A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

"Teacher Wang, please don't be angry. I know the students have a weak foundation, so I added the interactive session."

For example, students can talk about their own cotton cultivation in English and then compare it with marine specimens shown by famous teachers from Dalian, using familiar things to convey knowledge points.

"Look, it also says here that we should have students from Dalian video chat with our students so they can ask each other questions. That would definitely interest the students..."

"Something familiar?"

Wang Dezhong's eyes were full of disdain. "Teachers rely on chalk and erasers to teach! I've been teaching for thirty years, from the first year of junior high to the third year. I know exactly which student is weak in certain subjects, which student can't remember words, and which student is afraid to speak in public!"

Last year, the class I taught had an average English score that was 10 points higher than the class next door. This was all thanks to my writing on the blackboard lesson by lesson, explaining the wrong questions over and over again, and keeping the students after school to help them pass the tests one by one!

Your fancy equipment will only distract students. They'll be staring at the screen looking at new things; how can they concentrate on memorizing vocabulary or learning grammar? Practical teaching methods are what work; stop with all this fancy stuff!

After saying that, Wang Dezhong bent down to pick up his lesson plan and walked towards the teaching building without looking back.

Chang Peng stood there, a little dazed, clutching the lesson plan in his hand.

He never expected that after racking his brains for so long, his brilliant idea would be met with such a tough rejection at the classroom door.

But he had no time to be discouraged. He glanced at his watch; he still needed to go to Shihezi Vocational College to meet with the school leaders.

As soon as I arrived at the girls' dormitory building of the vocational college, I heard a sharp argument and crying.

Professional instincts made Chang Peng quicken his pace and run over. He saw a middle-aged man in a gray jacket dragging a girl in a vocational school uniform away.

The girl's backpack fell to the ground, the zipper was open, the admission brochure for the vocational design major was scattered all over the floor, and a few paintbrushes rolled to the corner of the wall.

"Dad, I won't marry! I just want to study design. I can do well in it. I can earn money through design and help pay off the family's debts. Please don't force me!" The girl's eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string.

"Study hard? You think you, a girl, can make a living by studying design?"

The man forcefully shook off the girl's hand, and the girl staggered back two steps, almost falling on the steps.

The man pointed at the girl's nose and cursed, "I've already found you a husband in the next village. The bride price is 100,000 yuan, which will be just enough to help your brother get married. That's what you should be doing."

"If you dare mention studying again, I'll break your legs so you'll never be able to stand up again."

Chang Peng rushed forward to stop the man and shielded the girl behind him, saying, "Brother, please don't hit me! I'm from the Shihezi Education Bureau, responsible for vocational education coordination."

It's a good thing that the child wants to study. Let's talk it out calmly and not scare the child!

The man turned and glared at Chang Peng. "So what if she's from the Education Bureau? My family matters are none of your business. She's my daughter, and I can make her do whatever I want."

Suddenly, an aunt in a floral shirt, carrying a vegetable basket, came over and chimed in, "Young man, don't meddle in other people's business."

"It's useless for a girl to study so much. Marrying into a good family and having children is what's important. Studying design is all fluff; can it put food on the table? It's better to get married early, use the dowry to help support your family—that's true filial piety!"

The girl hid behind Chang Peng, her tears falling even harder. She said haltingly, "Teacher, my name is Guzalinur... I really love design... I want to paint Xinjiang's Atlas silk on cultural and creative products, and to draw beautiful patterns on our cotton... so that others can know the beauty of Xinjiang..."

Before he could finish speaking, the man bypassed Chang Peng, grabbed Guzalinur's arm, and dragged her forcefully outside. "Come with me! Don't embarrass yourself here!"

Guzalinur struggled desperately, which made Chang Peng feel a pang of sadness.

Just then, a female teacher wearing glasses and carrying lesson plans passed by and cast a sympathetic glance at her, saying, "This girl is so pitiful."

Chang Peng quickly pressed further, "You know her? Why is her father so opposed to her studying?"

"I am Teacher Li from the vocational college, and I teach design. Guzalinur is one of my students."

Teacher Li shook her head, her tone full of regret, "What else could it be? It's all about favoring boys over girls! Her father wanted her to drop out of school to get a dowry so he could help his son get married."

My homeroom teacher and I tried to persuade him before, but he stubbornly insisted that raising a daughter was only to help his son, and that we were meddling in other people's business. He wouldn't listen to us at all.

This girl has excellent grades. She even won second prize in the vocational college's creative arts competition last time with her cotton pattern. She could have been admitted to a vocational college in Dalian for further studies without taking the entrance exam. It's such a pity she has to drop out!

Teacher Li paused for a moment, then added, "There are quite a few girls like her in our vocational college."

A while ago, there was a girl studying accounting who was being pressured by her parents to drop out and get married. She came to me crying, begging for leave, saying, "Teacher, I wanted to finish my exams before leaving," but in the end, she didn't come… Her family all felt that it was useless for a girl to learn a technical skill; it was better for her to get married early.

Hearing this, Chang Peng naturally recalled Wang Dezhong's words about not engaging in empty talk, and also thought of Guzalinur's dull eyes, and felt a heavy pain in his heart, as if a stone was pressing down on it.

Although he has not yet started any specific teaching work, Chang Peng already understands that grassroots education problems can never be solved by a few documents or a few plans.

He must calm down, first be a student, then a reformer, in order to truly find a way to break the deadlock and live up to the expectations of these children who are eager for knowledge.

A week later, Chang Peng went to Shihezi No. 2 Middle School to observe Jiang Hengli's Chinese class as planned, and also to observe the students' classroom behavior.

I had just entered the classroom when the English mock exam started.

As soon as the bell rang, a boy didn't even look at the test paper, crumpled it into a ball, and shoved it into his desk drawer.

The boy's hair covered his eyes, and he exuded a "what's the use of trying" attitude.

After class, the homeroom teacher, Jiang Hengli, called the boys to his office, and Chang Peng followed them in.

Jiang Hengli handed over a new test paper and said in a calm tone, "Abudu, try again. The questions are easy this time. I'll help you with them, and we'll explain the ones you don't understand together. You're sure to improve."

Abu didn't even take the test paper; he lowered his head even further and said, "Teacher, I'm not taking the test."

"Why? Didn't you say last week you wanted to try learning English?"

Jiang Hengli grew anxious, raising his voice several decibels, "Your grandma told me she's hoping you'll get into high school and have a bright future!"

Abudu's tone was filled with despair, "What's the use of trying? I've been failing English for years, my parents work away from home and don't come back even once a year, and my grandma can't even read. Who can help me?"

Even if I studied, I wouldn't be able to keep up. I'd rather go work in the cotton fields early to help my family pay off some debts. At least I can earn some real money, unlike studying, which seems to have no end in sight.

Jiang Hengli tried to persuade him, but Abudu suddenly burst open the office door and ran away.

Jiang Hengli said helplessly to Chang Peng, "This child has a hard life. He lives with his grandmother and can't even afford to buy her a new piece of clothing."

I tutored him in English before, but after memorizing vocabulary for three days, he still got most of the questions wrong, so he gave up again, saying he wasn't cut out for studying.

What he saw and heard at the two schools over the past few days still left a deep impression on him.

That evening, Chang Peng sat at his desk deep in thought, determined to find a way to address the students' current state and morale.