziness!"

Huang Zhenyu was initially stunned, then his face turned black, and it became darker and darker, almost purple. He wanted to tear Zhang Ran apart, never expecting him to criticize him so boldly. Offending a vice dean would make his life at the school miserable. Zhang Ran's audacity to criticize him directly and call him lazy was beyond his imagination.

The teachers in the room silently applauded Zhang Ran. They had long been dissatisfied with the mechanical lesson plan inspections. Many teachers knew the curriculum by heart and had their own unique lesson plans. Copying lesson plans every semester was meaningless. They could prepare brief lesson plans and add content as needed.

After criticizing the lesson plan inspections, Zhang Ran shifted his focus to student education: "When I studied in the United States, my teachers emphasized that the purpose of humanities education is to enhance young people's interest in learning and to train their minds for lifelong happiness, not just to master simple professional skills or seek direct commercial benefits. University education is a spiritual design, a lifelong education, aimed at developing practical skills, analytical thinking, creativity, and a broad and compassionate heart.

The education in the Performance Department should cultivate elite artists, fostering innovation and emphasizing the exploration of the human heart. In terms of artistic pursuit, it should cultivate students' artistic imagination and creativity through skill training. In terms of professional ethics, it should instill a passionate desire and selfless dedication. In the teaching process, it should focus on professional training in the university, applying theory to practice..."

After Zhang Ran shared his views, some of the teachers realized that this new teacher, though young, was highly capable. His insights hit the nail on the head, addressing specific issues in current performance education.

When Zhang Ran finished speaking, Chen Jianfeng led the applause, "Very well said! Your views are comprehensive and forward-looking. Excellent!" His eyes shone with appreciation and admiration.

With Chen Jianfeng leading, the other teachers clapped enthusiastically, genuinely applauding Zhang Ran for speaking their minds.

For his sharpness and courage!

The enthusiastic applause undoubtedly slapped Huang Zhenyu in the face again, making his already purple face even darker, like the bottom of a pot.

"Zhang Ran, I hope you will actively participate in discussions and contribute to the development of our performance education," Chen Jianfeng encouraged Zhang Ran, then looked at Hu Weiguo and said with a smile, "Weiguo, you are a new teacher. In the future, you should learn from Zhang Ran. Listen to his classes and learn from his advanced experiences from abroad!"

Hu Weiguo was so frustrated he wanted to curse. Who was Zhang Ran to him? Why should he listen to his classes? But since the speaker was the dean, he did not have the courage to argue. He forced a smile, which looked more like a grimace, "I will, Dean!"

Huang Zhenyu's face turned even darker. Chen Jianfeng's words seemed to be directed at Hu Weiguo, but they were actually a warning to him: "You can deal with Zhang Ran, but I can also deal with Hu Weiguo. Zhang Ran is just a teacher I hired, but Hu Weiguo is your nephew!"

When the meeting ended, Huang Zhenyu's face was so dark it could have dripped water. He left the conference room in a rage.

As the other teachers stood up, they all glanced at Zhang Ran, impressed by his performance. Huang Zhenyu was usually arrogant and often made things difficult for Chen Jianfeng, but Zhang Ran had made him lose face. Truly, a young bull fears no tiger! However, Huang Zhenyu was a vengeful person, and he would surely retaliate after losing face today. Zhang Ran's future at the school would be tough!

The teachers looked at Zhang Ran with sympathy, shook their heads, and left the conference room with their notebooks.

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