Teacher Yang Receives Genuine Support from Fellow Teachers and Students

Teacher Yang Yujiao is a volunteer teacher in our Support a Volunteer Teacher program in China. She grew up in a small city in Hechuan District, Chongqing. She enjoys exploring the mountains and painting in her free time. Prior to becoming a volunteer teacher, she worked in advertising design and production. Today, she teaches Chinese to third and fourth graders at Naituo Aimu Elementary School. In her recent letter, she shares some of her memorable moments with her students:

I grew up in a small city in Hechuan District, Chongqing. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the mountains and expressing myself through painting. Prior to becoming a volunteer teacher, I worked in advertising design and production. Currently, I am employed at Naituo Aimu Elementary School where I teach Chinese to third and fourth grades. Additionally, I serve as an assistant teacher for art classes and lead Rubik’s Cube classes.

When I first informed my family about my decision to volunteer as a teacher, they were concerned about my safety. However, after gaining a better understanding of the situation, they became incredibly supportive. My journey as a volunteer teacher had its challenges. During my initial training at Liangshan Public Welfare, I encountered difficulties that almost led me to give up. Nonetheless, I persevered and in the second training, I was moved by the new volunteer teachers. It reminded me of my first days as a volunteer teacher and how far I had come. I now provide these new teachers with answers based on my own experiences from the past semester. 

Throughout my training and upon joining the school, I have learned immensely from my fellow teachers. I have gained insights into effective teaching methods, assigning beneficial homework, and student management. However, I acknowledge that there is still room for improvement, particularly in ensuring that students retain knowledge and learn valuable skills. Moving forward, I aim to continue learning from my colleagues in order to enhance my knowledge and teaching abilities.

The students at our school are all delightful. My days of teaching are often filled with heartwarming moments with students that add fulfillment to me as a person. During the spring, the mountains were abundant with wild strawberries. On weekends, I went strawberry picking with two of my students. One of them, a girl named Shiluo, found an exceptionally large strawberry while washing her hands by the stream. She excitedly ran towards me, holding the strawberry, and exclaimed happily, “Teacher, look at this big strawberry!”Although I suggested she keep it for herself, she insisted that it was for me. Her gesture warmed my heart.

Another memorable moment occurred when a few first-grade students asked me to accompany them to pick a delicious treat. While in the mountains, we came across a tree bearing hard-to-reach fruits. Despite the distance between the children’s reach and the high-hanging fruit, they remained determined to get me something special. They expressed their desire to take me to various places and treat me when they grow up. Their genuine affection and appreciation brought a smile to my face that I simply couldn’t contain.