The children's dreams made him feel heartbroken. Last year at the beginning of the year, through a friend's introduction, Yan Zhaoshi, who served as an engineer, volunteered to teach at a migrant workers' children school in Tangjialing.
Before teaching English, Yan Zhaoshi had pre-announced to the students, "Children, in a few days, a well-known teacher from New Oriental will give us a lecture."
In August of last year, the school officially opened, and about 200 children successfully enrolled.
Teacher Tu Guodong: It's not a big deal to lose money while running a public welfare school. What are your plans next?
However, Yan Zhaoshi, who graduated from a science major, clearly calculated the accounts. "Running a migrant workers' children school, from kindergarten to sixth grade, with more than 200 students, each paying tuition fees of seven or eight hundred yuan per semester, giving high salaries to teachers... it must result in losses!"
"Alright, I'll teach you." Yan Zhaoshi patted the heads of a few children and "ordered" them to finish their meals without leaving any food.
Yan Zhaoshi: Different from other schools, there is no "principal" here. I prefer to position myself as a teacher or volunteer. You are all very smart, and I am glad that you regard me as family. Due to being busy recently, I have indeed taught less in the past few months. In the future, I will strive to teach you more, and teaching you is the most enjoyable thing for me.
At the age of 42, Yan Zhaoshi sat on the bedhead in his dormitory knitting a "scarf". Weibo recommendation | Today's Weibo hot topics (Editor: SN034).
As for how the next chapter of the story will unfold, for this middle-aged man who has already fallen asleep, the answer may lie in his dreams.
-Yan Zhaoshi
A medium-sized transport truck stopped at the school gate, and several workers were moving school desks and chairs, as well as living utensils.
This New Oriental is not the same as that New Oriental.
He likes science subjects, and every weekend, he always teaches math problems to the children. Teaching math is like telling stories, and the children love this gray-haired teacher who looks like a grandfather.
The principal spread his hands, expressionless, "The school is losing money, can't continue, let's disband."
The children stared with wide eyes, silent, looking very unhappy.
During the more than a year of contact with poor children, Yan Zhaoshi became a person with "stories".
The "humble" dreams of the children strengthened Yan Zhaoshi's determination to "continue running the migrant workers' children school and run it well."
Yan Zhaoshi
Age: 42 years old
I added the three words "Little Swan" to the school name, reminding the children that even though their families are poor, they are still the same as city children and are not ugly ducklings. These poor children are all very smart, but when you put a little swan among ducks, and the adult ducks around keep saying it's a duck, and the ugliest one, then even though it envies the swans, it probably won't attempt to fly until it dies... All I want to do is hope these children can "fly".
Yan Zhaoshi: Migrant workers' children schools still face many difficulties and problems, such as funds and school qualifications, but compared to the poor children of migrant workers' families who can't afford schooling, it's not a big deal. In recent months, some charitable organizations and individuals have donated to the school, but I don't support personal donations much. I am grateful for everyone's kindness, but they are not easy either. I hope some enterprises and public welfare organizations can provide support. At the same time, I hope to explore a successful path for the continuation of public welfare schools for migrant workers' children through my efforts. Strive to let every poor child have access to education.
What are your plans next?
The children's answers once made him feel heartbroken.
"Children, what are your dreams?" Last year at the start of the school term, Yan Zhaoshi asked this question to 200 students in the school.
The dreams of first and second-grade students are mostly police officers, bosses, government officials; while the dreams of fifth and sixth-grade students are to be nurses, bodyguards, open small shops, sell beer, etc.
A month ago, he invited a New Oriental teacher to teach the children English.
Some bold students asked, "Why invite New Oriental teachers? Teach us to be chefs and cook."
He shed the halo of a white-collar worker and blended with 200 children.
Zhu Hong's iron gate opened, and a cold wind blew in. Yan Zhaoshi looked around, seeing no abnormalities, and returned to the dormitory. That day, a student was staying in the dormitory. Sometimes due to the long distance and work busyness, parents couldn't come over.
To Yan Zhaoshi's surprise, all the students in the class only knew about the New Oriental Cooking School but didn't know there was also a New Oriental that taught English.
"Mr. Yan, please teach us," on December 23rd at noon, dozens of children huddled in a simple classroom eating steamed buns. Seeing Yan Zhaoshi arrive, they quickly requested him to teach.
Student Zhu Ping: You are the principal, but we prefer to treat you as family. Can you teach us regularly?
At midnight on December 24th, the stars shone brightly.
The "business" of losing money, he preferred to do. At the age of 42, Yan Zhaoshi, this Beijing man, more than a year ago, quit his job with an annual salary of 100,000 yuan, took over a migrant workers' children school, and established the Yanjing Little Swan Public Welfare School for Migrant Workers' Children. For all poor children, if they don't have money, it doesn't matter, come and study, for free. Now, the school has around 200 people, and one-fifth of the students have their tuition fees waived. In more than a year, Yan Zhaoshi hasn't made a penny, instead spending over 150,000 yuan.
Born into a scholarly family, Yan Zhaoshi has a natural closeness to the role of a "teacher."
In just 10 days, he resigned and took over the loss-making school.
In the dilapidated dormitory, there were multiple beds, and the snores of several teachers gradually rose.
[Record of Virtuous Deeds]
Yan Zhaoshi's mind went blank, and images of hundreds of children dropping out of school flashed in his mind.
Instantly, he made a decision that surprised everyone - to give up his white-collar job and take over the school.
"What exactly happened?" Yan Zhaoshi questioned the principal from Henan.
"Beer salesperson, opening a small shop..." Listening to these innocent and adorable children blurt out their dreams, Yan Zhaoshi fell into deep thought.
Rather than saying the children's dreams withered too early, it's better to say they prematurely perceived the hardships of life, Yan Zhaoshi said. His original intention for running the school at a loss "was not to continue cultivating, shaping, and extending the next generation of migrant workers, but to allow the children of migrant workers to obtain through learning, striving, and having jobs and lives that are comforting."
Yan Zhaoshi once again fell into deep thought, "Actually, the volunteers and teachers who came to our place also said that children should not lose at the starting line, but I know it's not a starting line issue, it's a track issue. Our children and city children go to New Oriental equally, study hard equally, achieve excellent results equally, run hard on the track equally, and cross the finish line equally. One goes abroad; the other enters the kitchen."
Yan Zhaoshi, holding a flashlight, quietly stepped out of the door. Night patrol.
In the broken-down village north of Liuli Village in Xibeiwang Town outside the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing, a light gleams faintly in one of the staff dormitories of the Beijing Yanjing Little Swan Public Welfare School.
[Touching List]
All text written by reporter Shen Zhimin of this newspaper. Share to: Welcome to post comments. I want to comment.
Photography by reporter Pu Feng of this newspaper.
Location: Liuli Village, Xibeiwang Town, Haidian District.
His gray hair made him look somewhat weary. His eyes slightly closed, he tilted his head back and yawned several times under the dim light.
Within 10 days of resignation, he took over the loss-making school.
"Exactly what happened?" Yan Zhaoshi asked the principal from Henan Province.
Wife: Run it for a year or two, and then what if you can't continue?
If you can't continue, then what?
(Principal of Beijing Yanjing Little Swan Public Welfare School)
Yan Zhaoshi: This public welfare school, I originally thought it could sustain for a few months, but unexpectedly, it survived for a year and a half, and many loving volunteers, teachers, and philanthropists worked hard together with me. I want to personally witness the life and death of this school. I really don't want to leave these children. Regarding you and the children, I feel guilty, I don't have time to care for you, but for the current 200 children, I feel proud.
Yan Zhaoshi once again fell into deep thought, "Actually, the volunteers and teachers who came to our place also said that children should not lose at the starting line, but I know it's not a starting line issue, it's a track issue. Our children and city children go to New Oriental equally, study hard equally, achieve excellent results equally, run hard on the track equally, and cross the finish line equally. One goes abroad; the other enters the kitchen."
Yan Zhaoshi, holding a flashlight, quietly stepped out of the door. Night patrol.