Teachers are like the lighthouse, enlightening all succeeding generations. They devote themselves to teaching and research, winning many students' respect and love.

The series of interviews with teachers will share their insights on education so that more people can get close to GTIIT's classes and teachers and know about its characteristics and educational philosophy.

Dr. Constance Van Horne, born in Canada, came to Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) in 2018 and teaches communications, writing and English. She endears herself to all who work with her and is so beloved by her students, who always call her “Connie” and help her choose her lovely Chinese name “黄侃雯”, which is a resonance of her real name and reflects her distinctive personality – a good talker, friendly and generous. 

As a passionate and student-focused educator, Connie has won numerous awards for her teaching and has won GT’s “Excellence in Teaching” award for two years. In 2020 she was co-awarded the 2020 Teaching Reform Project from the Guangdong Provincial Government for a project on the Nobel Prize that develops scientific curiosity and question-asking skills in students taking the Communications class. Connie continues to do research in entrepreneurship and higher education teaching in STEM and collaborates with researchers across diverse disciplines and around the globe including France, Malaysia, the UAE and Canada.

Recently, Connie shared her insights into teaching and life in university.

English courses are supportive in GTIIT, but this does not diminish their significance – they are assisting students in succeeding academically. According to Connie, teaching English here means to give STEM students the frameworks on which to base their language. “We need to communicate science more effectively because if it stays in the lab, no one will benefit from it. This is the big goal. The small goal is, our students are studying in an English-speaking environment.”

Based on the two goals, Connie has designed a variety of practical exercises in and after class from the four aspects of “listening, speaking, reading and writing”, such as the “pen pal activity” and “chatting in English”. Wang Yuxin, a graduate of CE, said that Advanced Discussion and Academic Writing taught by Connie were very helpful for CV writing, paper writing and interview preparation.

“Students should focus on developing their communication and learning skills in English rather than simply learning the language itself. They need to understand the presentations in class, communicate with instructors, engage with discipline literature analysis, deliver presentations at academic conferences......These are quite different from what they learned in high schools.” Connie uses the example of spoken English, where many English words, such as “object/??bd??kt/ (n.)” and “object/?b?d?ekt/ (v.)”, mean different things when the stress is changed. Native speakers express themselves more naturally, and are unaware of such subtleties. For non-native speakers, however, many details must be highlighted consciously. “For instance, when I say ‘láo shí’ to a Chinese person, he/she can understand what I mean is ‘teacher (lǎo shī)’, but a non-native speaker might not get it. Many faculty members at GTIIT are second-language English speakers – they also need to hear English in a correct way.”

“I can see students struggling and I know what it takes to study in your second language – it’s not easy and needs hard work,” Connie recalls her memory of pursuing the MBA in Canada in French. During those days, she spent hours and hours reading and building her vocabulary. “For me, luck is being prepared for an opportunity. My job is to prepare students with confidence in communication, help them to find their voice, and seize their opportunities in science.”

To be an EDUCATOR

means you are a constant learner

“I fully believe that to be an educator means you are a constant learner. I create an atmosphere in class where I can learn as much from my students as they can learn from me.” She supports students with her “open door policy”. “It means that whether you are a former student, a current student or have never been my student, you can visit me if you want. Just make an appointment and come.” Connie also wants to remind students that they are in the university to learn and grow. The thing they do here is not only studying, but to become a whole person.

Her passionate nature won the respect of many people.Lin Qia and Liu Xuqi (graduates of MSE) published an article as co-first authors in the famous journal Metals (SCI). They pointed out that Connie gave them useful advice on English writing. Kuang Wei (Cohort 2021, CE) said, “She helped to refine my CV and motivated me to apply for a professor's lab, and she also performed as a career mentor and coached me with her rich anecdotes.” In terms of entrepreneurship, Connie has been the business consultant of “Shunlu”, the first student-found start-up at GTIIT, and the judge of the Poster Competition of the Campus Environmental Protection Cultural Festival and GTIIT Video Competition.

“Connie treats her students as her kids! She's not only our English teacher, but our good mentor, always willing to help us with anything we encounter with,” said Chen Yanfan (21, MCS). Graduate Yuan Chunlin learned the positive and optimistic attitude from Connie, “I gradually realize that when we encounter difficulties, instead of waiting for help, it is better to take the initiative to look for opportunities and try hard without leaving any regrets.”

“GTers are very diligent, respectful and ambitious. They want to develop things that will change the world and be part of making the world a better place: they want clean water for everyone, they study bio diversity, develop new materials and food......they know they can contribute to the whole world!” Connie indicates that this is one of the reasons she stays at GTIIT. “GTers have a combination of Israeli Chutzpah and Chinese diligence. We encourage students to share what and how they have studied and that students and teachers can build common achievements. We see you, daring to volunteer, daring to ask questions no one has asked before and daring to go be part of the GT start-up challenge. And you also carefully finished your tasks with effort. I am very proud of you!”

“Smile and courage” is Connie’s motto, and she often invites students to share their “smile and courage” moments in class. She holds that smiles are contagious and courage is essential for stepping outside one’s comfort zone and achieving goals. She “serializes” these warm words in her Wechat moments. For her, this is not only a mantra to remind herself, but also an encouragement to her friends and students. “Our professors are very willing to answer your questions, and the atmosphere on campus is great. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions because there will always be someone willing to help you. And… remember, smile and courage!”

(postcard designed by Connie and BFE student Jennie)

Connie enjoys communications with different spirits from different cultures. Before she came to China, she knows merely anything about its profound history, but now she has become a “China expert” – she dives deep into Chinese culture. She can do paper-cut, make red peach cake, wrap Zong Zi and brew mulberry wine; she goes to streets and villages to learn local folklore and customs; as an educator; she also visits local high schools to give lectures. She has turned what she has seen and felt into a fortune of life, and providing practical help to those around her with a warm and delicate heart. She metaphorizes herself as a “mother bear”, warming everyone with love and has become the “treasure teacher” for students.