【推荐2】Qian Hongyan waited on the starting block, supporting herself using her hands and torso (躯干). When the starting signal sounded, Qian pushed herself in. She won the silver medal in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke (蛙泳) SB5 final in the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities held in Xi’an, Shaanxi province in 2021.

Qian, from Luliang of Yunnan province, had both of her legs cut off after getting into an accident in 2000 when she was 4 years old. Her family were extremely poor. With little resources available, her grandfather cut up an old basketball to replace her lower body. Since then, she became well-known for moving around while balanced on an orange ball, earning her the nickname “basketball girl”.

Qian’s passion for swimming dates back to 2007, when she was invited by the local disabled people’s federation to watch the 2008 National Paralympic Games in Kunming, capital of Yunnan. At 11 years old, she joined the provincial swimming team for people with disabilities. However, without legs, it was difficult for Qian to keep her balance in water. “Swimming without legs is like rowing a boat without a rudder (船舵). I tended to swing due to a poor sense of direction.” Qian said. To help her overcome the difficulty, her coach designed a special training plan for her. Every day, she practiced for at least four hours. She made great efforts to enhance her arm strength and balance.

In 2009, she won three gold medals in the provincial contests in Yunnan, as well as one gold medal and two silvers at national events. In 2014, she won another gold medal in the 100m breaststroke final in the Yunnan Provincial Paralympic Games. In the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, she placed ninth in the 100m breaststroke.

Qian’s journey to create a future for herself, despite losing both legs in a tragic accident, has become the story that inspired thousands of disabled people in China.

【推荐3】In Central America, scientists have made some recent discoveries about the ancient Maya people. These findings show that the Maya developed their civilization centuries earlier than experts thought. While Europe was still in the midst of the Dark Ages, these Maya had charted the heavens, evolved the only true writing system native to the Americas and were masters of mathematics and calendar. Without advantage of metal tools, beasts of burden or even the wheel, they were able to construct vast cities. Their legacy in stone, which has survived in an impressive fashion at places, lives on as do the seven million descendants (后嗣) of the classic Maya civilization.

Scientists have made some recent discoveries about the ancient Maya people. Experts call the time between the year 250 and the year 1900 the Classic Maya Period. It was a period of great civilization. Until now, scientists think that earlier Maya people were simple farmers. The discoveries show that they used writing, drew pictures and built complex structures. Three separate teams made the discoveries in the rainforest of Guatemala (危地马拉).

Scientists have found some things they say are more than 2000 years old. For example, a team found two masks inside the main pyramid in a city. These masks are three meters tall. They are cut in the image of a sun god. The Maya used the pyramid as a temple. The masks may have been a part of ceremonies led by a king.

At Waka, scientists found the burial place of a woman they think was a Maya queen. They believe she ruled more than 1,200 years ago. Her bones were lying on a stone table. Many jewels surrounded her remains. The team also found pieces of green stone that appeared to be the remains of the kind of war helmet worn by rulers. Scientists say the discovery will help them understand how Maya women shared power with men. Not many burial places of important royal women have been found. Also in northern Guatemala, scientists found a stone showing an 8th-century king playing a game of ball with visiting rulers. It is the third such stone found at the city of Cancuen. They also found large pieces of stone with writing and pictures of leaders. A Guatemalan expert called it one of the greatest masterpieces of Maya art ever discovered in Guatemala.

【推荐1】Within the education system, teachers are often asked to do too much and, in some places for some subjects, there are teacher shortages.    1     . It can free up teachers’ time by providing them assistance to complete labor-intensive activities, such as feedback, grading and even lesson planning.

An AI teaching assistant, for example, can offer students more frequent and immediate feedback on their writing, and can ask them to explain their steps on a math problem.     2    , they learn better. But this is impossible with one teacher and large class sizes.

    3    . It can reduce the amount of time teachers spend on planning by creating lesson plans, brainstorming class activities and drafting quizzes for certain groups of students respectively.

Spending less time on these tasks does not mean we need fewer teachers. It means teachers have more time to build relationships with students. Studies show that strong relationships with teachers and school staff help increase students’ motivation and academic engagement. Teachers help students achieve a sense of belonging in school, see themselves as capable of success, and act as architects of their own future.    4    .

Using AI can shift responsibilities so teachers can focus on the uniquely human things they can do to help students learn and prepare to solve the challenges of tomorrow.    5    .

【推荐3】What insiders look for when assessing a high school

Tons of AP classes. Beautiful buildings. A winning soccer team. What makes a high school great is all the stuff you hear about? Think again. Here are some absolutely vital, but often overlooked things that indicate a quality high school.

Adults and students high five each other in the halls.

Or at least smile and say hey. Are students comfortable to enter a teacher’s office or classroom during a break, just to check in? Do they trust the adults at the school enough to share their lives outside of school? Indeed, strong, caring relationships with adults in a school setting increase students’ motivation and academic success.

No child is left without a plan.

Good high schools make sure there’s a well-maintained and real-time updated system that students and parents know how to use to check on their progress before report cards come out, especially for students at risk of failing or dropping out. They give all students access to demanding academics and meaningful career options throughout their high school years,plus extra support for applying for college or pursuing a career.

Everyone’s voice is being heard.

All of the students should be valued as individuals and as members of the community. Do students get to participate in decisions that affect their learning? Do the adults and students at the school feel that their personal identities are valued and respected?

When you ask a kid, why are you doing that? He has an answer.

At a quality high school, students should be able to say why they’re spending their valuable time programming a robot, testing the water at the local stream, or designing a museum exhibit. Of course every single assignment will not get a clarity of purpose, but the more you hear a logical response to why, the more it’s likely that students are engaged in realistic ways of learning how to solve complex, open-ended, real-world problems.