2020-02-23 [Online Classes in Progress] We Are Ready: A Glimpse into Graduate English Teachers’ Digital Lesson Preparation. 

(Part I) Teacher Liu Yanqiu specifically scheduled her foot surgery for January 6, having planned the timing precisely to ensure she would recover in time and return to the classroom normally by February 24. On the morning of January 31, the Graduate English Teaching Department officially commenced preparations for online instruction. At that time, Teacher Liu was still unable to walk and, following medical advice, remained in bed for rest except during meals. Upon learning that proficiency in online teaching tools was essential, Teacher Liu could no longer stay lying down. One moment she was attending online classroom training sessions to learn basic operational skills, the next she was calling colleagues to discuss questions and share insights, and then she would practice the actual implementation of online classes to apply what she had learned and felt. Working continuously, she often forgot to eat and sleep, and her back pain flared up again. Her surgically treated feet, along with both calves, became so swollen they felt ready to burst. During her follow-up visit, Teacher Liu was sternly criticized by her surgeon. However, after understanding the specific situation, the doctor repeatedly praised her and prescribed additional Chinese herbal medicine for foot soaking. This allowed Teacher Liu to soak her feet at home after preparing lessons, helping to alleviate the swelling and pain. Through continuous efforts, Teacher Liu has now successfully completed preparations such as designing teaching plans, uploading teaching materials, assigning platform-based tasks, and posting class notifications in group chats. She has even mastered the use of Tencent Meetings with proficiency. Did you know that all this work was done by Teacher Liu right by her sickbed? (Part II) In response to the preparations for online teaching during the epidemic prevention period, Teacher Zhou Honghong emphasized the need to ensure that “no student is left behind, and no aspect falls short”. As a member of the English Subcommittee under the National Advisory Committee for Foreign Language and Literature Teaching in Higher Education Institutions of the Ministry of Education (2018-2022), Teacher Zhou shoulders extensive responsibilities in teaching research and textbook development. To combat the epidemic and ensure the smooth delivery of online classes, she worked tirelessly day and night alongside her colleagues in the Graduate English Teaching Department to complete the pre-class lesson preparation plan on schedule. She developed online course plans, established WeChat groups for all her classes, and meticulously checked attendance against the roster after students joined the groups. For any student who had not joined, she used various means to notify and ensure their inclusion. With over 200 students across four graduate classes—including many from remote regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan—Teacher Zhou paid individual attention to each one, inquiring about their health and ensuring they could access the necessary information. Her efforts truly embodied the principle of leaving no student behind in online teaching and maintaining uncompromised quality in education. (Checking off names one by one on the list to ensure no student is left out of the group.) (Teacher Zhou Honghong is checking the student attendance.) Meanwhile, based on her past teaching experience, Teacher Zhou compiled and organized a wealth of supplementary academic English listening and reading materials, which she generously shared with colleagues in the teaching department. Despite her tight schedule, she also volunteered for epidemic prevention work in her residential community. With such leadership from the professor, the entire teaching team was filled with greater motivation and confidence. (Part III) Teacher Kong Fei has always been rigorous, dedicated, and enthusiastic in his teaching. During the online lesson preparation, he advocated that “a craftsman must sharpen his tools to do his work well”. While the university recommended multiple remote teaching platforms, Teacher Kong adhered to the principle of prioritizing practical needs and focusing on functionality. He carefully selected the teaching features most essential to his courses and maximized their utility. For instance, in the course Watching American TV Series to Practice Oral English, it was necessary to play videos while providing simultaneous explanations. Teacher Kong thoroughly explored various platforms, conducted detailed evaluations, and ultimately determined that Tencent Classroom offered superior functionality for these specific needs. Only then did he finalize his choice and recommend it to the students. (Teacher Kong Fei is organizing a test session for the students.) To ensure teaching quality, Teacher Kong conducted a practical test session for each class before formal instruction began. This served both to evaluate the usability and stress resistance of the remote teaching platform—guaranteeing real-time connectivity with every student during class—and to understand student satisfaction with the platform while identifying any practical difficulties they faced. As he actively explored the characteristics of remote teaching, Teacher Kong worked to overcome limitations such as the platform’s weak interactive features and limited control capabilities. At the same time, he frequently communicated and exchanged insights with fellow teachers in the department, often providing one-on-one guidance on platform usage and recommending personalized functions and operations tailored to each teacher’s specific needs. With the semester about to begin, such dedicated preparation by the teachers will hopefully instill greater confidence in students toward online learning!