2010新西兰杰出华裔学生论坛

4位优秀学子，分别来自3所中学：Auckland Grammar School,
Macleans College以及ACG。据说在最后的一个星期，还有很多华人想买票，但却没能买得到。说句实话，我还真没有想到该活动能引起如此大的反响。作为一个教育工作者，这也是令人非常高兴的一件事。会后，我们三个参加论坛的学校负责国际部工作的以及中文先驱报的工作人员一起吃了个饭，并认为这种对社会有益的活动今后可以多举办。

（前排从右到左依次为：Macleans College校长Byron Bentley, ACG副总裁Clarence van der Wel, Auckland
Grammar School校长John Morris。附带说明一下，第二排右一就是我了：）

罕见的，这次三个名校的校长都有出席该次论坛，可见其重视程度。一直以来，华人历来对孩子的教育都是非常的重视。华人学生的刻苦及努力是众所周知的。

Mr. John Morris,奥克兰文法学校的校长，在论坛上的演讲证明了这一点：

“I am often asked how is it that so
many of our top scholars at Grammar are of Chinese ethnicity and how is it that
all our very top scholars (Asian and non-Asian) are able to juggle a hefty
involvement in co-curricular activities alongside a strong commitment to their
studies.

(大致译文：过去以来，我经常被问到，在奥克兰文法学校学术成绩上排名靠前的学生为什么很多都是华人学生，而又为什么这些非常优秀的学生不仅能在学习上优秀，而且还有时间参加如此多的课外活动而不影响他们的学习？)

On the former point it is worth commenting that in the last two
years 50% of the names on our Scholars Honours’ Board are Chinese.  This compares to a school roll of just 20%.

(大致译文：在回答这个问题以前，我需要先说明的是，在过去的2年里，我们学校的荣誉榜上超过50%的名字是华人的名字，而华人学生的人数只占我们总学生人数的20%) 。                                                                                                                     

（图片说明：Auckland Grammar school
Scholars Honours’ Board）

How do our Chinese scholars in particular juggle so many things and
why are they disproportionately successful in their studies?

(大致译文：我们这些在奥克兰文法学校荣誉榜上的华人学生又是如何能在这么多的活动上有效利用时间而又能在学习上做到如此优秀的呢？)

In simple terms it is because they have a tendency for hard work and
deferred gratification, they spend more time doing homework than other students
and they seem to have an attitude, according to one of my Chinese teachers,
that if they are not doing well the answer is simply to study later at night,
and if they still don’t do well, to get up and study in the morning!  There seems to be a belief that anyone can do
well in school with the right effort.

(大致译文：简单地说来，就是因为他们有着刻苦努力和延迟享乐的倾向，他们比别的一般学生花更多的时间在学习上。我记得我们有一位华人老师曾告诉我，我们的华人学生有着这样的一种学习态度，就是他们不只是在晚上学习至深夜，而如果他们认为他们自己并没能将功课完成得很好，他们会早早地起来而继续地学习！这里好像有着一种信念，如果努力了且学习方向正确，每个学生都能学好。)

I also believe that Asian students are oriented towards their families,
not just their friends.  Asian students
tend to think of themselves as representing their families and see their task
as doing well in school, not just for themselves, but for their families as a
whole.  The concept of group pride is
paramount.

(大致译文：我也相信有一点，就是亚裔学生往往被他们的家里人影响，而不仅仅只是他们的朋友。亚裔学生趋向于认为他们在学校的表现是代表着他们的家族，
而家里人也希望他们在学校能表现得很好，这不仅是为他们学生自己，而且是为了整个家族的荣誉。而这种集体主义的观念是他们成功的首要因素。)

There is also an undoubted strong belief in the intrinsic value of
education amongst our Asian families which stems from the Mandarin tradition in
which Asian cultures generally had an intellectual elite that rose to power
through passing stringent tests.  This
model of a meritocracy of the intellect has left its mark in the high value
that Asian families place on a rigorous academic education.

(大致译文：同样毫无疑问地，亚洲文明的中华传统文化里蕴含的智力精髓，使我们的亚裔民族有着天生的通过各种复杂及严格考试的能力及技巧。这种天生固有的能力及技巧令我们的亚裔学生在学术成就上占据了重要的一席。)

The high amount of parental involvement and consequent high
expectations are other factors in the academic success of Asian students.

(大致译文：父母在孩子学习上的高度重视以及以此引发的高期望值是我们亚裔学生学习上优秀的另外一个因素。)

On top of this academic thrust though, a large percentage of our
Asian students have adopted the Kiwi ideal of participation and involvement.  Every year at our annual “Scholars’ Assembly”
when I read out our scholars’ accomplishments, I am humbled by the range and
depth of achievement and involvement.  It
is a stunning testimony to the effort and interest of all our top scholars.”

(大致译文：除了学习上的优秀，我们的大部分亚裔学生也积极地参与跟新西兰别的族群学生一起的课外活动。每年，在我们学校的年度优秀学生典礼上，当我宣读我们优秀学生的成绩及表现时，我对我们这些优秀亚裔学生所取得的成绩及其参与广泛的活动而令我感到谦卑。这就是我今天所做出的对我们所有的优秀亚裔学生其取得的了不起的成绩及他们所付出的努力的非常肯定的一个见证。)