A professor at China’s Peking University (PKU) has sparked discussions on
Worst in class: Ding Yanqing, an associate professor at the university’s Graduate School of Education, said that his daughter is at the bottom of her class at Peking University Primary School.
- This is despite Ding picking her up after school and taking her to his office to “force her to study or do homework” every day, he said in a video he posted to Douyin.
- The gap between his daughter’s scores and those of the second-last student was also big, he said.
- He added that people on the same floor where his office is located always heard yelling from either him or his daughter.
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Accepting reality: Ding said he is at a “loss” about his daughter’s situation, according to the South China Morning Post. He and his wife both graduated from PKU, a top university in the country that is currently at 23rd place in QS Global World Rankings.
- “My daughter is definitely not a wonder child. Her IQ is far lower than both of us,” said Ding, who claimed that he was able to memorize a Chinese dictionary at the age of 6.
- In another video, the academic said he has accepted the fact he has a “mediocre” child. He also pointed out that it is important to acknowledge this “no matter how outstanding you are.”
- Ding also decided to give up his “high-pressure” methods after realizing that his daughter had become anxious and depressed. He now recognizes that every child is unique.
- “Parents should identify their kids’ unique qualities in different aspects other than academic studies. They should find a path suitable for the kids to develop and assist them in that direction,” he said.
- Chinese social media users had mixed reactions over the matter. Some were surprised that a PKU professor faced the same concerns as “ordinary” parents, while others were skeptical about his advice — especially since China continues to place emphasis on academic performance.
China’s National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), also known as gaokao, is considered one of the world’s toughest exams. It will be held on June 7 and 8, according to China Daily.
Featured Images via 北大老丁
