Personal Growth Amidst Challenges（在挑战中实现个人成长）

Today, I want to share with you my experience in a recent open class competition where I chose a rather challenging topic for both my students and myself. I did not achieve the result I had hoped for, which wasn't entirely unexpected. But I still felt a little bit disappointed. However, the disappointment of not reaching my desired outcome is replaced gradually by the overwhelming sense of personal growth that this experience has brought into my life. This experience has provided me with a deeper understanding of teaching continuation writing. 

今天，我想与大家分享一下我最近一次赛讲的经历。我选择了一个对我和我的学生来说都相当具有挑战性的话题。我没有达到我所期望的结果，这也并不完全出乎意料，但我仍然感到有点失望。然而，这种失望逐渐被这次经历带给我的个人成长所取代。这次经历让我更深入地理解了将来如何教读后续写。

Choosing to teach how to deal with continuation writing was a conscious decision, especially as a senior 3 English teacher. I believed teaching continuation writing was crucial to help my students develop their writing skills for the College Entrance Examination. Continuation writing is often seen as a struggling task for students. Many of them are filled with dread when it comes to this part of the exams. I wanted to help them to overcome the sense of fear.

During the class, it was evident that the topic was indeed difficult, and my students faced several hurdles in creating and expressing their ideas. Their initial confusion and uncertainty upset me, as I had a strong desire to see them succeed and not be overwhelmed by this challenging aspect of English. During the class, I tried my best to lead students to master how to think logically and better express themselves. Although time was limited, I could see that most of them had known what to write and how to write, which was the greatest relief to me.

After class, the result of the competition was announced, and I wasn't awarded the highest mark，making me quite disappointed and sad. The initial disappointment did affect me, but I soon realized that the true value of this experience was not in the competition's result but in the journey I had undertaken. I had learned some important lessons along the way. I think I may not have won the competition, but I had achieved something far more valuable: Both the students and I now had a better understanding of continuation writing, and the fear that had once discouraged us had disappeared.

课后，宣布了比赛结果，我没有获得最高分,当时的我既失望又伤心。最初的失望确实对我打击很大，但我很快意识到，这段经历的真正价值不在于比赛的结果，而在于我所经历的旅程。在此过程中我明白了一些重要的道理：我可能没有赢得比赛，但我获得了更有价值的东西——我和我的学生们现在对读后续写有了更好的理解，曾经让我们气馁的恐惧也消失了。

On the other hand, although I did not achieve the ideal results, my class still received high praise and great recognition from several school leaders and colleagues, which was the greatest encouragement for me. I also know that I have many shortcomings, so in the future teaching, I will continue to work hard, improve myself and help more students to achieve their dreams.

另一方面，虽然我没有取得理想的成绩，但我的课仍然得到了几位校领导和同事的高度赞扬和极大的认可，这是对我最大的鼓励。我也深知自己有很多不足，所以在以后的教学中，我会继续努力，提升自我，帮助更多的学生实现他们的梦想。

The following is my reflection on the competition.

以下是我对这次赛讲的思考。

1. I grew as a teacher. I learned to better understand the needs and abilities of my students and I gained a deeper appreciation for the struggles my students face when they encounter difficulties. This experience allowed me to relate to them on a more personal level, making me a more compassionate and considerate teacher.

1．作为一名教师，我成长了。我学会了更好地理解学生的需求和能力，我也对学生所面临的困难深有感触。这段经历让我与他们产生了共鸣，使我成为一个更有同情心且善解人意的老师。

2. Students made great progress at the same time. They learned several strategies for tackling continuation writing in the class. The skills enabled them to approach this task with confidence, knowing they have mastered a set of tools to deal with it. Most importantly, my students overcame their fear of writing to some degree.

2. 同时，学生们也取得了很大的进步。他们在课堂上学习了几种解决读后续写的策略。这些技能使他们能够自信地进行读后续写，因为他们知道他们已经掌握了一套处理这一任务的技巧。最重要的是，我的学生们在一定程度上克服了他们对写作的恐惧。

3. I have realized that teaching is not just about imparting knowledge. It's also about being a lifelong learner. This experience reminded me of the importance of staying curious and always seeking personal and professional development. Meanwhile, this experience taught me the significance of having a good mindset in the face of setbacks. It's okay to face challenges, and it's okay not to win every time. What matters is our ability to adjust ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and keep moving forward. Challenging ourselves is an essential part of our growth.

3.我已经意识到教学不仅仅是传授知识，它也要求我们做一个终身学习者。这段经历让我明白了保持好奇心和不断寻求个人和职业发展的重要性。同时，这段经历也让我懂得了在面对挫折时保持良好心态的重要性。可以去面对挑战，没有获胜也没关系。重要的是我们具备了自我调整的能力，从错误中学习的能力，以及不断前进的能力。

In a society where change and progress are constant, it's vital to embrace challenges with an attitude of appreciation and a thirst for learning. This experience reminds us that learning is a journey, and sometimes setbacks can be our greatest teachers. We should not be discouraged by our failures or temporary setbacks but instead be inspired by the opportunities they present for growth and self-improvement.

在一个不断变化和进步的社会中，以欣赏和渴望学习的态度迎接挑战是至关重要的。这段经历提醒我们，学习是一段旅程，有时挫折可以成为我们最好的老师。我们不应该因为失败或暂时的挫折而气馁，相反，我们应该从它们提供的成长和自我完善的机会中受到鼓舞。

In conclusion, while my open class competition didn't yield the outcome I had hoped for, the personal growth and valuable lessons I gained from the experience are far more significant. Challenging ourselves, even when the outcome is uncertain, is an essential part of our journey as educators. It reminds us that our students are not the only ones learning in the classroom. We, too, are evolving and growing, becoming better teachers and better individuals.

总之，虽然这次赛讲没有产生我所希望的结果，但我从这次经历中获得的个人成长和宝贵的经验教训要重要得多。挑战自我，即使结果是不确定的，它却是我们作为教育者旅程的重要组成部分。它提醒我们，在课堂上学习的不仅仅是我们的学生，我们也在进化和成长，让我们去成为更好的老师和更好的个人吧。

作者简介

王艳云，繁峙中学高中英语教师，热爱教育教学，工作认真负责，生活积极乐观。