The RCEF Blog 博客

The air in the classroom was heavy with humidity and emotion as Guan Ai Elementary School’s third class of sixth-graders graduated on July 2. Teachers cut watermelon and passed out candy as the 23 students giggled and chatted, their desks arranged in a horseshoe shape around the room. They had just finished their middle school entrance exams and feelings of relief and imminent freedom were palpable.

After a few moments, Mr. Qin called the graduation meeting to order and the students quieted down, suddenly solemn and shy. Ms. Yao, their homeroom and Chinese teacher, spoke first. Out of all the teachers, she has spent the most time with the sixth graders this year, honing their literacy skills and preparing them for the middle school entrance exams. With a huge smile and bright eyes, looking ten years younger, she said, “You often tell me I don’t praise you enough. Well, today I’m going to praise all of you. You are all good students!” Next the sixth grade math teacher, Ms. Guo, congratulated them and gave some advice for middle school. “Don’t dislike those teachers who are strict or hard on you,” she said. “Remember that they are doing it for your own good. Always study hard.”

Then one of the students spoke. She had the best grades in the class and is often a leader. Looking down at her hands, she started to speak about how life at school was filled with both sad and happy parts but that they were all to be cherished. After a few sentences, she started crying and could not finish. The rest of the class also started crying.

With his famous grin, Principal Yang got up and passed out second helpings of watermelon to each student. He wiped tears from some of their faces and tried to generate a livelier atmosphere. “Say what you think of me!” he told a lanky boy who is often the most outspoken of his classmates. Principal Yang is both feared and respected by Guan Ai students so an invitation to evaluate him could be very appealing! The boy stood awkwardly, eyes downcast. Finally he burst out passionately, “I really hate you sometimes!” There was a pause and then he said, “I know that you are that way in order to help us.” And he broke down crying again.

As his plan for cheering everyone up didn’t entirely work, Principal Yang turned to the girl who conducts during music class. “Pick a few songs to sing, how about that?” he suggested. She got up and led the class in a few tremulous songs. As they all sat down again and a serious air descended again, the most high-spirited—and sometimes silly—girl in the class asked if she could speak. “I really want to thank Ms. Yao and Ms. Guo. They worked so hard to teach us. Now, I just have one request. Can I give Ms. Yao and Ms. Guo hugs?” The two teachers seemed stunned. When the student walked over to them, they didn’t seem to know what to do, so she reached out and held them each in turn. Later Ms. Sun remarked that even after teaching years and years of sixth grade graduating classes, these two teachers would probably never forget this girl, who surprised everyone by shedding her usual silliness and initiating such a brave and mature gesture.

Ms. Sun also took the chance to ask the students for some feedback about Guan Ai School. “What do you feel are the differences between Guan Ai and other schools that you’ve been to?” she said. Some of the students had attended Guan Ai since it opened three years ago. The response was immediate and hands shot up from students who hadn’t spoken yet: “The teachers are strict.” “The discipline and management is good.” “There are good relationships between students.” “There’s a library here.” “We can meet lots of foreigners.” “The teachers care about us.” Bolstered by how the question had distracted the students from their sad moods, Ms. Sun asked another question, “What was your happiest memory here?” “Teacher Day.” “March 24 when the Americans came.” “Music class.” “Everyday is happy!”

Finally, Mr. Su pointed out that some parents had come to pick up their new graduates so we took a final group picture and dispersed. I accompanied some girls to their dormitory to load their blankets and clothes onto their parents’ motorbikes. “What do you plan to do tomorrow,” I asked. “Several of us are meeting in Hongdaoyuan Village and riding bikes! Will you be at school? We’ll come pick you up!” they said with excitement, all traces of the tears of the last hour gone.

And indeed, the next day several did come and they continue to hang out in the library when teachers are around. After the summer vacation, all the students will begin middle school, though not all at the same place. They will no longer take every class together, jump rope together during recess, and sleep together in the same dorm room each night. Some will go to schools in Yongji and others will go to the rural township middle schools in Puzhou and Hanyang. RCEF would like to find ways to track their development and evaluate the effect Guan Ai’s education might have had on them. If you have any ideas, please email diane.geng@ruralchina.org. Though their official time at Guan Ai Elementary is over, but it will always be a home that welcomes them back and follows their progress with pride.