Teacher Lu Minyan: Introvert Teacher Meets an Introvert Student

Teacher Lu Minyan is a volunteer teacher in China’s Support a Volunteer Teacher program. She shares one of her memorable moments with one of her students:

“I vividly remember the day when my class was studying the text “Autumn.” I asked my students to observe the unique features of each season and encouraged them to share their insights. However, I noticed that one student in the class kept their head down and didn’t participate in the discussion.

After class, I approached the student and gently asked why they hadn’t spoken. The student shyly replied, “Teacher, I’m afraid of saying something wrong and being laughed at by my classmates.” I smiled and patted the student on the shoulder, reassuring them that making mistakes is part of learning. 

In the coming days, I encouraged the student to speak more and participate in class discussions. Although the student was nervous at first, with the help of her classmates and I, the student gradually opened up and started raising her hand to answer questions. We praised and encouraged the student whenever she spoke, regardless of whether she was correct or not. The classroom became a place of support and encouragement. Since that day, the student began to become more confident, playing with her classmates and even flashing a bright smile on her face, filled with excitement and pride.

Seeing this student reminded me of my younger self – timid, introverted, and shy. In reality, personality traits are neither good nor bad, and the family and school environments play crucial roles in shaping a child’s personality. Therefore, when we notice a child is introverted, we need to guide them correctly and encourage them to express themselves and play openly with other children. If we don’t guide them at such a pivotal age, these children might lack self-confidence in the future, which can be detrimental to their development.

As a teacher, we are not just conveyors of knowledge; we are also guides of the children. We should not only teach but also nurture our students’ hearts and minds. One word of encouragement and praise could bring joy to students and impact their way of life. Therefore, we should encourage every child to shine in their own way, ignite their confidence and potential, and inspire them to try bravely, believing they can also succeed.

And my story with these future world changers continues…”

We have partnered with five remote mountainous Sichuan schools where our volunteer teachers will be located. These volunteer teachers don’t receive a salary but live off the support from this program to meet their food, accommodation, and transport expenses. Access to these schools is difficult, and these schools struggle to get teachers because of the harsh weather and isolation, so your support means a lot to the students.

Thank you to ZURU, GPA Global, ISNS, and supporters from Captivating’s Annual Shenzhen Charity Auction for making this program supporting 30 volunteer teachers possible.