Or in other words, playing music for a cow. It's a Chinese proverb that illustrates the idea of connecting to your audience. The story tells of a musician who played a beautiful musical song for a cow, only to find the cow just ignored him. However, when he then played a sound imitating a fly, the cow reacted.
Do you ever feel like that? I started requiring my students (now that 3/4 of the year is over) to speak only Chinese in class. I don't think I've ever seen so many worried eyes and frustrated expressions! ;) But those who tried did a pretty good job! I'm just feeling frustrated with those who didn't even try. Their first reaction was "I can't do this," and then they promptly turned off their brains, thus becoming too much like that cow. When I speak, all I get in response are blank expressions, or maybe just a snore...
10 years ago
2 comments:
Sadly in high school I'd probably have been one of you're students that didn't even try. I try to be better about things like that now. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks some more students will get more comfortable and try. What a great proverb.
Isn't it? As soon as I read the story, I knew I'd found a good one! ;)
And hey, I think we all have a little of that tendency in us, and it takes different circumstances or situations to help us get out of it.
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