Teaching can be creative, but never in an insulting way

A student strides over her teacher. [Photo/IC]

An associate professor with Wuhan University of Technology in Central China's Hubei province lay in the doorway of a classroom on Monday and encouraged his students to step over him, in a bid to teach them to question authority. More than 100 students did as asked. Comments:

The teacher's creative teaching method is unlikely to undermine his dignity or authority, which are traditionally built on the ceremonial moral high ground, instead of students' heartfelt respect in China. This is not to say teachers do not deserve being respected by their students. A teacher's dignity should be based on his or her professional performance in or out of class, not blind worship.

China Youth Daily, May 14

Given the many other creative methods that are available to encourage students to refute authority, the Wuhan associate professor's choice is arbitrary and a bad one. Universities in the country should never allow such teacher insulting stunts to happen, even it was designed to help student overcome their fear of questioning authority.

Chongqing Morning Post, May 14

It is pointless for people to focus only on whether the teacher's controversial method is right or wrong; he has the right to practice his unique way of teaching as long as it does not harm anybody. In fact, teachers like him should be given more freedom to recruit students capable of independent thinking, among whom innovative minds are more likely to emerge.

cjn.cn, May 14