Huzhou, May 4th (Zhang Yuhuan) – In Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, the aroma of coffee wafts from the classroom of a senior university. On the podium, a young girl patiently guides students in their sixties on how to control water temperature and water injection techniques; In the audience, elderly people with gray hair wear reading glasses and carefully grind every coffee bean.
The instructor of this coffee appreciation class, Chen Xinyu, is a post-2000 generation. She is both a boutique coffee shop owner and a coffee and tea beverage developer. When the 'Z generation' meets the 'silver haired generation', an intergenerational dialogue about trendy art quietly unfolds.
The picture shows Chen Xinyu in class. Respondent provided pictures
I want more people to fall in love with coffee
Chen Xinyu's connection with coffee began in his childhood. The first cup of instant coffee she drank as a child planted a dream seed of becoming a barista in her heart. Not long after graduating from university, she plunged into the specialty coffee industry and it has been four years since then. Nowadays, the boutique coffee shop she runs has gained some popularity in the local area, and she has also become a coffee and tea beverage developer, constantly exploring more possibilities for coffee flavors.
I hope to turn coffee into a delicious drink that everyone can understand and enjoy easily. "With this original intention in mind, when Huzhou Senior Open University invited her to offer a coffee appreciation class, Chen Xinyu readily agreed.
This course is designed specifically for coffee beginners, not pursuing advanced theories, but taking seniors and students into the world of premium coffee, growing from beginners to coffee enthusiasts who understand tasting and brewing.
Many people think that coffee is mysterious and high-end, and I want to break this stereotype, "she said.
Adaptation to Aging in Coffee Classes
When Chen Xinyu stood on the stage for the first time and faced the students who were older than his grandparents, he admitted that he was a bit nervous. But I am aware that the teacher's state can affect the classroom atmosphere, so I try my best to adjust my mentality and teach in a professional and calm state
In order to make this special group of students understand and learn, Chen Xinyu made three "aging friendly" transformations in teaching.
The first is to reverse cognition. At the beginning of the course, most elders were only accustomed to the bitter taste and believed that coffee was bitter. They felt unfamiliar and even doubted the flavors such as sour and sweet, floral and fruity aroma. Chen Xinyu adopts a "theoretical+practical tasting" approach to take everyone to experience the flavor levels of coffee beans from different origins and roasting degrees one by one.
Many students show incredible expressions when they first drink coffee with fruit acid – it turns out coffee can be like this, "Chen Xinyu said.
The second is to train the senses. Adults' sense of smell and taste are rarely professionally trained, making it difficult to distinguish specific flavors in the early stages. Chen Xinyu specially brought flavored water and led the students to do a practice of separating smell and taste, guiding everyone to associate flavors when tasting. For example, what fruit do you smell? Is there a fragrance of flowers? It's like synesthesia training in literature class, the effect is very obvious, "Chen Xinyu said.
The third is to increase practical implementation. Due to the weak understanding and control of the cooking techniques among the elders, she arranged a large number of practical courses to teach hands-on skills and encourage more practice. Halfway through the semester, many students have made significant progress in their cooking skills.
Chen Xinyu explained coffee knowledge to elderly students in class. Respondent provided pictures
Transforming 'trendy classes' into' warm classes'
During the lesson preparation stage, Chen Xinyu specifically researched the learning characteristics of elderly people: they do not pursue advanced professional knowledge, but rather value the fun of easy to understand and hands-on experience. So, she enlarged the font of the courseware, replaced professional terminology with plain language, streamlined the text content, and avoided boring classes.
During class, Chen Xinyu is accustomed to slowing down his pace, repeatedly explaining key and difficult points, and deepening his memory through interactive questioning. Every theoretical class is interspersed with practical exercises, which not only enhances interest but also promotes communication among students, "said Chen Xinyu.
This design makes the classroom atmosphere particularly lively. Two students left a particularly deep impression on her: one is a senior coffee enthusiast with a solid foundation and strong practical skills. He never misses classes and insists on studying diligently. During group practice, everyone likes to ask him for advice; The other one is a "dark horse" who silently listens to lectures and has a high understanding of brewing techniques. With simple guidance, they can use professional methods to brew coffee with excellent flavor.
After class, this group of silver haired students not only exchange coffee knowledge, but also chat with Chen Xinyu, share life experiences, and curiously inquire about her store opening story and life.
Getting along for a long time is like being warm and sincere like an elder in the family, "Chen Xinyu said. She usually interacts with young people and was not very good at getting along with her elders. Through this lecture, she gained a lot of warmth and discovered more possibilities for herself. The elders are down-to-earth, patient, humble, and polite, which has made me more patient and tolerant, "said Chen Xinyu.
In her view, this is not only a process for elders to learn new skills, but also an experience of two-way companionship, mutual healing, and common growth.
Currently, it is not uncommon for young "post-2000s" teachers like Chen Xinyu to appear in senior university classrooms. Young teachers are becoming fresh blood in the senior education teacher pool, bringing trendy courses such as short video production, mobile photography, coffee tasting, etc., which are highly welcomed by the silver haired generation.
My original intention is to popularize specialty coffee, so that more people can learn how to taste and enjoy the pleasure brought by coffee, "Chen Xinyu said." I am also very grateful for the platform provided by the Senior University, which allowed me to walk from the bar to the podium, break free from the limitations of the store, and enter the elderly group. I also hope that more young baristas will step onto the podium in the future, and let specialty coffee and quality life enrich the happiness of more elderly people together. "(End)