News

2008.0908

NTNU President Wishes a Smooth and Silky Ignition for Freshmen and New Faculties

By Bunny Chen Campus Reporter Although being away for an assignment trip, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) President Gou Yih-shun (郭義雄) did not forget freshmen and new faculties as he left his encouragement and messages through video clips, which were played during today’s orientation. As new fall semester began today, Gou, however, is currently visiting Xiamen University in China while he missed freshmen’s orientation and new faculties’ research and study meeting. For freshmen, Gou encouraged them to change the way they studied in high school and began to challenge their professors with more questions. "You must be very curious about the surroundings.  How you managed your study in high school will no longer fit what you are expecting in next four years.  A remarkable progress in learning will only be made under the circumstance of constant constructive group studies and discussions from now on,” Gou said. Being a constant English education advocator, Gou, again, emphasized the importance of language comprehensive ability for students in his video message to freshmen. "An individual will be able to do pretty much anything at anywhere if this person is fluent with a second language and full of professional knowledge and expertise in specific fields,” Gou said. For new faculties, Gou encouraged them to carry out their work with love and sense of responsibilities.  He also set up the bottom line for his fellow teachers – to be strict to students with justice. "This bottom line will help us teachers do our jobs a lot better, although it is very difficult to do that,” Gou said. Meanwhile, Gou also encouraged his fellow professors to continue their research projects.  He believed that without research, a professor will not enrich himself in the field with expertise and then pass on the valuable experiences or knowledge to his students. "Being a good teacher, one must ask his students what they need instead of repeating his own annual syllabus,” Gou said.  “Any question popped up by students might be inspiring, for both teachers and students.” The president also concerned NTNU new family members’ health, as he believed that a healthy body shall be the foundation for everything. "Everything will be in vain if you are not healthy,” he said.