Editor's Notes: The Open University of China (OUC) has initiated a programme to nurture candidates for the inaugural session of "Outstanding Young Teachers," resulting in 104 teachers being bestowed with the esteemed title of "OUC Outstanding Young Teachers."

By sharing the stories of some of these young teachers and highlighting their experiences of learning and personal growth, our aim is to showcase the dedication and enthusiasm of all OUC teachers who are devoted to contributing to the establishment of a lifelong learning society for all.

Du Juan, a teacher at the Baoshan branch of Shanghai Open University (OU), a graduate student in sociology, a national level two psychological counselor, and a member of the Shanghai District University Young Key Teacher Alliance. She has been rated as a key teacher in the education system of Baoshan District, Shanghai for two consecutive terms and has won the Shanghai District University 60th Anniversary Development Achievement Award. She has been honored with titles such as the Shanghai OU Educational Reform Pioneer and the Outstanding Youth of the Baoshan District Education System in Shanghai.

When I learned that I was selected for the first session of OUC Outstanding Young Teachers Training Programme, I was pleasantly surprised but also a little nervous. I always thought I had done well in my teaching work and received many awards, but I did not have many noteworthy research achievements. I was hoping that I could achieve personal growth and improvement through this three-year Programme, and make breakthroughs in all aspects.

First, it's essential to understand clearly the developmental stage you are at and identify the developmental tasks that need to be completed at this stage, learning to plan for your career and future development. After working at the grassroots Open University for many years, I also entered a bottleneck in my work. How to seek new breakthroughs beyond traditional academic education? What should front-line teachers do? These questions have been lingering in my mind. Although teachers at the grassroots Open University have needed to teach across disciplines for many years, it is also necessary to consider sustainable personal development, how to focus on my strengths, and develop transferable skills.

The series of activities organized by the OUC then opened up my horizons, especially the trip to Zhejiang University. Each lecturer's course was wonderful. At that time, the OUC was holding the first political theory competition in courses, and I had advanced to the finals. The final round of the competition happened to be a week after the study tour to Zhejiang University. The trip to Zhejiang University greatly improved my understanding and practice of political theory in courses, and I won the second prize in the final competition. Later, at the 2021 Seminar on Political Theory in Courses in Shanghai District Universities, I spoke on behalf of my school. The paper I wrote on political theory in courses, "Exploration and Innovation of Political Theory in Adult University Courses," was selected as an excellent paper in the conference proceedings.

Just as I was thinking about how to break through the limitations of academic education and develop in multiple dimensions, the Shanghai OU also began to encourage teachers to keep expanding in the field of training. The Shanghai OU was entrusted by the Shanghai municipal government to run the Shanghai Parents' School, and I was fortunate to participate in its family education mentor training programme. According to the specific circumstances of the trainees, I designed course content for six units, which were all well-received by the trainees at each training point. As a member of the Family Education Professional Committee of the Shanghai Lifelong Education Research Association, I have participated in public lectures for society several times, using professional knowledge to help every family, especially the online public courses offered during the pandemic, which attracted over three thousand listeners.

The training programme is not only a starting point, but also a great chance for me to tap my potential, along with those amazing memories.

By OUC News Network