Obama speech script applauded as teaching material

Many parents and education experts support a middle school in Hefei, Anhui province, for having students read an inspirational speech US President Barack Obama gave to American students at the beginning of the new school year.

On Sept 3, the third day of the new semester, more than 3,000 students from grades seven to 12 at Hefei Shouchun Middle School read the script of a national address Obama gave at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, on Sept 8, 2009, titled My Education, My Future.

In the 16-minute speech translated from a video clip on the Internet, Obama encouraged students to assume the responsibility to learn and develop their talents by telling stories of his own life, as well as those from other Americans.

He talked about getting up at 4:30 am so that his mother could teach him extra lessons when he was young and lived in Indonesia.

He said education provides the opportunity for every child to find their talent.

"Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor — maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine — but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class," he said in the address.

Obama also told students to keep striving and try harder after failing and allow those failures to teach but not define them.

"Some Chinese kids would complain they need to pay the price to live a better life, but their American counterparts seem to have that without the slightest effort. The material was chosen to inspire kids to achieve their dreams through dedication to study," said a teacher from the education department of the school, who only gave his surname as Mao, adding that what the students read was a Chinese interpretation.

Sun Yeqing, vice-principal of the school, found the speech online and proposed the reading because he believed it would help students better understand the meaning of attending school and motivate their enthusiasm for learning.

"His speech was specific and vivid rather than empty and preachy. I believe it's very easy for children to take in," Sun said.

The school turned down a request to interview students, saying it does not want any disturbance for students who are having classes as usual.

"Students liked the lecture and said it brought a new perspective of reflecting on the role of education in their personal life," Mao said.

"I personally think the speech was very inspirational and practical. Children know they will have to put their best efforts into all their subjects and love their country, as Obama said, if they really want to achieve something."

Many parents endorsed the school's initiative.

"Instead of delivering overwhelming American values, the speech emphasized the influence of education on one's fate, which is in accordance with what I told my child," said a father surnamed Yang, whose daughter is in grade seven at the school.

However, others said there are splendid Chinese classic works about the meaning of education and reading the script of an Obama speech belittled Chinese literature and culture.

That criticism makes no sense, said some sociologists, as Chinese classics, such as The Analects, which contains Confucius' words on learning, are included in textbooks, while the reading of Obama's speech was a one-off event.

"I've watched Obama's address with my son several times. Our teacher asked us to read the script of Martin Luther King Jr's speech when I was a schoolboy decades ago. Anything that's positive is worth learning," said Liu Mingli, a Shanghai resident who has a 14-year-old son.

Experts said the closer communication between countries has given youngsters opportunities to absorb good philosophies from abroad while inheriting their traditions, which is undoubtedly beneficial.

"Obama said none of the disadvantages of appearance, family background or economic condition can be an excuse for having an ill manner of learning. The spirit of striving hard and never giving up is applicable everywhere," said Zhou Haiwang, deputy director of the Institute of Population and Development at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

Some education experts said the speeches that Chinese premiers delivered in universities and high schools are also heartening and can be popularized as reading material for schoolchildren.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn