Fostering a Culture of Challenge
(Classroom Management)
In my classroom, there's a board on the wall labeled “The Challenge Wall.”
But it's more than just a board—it's a mirror that reflects the sparks within my students: the quiet desire to grow, to push their limits,to become better versions of themselves.
Every so often, I ask my students to write down something they want to challenge themselves with.
Then I encourage them to pick one to pursue—whether it's academic, personal, or something they're struggling with in everyday life.
Whatever the goal, I want them to take that first brave step toward change.
Why do I care so much about building a culture of challenge?
That commitment goes back to an experience I had about ten years ago.
One of my students had scored a 93 on a practice test.
I praised him: “Nice work—keep it up!”
He was all smiles, clearly thrilled by the compliment.
But what followed took me by surprise
From then on,
he only wanted to do practice tests he was sure he could ace. He avoided anything unfamiliar or difficult. He didn't want to take risks or make mistakes. He became hooked on praise and stayed inside his comfort zone, where it felt safe.
He didn't want to grow—
he just wanted to be admired.
I knew that if this continued, he'd eventually struggle when real challenges came his way.
But more importantly, I couldn't support that mindset— the kind that clings to success and fears failure. That's not what learning is about.
You can't grow if you never stretch.
You can't discover new ideas if you only repeat what you already know.
Real learning means wrestling with the unfamiliar, falling and getting back up, facing hard things and saying, “I'm willing to try.”
True achievement isn't about one high score or a round of applause.
It's about the effort you keep putting in, the courage to keep going, and the strength to keep pushing past your limits— over and over again.
Perhaps, in the end, they will come to understand the expectations I have for them.
班級經營
我在班級的牆上，掛了一塊板子
上面寫著「挑戰牆」
這不只是一面牆，更是一面鏡子
映照著渴望突破的火苗
我定期請同學寫一些想要挑戰的事情上去
也定期請同學挑選自己想要挑戰的事情
無論是課業、興趣，或生活的難關，
鼓勵他們挑戰，踏出改變。
我為什麼如此重視「挑戰文化」的培養？
這份堅持，源自十年前的經歷。
契機
那時，我有一位學生練習卷考了93分，
我對他說：「這次考得不錯，再接再厲！」
他當下笑容滿面，雀躍不已。
可誰知，從那以後，
我很傷腦筋
因為
他變得只願意寫能讓他穩拿九十分以上的考卷。
他不再願意學習新的概念，不願意冒險，不願意犯錯。
他沉溺於掌聲之中，只想待在讓自己感到安全的舒適圈，拒絕去探索。
他只要別人誇獎他
只想要別人捧著他
持續下去，他之後段考成績一定會
爆掉
而且
這樣的思維模式，是我不認可的
被成就束縛的惰性思維。
做學問怎麼可以閉門造車、故步自封呢？
真正的學習，應該鼓起勇氣，
在跌倒中尋找方向，
在錯誤中砥礪自我，
對困難說：「我願意試試看」。
未來
或許有一天
他們會
懂我
不要沉溺於他人的掌聲中
