Teacher Li Jianhong, a Friend to Students, Wins Pingtung County Super Teacher Award

Li Jianhong, an acting teacher at Pingtung County's Datong High School, has been honored with the Pingtung County Super Teacher Award for his dedication and innovative approach to education. Li, 41, has dedicated 15 years to teaching, navigating nine of those years as a "wandering teacher" before settling at Datong High School six years ago. There, he teaches civics and has developed his own teaching materials designed to move students beyond the classroom. His methods focus on cultivating self-learning, collaborative learning, and critical thinking skills.

Li's teaching extends across multiple disciplines, including Chinese literature, civics, environmental education, and digital technology. In the "Guo Tong Vision" international education experimental class for high school students, he employs thematic teaching, guiding students through topics like "Paper Mulberry and Austronesian" and "Latin America and the Netherlands." This approach encourages students to learn independently, share knowledge, and engage in deep discussions within an immersive, thought-provoking classroom environment. He also advises the "Datong Youth Army" club, where older students mentor younger ones in planning and delivering educational camps. These camps have reached communities across the Pingtung Peninsula, indigenous areas, and rural regions, involving in-depth field research and local collaboration.

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Students follow me, so I have to run faster, I can't be left behind.

Li views his role as a constant race to keep up with his students. He finds motivation in witnessing students who initially lacked confidence later gain admission to their ideal universities and return to mentor others. He also sees students who were once hesitant to speak publicly develop confidence through team-building activities. "Students follow me, so I have to run faster, I can't be left behind," Li stated. Reflecting on the reciprocal relationship, he added, "Many people say teachers catch students, but actually, the students have been catching me all along!" The Pingtung County Teachers Association praised Li as an unconventional educator who combines idealism with practice, consistently innovating and offering sincere support to change students' lives. They highlighted his ability to impart not only knowledge but also the courage to face the future, calling him a rare model in contemporary education.

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Many people say teachers catch students, but actually, the students have been catching me all along!