Conclusion

In this final part, I will briefly summarize the three parts of the reflective journal.

The first part documented one of my unconscious beliefs about teaching and learning, namely the linking between race and intelligence. There might be some other beliefs berried deep in my head, but using such a reflective example as a handbook will hopefully help myself identify them and prevent them from doing harms to my students. The second part tried to find the cultural reason behind the seemingly better academic performance of Chinese students but argued that cultural factor is not universally good for the learners as it discourages critical, creative and independent thinking. Such cultural influence is something I want to avoid in my classrooms. Finally, the political root for this learning culture to persist for millennia is examined in the third part. There, I claimed my experience in these political and cultural backgrounds could be an advantage for me as a teacher in New Zealand.