My mini-class in Yale

As we round the final corner of this amazing journey in Yale, we are required to design and implement a 15- minute mini-class including two activities. When hearing the news, I was a little puzzled even scared, what shall I do? How can I give a lesson in the presence of so many colleagues and experts, Carrie and Siggy?  

The inspiration came from my anxiety when preparing for the mini-class. Why not choose the topic—feelings and emotions! It is generally acknowledged that everyone has his feelings and can be emotional; emotions affect the way we behave towards and relate to others. At first I planned to list several words describing feelings on different cards; and then invite one colleague to pick up a card randomly to explain the word to others by only using facial expressions or body languages. When that word was guessed successfully, another guy would try to accomplish this task again. This would be fun, but I was worried that I can’t control the time and there may not be adequate time for the second activity, so I gave up this plan. Instead, they were required to use a complete sentence to describe their feeling and what or why makes them feel so. The second activity is the group discussion. Effective and healthy methods are needed to release the negative feelings such as anger, pressure or frustration.

Thanks for the perfect cooperation of my colleagues, the whole teaching procedures went on smoothly out of my expectation. I really hope all my friends and instructors get rid of negative feelings, think positively and enjoy the life. 

Yale Center for British Art

Every Friday at Yale is different,  four colleagues and I paid a visit to the Yale Center for British Art  on this Friday. It is a public art museum and world-renowned research institute, which houses the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom.

Two white sculptures are welcoming visitors at the hall. One is medium and extremely abstract in shape, like a smooth stone standing on a rectangle base. Interesting enough, if you observe it from a different angle, it looks like a profile of a young woman with a big eye, a straight nose and a tiny, lovely mouth. 

The other sculpture is large in size; a strong and rough executioner is going to cut the head of a criminal. The former is sitting on the back of the latter, holding a pointed ax in his right hand and the left one tightly grabbing the criminal’s hair. The expressions of their eyes are in stark contrast, one is rude and violent whereas the other miserable and painful. It’s hard to imagine why the criminal was sentenced to death, but from his facial expression it’s certain that he was in search of mercy and forgiveness. To seek to live on is the instinct of human beings without exception.

The four-floor building contains vast collection of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and rare books explore British art, life, and thought from the Elizabethan period to the present day. Several young visitors drew my attention. Instead of wandering and taking photos, they were engaged in filling in sheets and taking notes. Those Yale students were required to choose a thought- provoking painting and create a story about it, just as Carrie advised her students to do in their blogs. With these pictures I have taken, I may utilize the same method to my students in writing lesson.