China
13:02, 31-Dec-2017
Physics teacher goes viral after grading papers in the most unlikely place
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A middle school physics teacher from south China has become an online sensation after photos of him grading test papers during his flight went viral.
Pan Jinwen, 42, had photos of him posted by his traveling companion on the social media platform WeChat during a business trip, with the caption: “Your teacher is in the air, and so are your papers.” He purportedly finished grading 210 papers during his 5 hours of travel.
Pan Jinwen corrects test papers on a counter while waiting for his flight. /Guangzhou Daily Photo
Pan Jinwen corrects test papers on a counter while waiting for his flight. /Guangzhou Daily Photo
Comments and likes from students of Pan’s school soon flooded in, with some saying “What’s the pressure of the test paper in the stratosphere?” and “Will you express deliver our papers back after you’ve corrected them?”
In an interview with Guangzhou Daily, Pan, who hails from Foshan in Guangdong Province, said that he made ample use of his flight time to grade test papers before leaving for Shanghai. As the end of the term approaches, the course load is heavy, so there is little spare time for reviewing weekly test papers.
“I don’t feel tired. All teachers are in hustle and bustle mode for the final,” Pan said, who added that only four physics teachers are responsible for 16 classes in one grade, with each giving four to eight hours of lectures a day.
As the head of his school’s physics department, Pan expressed that he would be embarrassed to rush other teachers if he himself didn’t finish his work on time. “Students and parents are waiting for the test results. The chief needs the scores to evaluate the overall performance of the students. I’m obligated to stay on schedule,” Pan told Guangzhou Daily.
Pan Jinwen practices martial arts and explains its relationship to physics. /Guangzhou Daily Photo
Pan Jinwen practices martial arts and explains its relationship to physics. /Guangzhou Daily Photo
It’s not the first time that Pan has been brought into the spotlight. He gained attention last month when the media reported on his elective courses, which combined traditional martial arts with physics, taking his school by storm.