Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, March 6, Title: Dreamers nurturing deep in the mountains

Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Cailin

In March in southern Yunnan, the yellow-wind chime flowers at Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province were blooming brilliantly. In the classroom of Class 2 (4), geography teacher Li Weinan led the students to learn about the characteristics of the southern region. From the introduction of eating habits, to the introduction of dividing lines, and then to the population data, Li Weinan asked questions one by one, and the students rushed to raise their hands to answer.

The picture shows Li Weinan with students from Dazhai Middle School, Dazhai Town, Yunxian County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

At Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School, students in 6 classes are waiting for him to share his geography stories every week.

This is the eighth year that Li Weinan has taken root in rural education in Yunnan. This East China Normal University graduate who studied French and master's degree in journalism chose a unique path after studying in Shanghai for seven years. In the summer of 2017, he boarded the bus to Lincang, Yunnan with his teaching admission letter.

Dazhai Middle School, Dazhai Town, Yunxian County, Lincang City, is located in a remote mountainous area, surrounded by mountains. Although Li Weinan's home is in Yunnan, it takes nearly two days to go back home from the teaching site, and a farthest trip to a home visit requires nearly 30 kilometers of mountain road.

What is even more rugged is the educational road under his feet. When he first came on the podium, he was facing a "problem class" of 50 people: the students' foundation is weak and the classroom discipline is scattered. Li Weinan teaches more than 30 classes a week and teaches Chinese and geography across disciplines, but never achieves results. "I really wanted to resign at that time," he admitted.

He searched through various teaching tutoring books, learned from his predecessors and colleagues, and constantly adjusted his teaching and management methods. During more than 100 home visits, he slowly understood the temperament of each student, narrowed the distance with the students, and gradually solved the problem of managing students.

He will turn geography classes into "geography on the tip of the tongue". When talking about the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the aroma of hot dry noodles will waft in the classroom; when talking about the Middle East, the dates I bought were deeply impressed by students. With his efforts, the class that has always been at the bottom of the grade has won many good results in the top three in the county in geography.

The picture shows Li Weinan with students from Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

"Rural education should not be just textbooks." Li Weinan added news, interviews and other programs to the school radio station, taking students to measure the world with their voices; he launched the Book Corner Plan to allow more than 1,200 books to enrich students' spare time; what the students most memorable is the opportunity to go to Tengchong that he won - four mountain kids had the first conversation with Chinese and foreign scholars and middle school students from famous Beijing schools. At the sharing session after returning to school, the children said, "It turns out that there are really stars and seas outside the mountain."

The picture shows Li Weinan with students from Dazhai Middle School, Dazhai Town, Yunxian County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

When the two-year teaching support period expired, he chose to stay for another year, and he said: "I will send the first student to high school with my own hands."

After the teaching support, Li Weinan applied for the position of teacher and became a teacher at Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School, and continued to contribute his strength to rural education.

After arriving at Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School, Li Weinan faced a new challenge: some students have anxiety, inferiority complex due to their parents going out to work or divorce, which affects their learning status.

Learning that there are public welfare institutions that can provide professional students' mental literacy tutoring classes, Li Weinan signed up for the training as soon as possible. After learning, he taught students' mental literacy classes every week at school to relieve students' emotions and guide students to open their hearts. "The students' status has been adjusted and their grades have improved," said Li Weinan.

The picture shows Li Weinan with students from Jianshui County No. 4 Middle School in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Many students affectionately call Li Weinan "Brother Nan", saying that he is not just a teacher, but more like a good friend. Zi Tingbin, the first student brought by Li Weinan, sent a message from Southwest Forestry University and said to him: "Teacher Li, when I saw the mountains in the wild practice, I think it was you, firm, honest and reliable."

Now, Li Weinan still insists on "recharging": from time to time to go to famous schools to learn from, participate in training, and introduce advanced educational concepts into rural classrooms. Standing on the campus full of yellow wind chimes, he said: "We must use education to help each seed find its direction of growth."