VIPKID人物志｜Lane-VIPKID Curriculum Manager在中国找到生命热情的美国丽人

I made the big decision to move to China fiveyears ago. In a fit of dissatisfaction with the American job market and adesire to continue traveling the world, I accepted a job teaching at aninternational kindergarten. I distinctly remember telling my mother, “Why notChina? I will stay for a year, learn about Chinese culture, pick up some newlanguage skills, and return to America.” What I hadn’t considered is how Chinawould impact me deeply. That I would fall in love with Chinese culture anddevelop such a strong affection for the Chinese children I taught and theteachers I later managed. I now realize that my dissatisfaction with Americadidn’t have much to do with America or the job market…it was rooted in my lackof passion. China has given me a passion and for that I am eternally grateful.

五年前我做了一个重大的决定：搬到中国。当时的我，带着一丝对美国就业市场的不满和一个看看世界的心愿，在一个国际幼儿园当起了老师。我清晰地记得当时跟我的母亲讲道：“为啥不去中国呢？我去那待一年，学学中国文化，学学中文，然后就回来。”然而，我不曾预料到的是中国竟然深深吸引了我，我也深深爱上了我教过的学生和培训过的老师。现在的我意识到，当时的不满其实跟美国就业市场本身没有太大关系，根源上是我缺乏一种热情。中国给了我这种久违的热情，我将永远深深感激。

My China experience began in the Guangzhou airport. I arrived at midnight and wasgreeted with a big bouquet of flowers, a hand-decorated sign welcoming me toChina, and a group of smiling faces. These smiling faces showed me to what Iwas later taught is called a “bread vehicle”, a very fitting name for the boxyvan that transported me directly to the nearest McDonalds - what my new Chinesecoworkers assumed that an American would like to eat for dinner. I was shown tothe local teacher’s dormitory where, too polite to say anything about the lackof mattress, I slept on the wooden bed frame.

我的中国经历开始于广州机场。记得当时是半夜到的，迎接我的是一大束鲜花，一个手工装饰的“欢迎你”标牌和一片温暖的笑脸。人们帮我搬行李把我带上一辆“面包车”（这个名字也是我后来学到的），送我到了最近的麦当劳，因为我可爱的新同事们觉得美国人晚餐吃麦当劳再合适不过啦！后来我被带到教师宿舍，出于礼貌，当我发现没有床垫的时候没有吱声。那晚上我睡在床板上。

Whatmost surprised me about my first job were the teaching materials. I was given asmall storybook, eight pages long, and told that this was the only material Iwould receive for the next six months. Having taught in Mexico, Spain, and theUS before my first teaching job in China, I marveled at the lack of resourcesavailable to me at such a “prestigious” and expensive school. As my stay inGuangzhou lengthened and I took more part-time teaching jobs, I realized thatthe lack of materials and curriculum was not the exception, but the rule. Ibegan to create more and more materials to fill these gaps and soon was able toclearly see how I could take my passion for quality teaching and transform itinto a career.

第一份工作最令我吃惊的是教学材料。当时拿到一本小小的故事书，只有八页。他们告诉我，这是未来半年唯一的教学材料。来中国之前，虽然已经在墨西哥、西班牙和美国有过教学经验，但还是对这里教学资源的饿匮乏吃惊不已，要知道，这可是当地价格不菲的“名校”啊！直到后来又接收了几份兼职工作，我才意识到教学材料的匮乏已经是常态而非个例。于是，我开始制作越来越多的教学材料来弥补教学漏洞。很快我清晰地看到我在提高教学质量方面不可阻挡的热情，我想把这一切作为我的事业。

In Guangzhou, I met a New Zealander who would later become my husband. We moved toBeijing and were blessed with the birth of our daughter, Stella. If I were togive one example of how the American and Chinese cultures differ, it would haveto be pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. At the hospital, I horrified theChinese nurses by taking a shower hours after giving birth. I further horrifiedmy coworkers when I returned to work and told them that my husband tookresponsibility for changing half of the diapers and was actually working fromhome, taking care of the baby while I worked at the office. (My husband alsocooks and cleans, something that our Chinese nanny would later find hilarious.)

在广州，我遇到了我后来的丈夫，一个新西兰人。后来我们搬到了北京，受上苍眷顾，我们的女儿Stella也呱呱坠地。我想，如果要告诉别人中美文化的差异，你必须要在中国经历怀孕、生子、为人父母的历程。后来复出工作，当我告诉同事们我丈夫一边在家工作一边负责换尿布（我丈夫还做饭、打扫卫生，这些事让我们后来的保姆忍俊不禁）他们都惊呆了。

Americanparenting differs dramatically from Chinese parenting. It is so different, infact, that it deserves a whole article for another time. That being said, inall my travels, I have never encountered parents like Chinese parents. I havethe utmost respect for high regard that Chinese parents have for education.Regardless of the cost, many parents in China strive to provide the bestlearning experience for their children, some saving for years and years to sendtheir high school graduates to a university abroad. Chinese parents living inpoverty preach the importance of a good education to their children. It is aninnate Chinese belief that education can lift a child out of poverty and thatbelief should only be applauded and nurtured.

中美的为人父母方式截然不同。真的是太不同了，我后续可以为大家专门写一篇文章。我对中国父母为孩子的教育所做的努力表示崇高的敬意。先不说教育成本，太多中国的家长竭尽所能为孩子提供最好的教育，省吃俭用多年就为把孩子送出国读大学。很多中国家长自己生活拮据，但他们深深明白优质的教育对孩子的重要性。中国家长似乎有着一种与生俱来的信念：教育改变孩子未来。

The differences in the Chinese and Americaneducation systems are many. The American education system focuses on a hands-onapproach to learning. A student studies from a book and then tests theirlearning through experimentation. American students are free to question theirteachers and raise issues during class discussions. An American student leaveshigh school able to apply the knowledge that they have gained and, moreimportantly, to use their critical thinking skills and solve problems.

中美教育体系的不同也有很多。美国教育体系关注于实践性学习。孩子从书上学到的知识要通过实验的检验。美国孩子可以在课堂讨论上自由地向老师提问。美国学生在校外能够很好地应用他们所学。最重要的是，能够形成批判思考和解决问题的能力。

Bycontrast, the Chinese education system focuses on facts. Chinese studentsconstantly outscore American students on standardized math and science tests. AChinese student leaves high school with an immense database of knowledge, arespect for their teachers, and a respect for learning. Unfortunately, Chinesestudents are not always able to apply this knowledge to the real world- a realworld where critical thinking and creativity are more important with everypassing day.

相反的，中式教育更关注知识的记忆与积累。中国学生在标准化的数学科学考试里能连续胜过美国学生。中国学生在校外可以拥有大量的知识记忆、对老师对学习的尊重。不幸的是，中国学生很少能真正在现实生活中应用所学。而在现实生活中，批判性思维和创造力往往是更重要的。

Bothsystems of education have their merits. By combining the positive aspects ofthe American and Chinese systems, we can begin to see an excellent learningmodel which benefits the whole child.

两种教育各有千秋。如果我们把两种教育结合起来扬长避短，对孩子一定会大有裨益。

Aftermany years of working in education, both in China and around the world, I choseto become part of the VIPKID research and development team. As the CurriculumManager, my job is to merge the American and Chinese education in a way thatbenefits the student by developing their critical thinking, creativity,confidence, language skills, and content learning. I consider myself lucky towork with a team of people who share my passion for quality education.

经过多年在中国和世界各地的教育经验，我选择加入VIPKID成为其教研开发团队的一分子。作为产品经理，我的工作就是帮助孩子拓展批判性思维、创造力、自信、语言技能以及内容学习。我很幸运能在这里和一群有着共同教育理想的人共事。

Everyday my respect for Chinese parents is renewed as I discuss their child’seducation. Without concerned, involved parents, my job would not exist. Fromthe bottom of my heart, I thank you for the opportunity to create a wonderfullearning experience for your child.

每一天，当我跟中国家长讨论孩子的教育，我总是觉得他们越来越可亲可敬。如果没有家长的关注和热情，我的工作不会有意义。由衷地感谢大家。

Untilnext time,

Lane

文：Lane

翻译：代晓筠

编者后记

Lane is an education professional with eight years of experience teachingand designing curriculum. Lane was born in a small city in America and as achild dreamed of traveling the world. After graduating from university andliving in Mexico and Spain, Lane moved to Guangzhou, China. She met her husband(a New Zealander) in Guangzhou and, in 2012, their daughter Stella was born.Lane’s passion for education continues tomotivate her to create educational materials that benefit children bothcognitively and socially. Lane aspires to make language learning an experiencewhich captures and cultivates children’s naturalpassion and curiosity.

宜莲是一个拥有八年的教学课程设计经验学术专家。她出生在一个小城市，在小时候就梦想着环游世界。大学毕业后,住在墨西哥和西班牙,后来她搬到了中国的广东。在广州，她遇到了她的丈夫(一个新西兰人), 2012年,他们的女儿呱呱坠地。莱恩对教育的热情激励着她对教材编写的人情, 为儿童和社会做出贡献。宜莲望使语言学习经验,捕捉和培养儿童的自然激情和好奇心。

如果粑粑麻麻有什么关于儿童教育的问题，可以在我们订阅号留言回复，我们会收集起来请Lane分享哦～

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