Teacher stimulates ideas exchange

Updated: 2016-08-05 11:34

By Qi Xin in Hami, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region(China Daily USA)

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Teacher stimulates ideas exchange

Lai Yanhui teaches at Hami No 6 Middle School in Hami, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Li Sanwang / For China Daily

At the end of 2013, Lai Yanhui decided to take time off from his work as a physics teacher at the Luoyang No 22 Middle School in Henan province and volunteer at a school in Hami in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Now, the 39-year-old is vice-principal of Hami No 6 Middle School - and while his three-year term of volunteering has almost reached its end, he has never regretted his decision.

"Our school, with students who are Han Chinese and from 35 other ethnic groups, is like a big family," Lai said.

Recalling the day when he first arrived in Hami, almost 2,400 kilometers away from his family in Luoyang, Lai said he told himself "this will be my place for the next three years".

"There are so many children longing for knowledge in Xinjiang. It's the perfect place for a teacher," he said.

Qingke'erman, a student in Hami No 6 Middle School, said Lai had encouraged her to study hard. "His classes are very interesting," she said. "His notes on our homework are always warm and encouraging."

Over the past two and a half years, Lai has pushed for curriculum reform in the school, and introduced a "hand in hand" exchange project, which has built up a connection between his schools in Luoyang and Hami. Teachers from Hami can now visit Luoyang to share experiences and exchange teaching methods.

"The traditional style of teaching in Hami is often that of a teacher dominating the classroom and students just listening," Lai said. "Now we encourage more students to join the discussion in class."

In a bid to challenge conventional wisdom on how best to educate students, Lai began by changing the seating order in his classroom.

He arranged the desks into groups of six so that the students could talk to each other face-to-face in class. "It really livened up the classes for a while, even though it could not fundamentally stimulate the students' initiative," he said.

Jiao Junlin, Lai's wife, said her husband "has a sense of responsibility for the children" and that she supports him as best she can.

She became a volunteer teacher in Xinjiang last year, bringing her mother and son to Hami

"People in Hami are very nice. We thought our mother would not become accustomed to the new environment at the beginning. Luckily, she made many friends here," Jiao said.

At the end of this year, Lai will return to Luoyang.

"In June, I had my last physics class for the students in Junior Three. I was glad to share my life experiences with them," he said. "Those students still have a long way to go. I told them to cherish the time they have and enjoy life with a heart filled with gratitude."

qixin@chinadaily.com.cn

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