Teacher Zhu Jiangang (22) has been working as one of our volunteer teachers in the Send a Volunteer Teacher Program since March 2024. Now in his third semester in school, he had already built up his reputation as a beloved mathematics teacher for 4th graders, a music teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders, as well as a basketball coach. A truly versatile teacher, Zhu Jiangang is! He wrote us a letter about the ups and downs of being a volunteer teacher in Sichuan.
Six months after graduating from university, I signed up for a volunteer teaching program. When I first arrived at the school, the teachers told me that our class had a lot of room for improvement in terms of academic performance. On the first day of school, our class had 37 students, making it the largest class in the school. Since this was a Yi ethnic minority area, all the children had four-character names, so it took me about a week to remember them all.
Many students in the class had poor study habits and behavior. Despite these downsides, these children were lively and enthusiastic. They often asked all sorts of strange and curious questions—sometimes even ones I couldn’t answer. As the days passed, we gradually became familiar with one another. They would play with me during breaks, and some students would even come to school during holidays just to see me. Occasionally, they would bring cherries from home to share or give me bouquets made from wildflowers and grasses. These simple, innocent gestures meant the world to me, and I cherished every single one.
To enrich their extracurricular activities, the children also had art classes. Some of them would draw pictures to give to me as gifts. Although the drawings were not particularly refined, each time a student placed one in my hands, I treasured it with great care.
The semester flew by, and I gradually saw them improving in their studies, developing better habits, and growing more mature and responsible. It made me realize that they were slowly but surely growing up. Over time, I found myself becoming more and more attached to these children, and our bond deepened. This is precisely the reason why I chose to stay—to grow and learn alongside them.”
It turns out that it was not only teacher Zhu who taught these children, but they taught him, too, of what it means to do something beautiful in life.
Be a Part of the Solution
With your support, we can ensure that students in remote villages receive the quality education they deserve.
Help us make education accessible to all.
