In a shabby dormitory, there were several beds and a few teachers started to snore. Before speaking English, Yan Zhaoshi forecasted to the students in advance: "Children, in a few days, famous teachers from New Oriental will give us a lecture." In more than a year of contact with poor children, Yan Zhaoshi has become a person with "stories". This New Oriental is not that New Oriental.
[Touching Stories]
Age: 42 years old
The dreams of the children made him feel sad. I added "Little Swan" to the school name, reminding the children that despite their family's poverty, they are still the same as the children in the city, not ugly ducklings. These poor children are all very smart, but when you put a little swan among ducks, and the adult ducks around it all say it is a duck, and the ugliest one, then even though it admires swans, it is very likely that it will never try to fly... All I have done is hoping these children can "fly".
[Wife's Question]
[Yan Zhaoshi's Answer]
This charity school, I thought it could last for a few months, unexpectedly it has been alive for a year and a half, and there are many loving volunteers, teachers, and charitable people working hard with me. I want to personally witness the life and death of this school. I really don't want to leave these children. For you and the children, I feel guilty, I don't have time to care for you, but for the current 200 children, I also feel proud.
[Teacher's Question]
Teacher Tu Guodong: It's not a big deal to lose money running a charity school. What's your next plan?
[Yan Zhaoshi's Answer]
Migrant workers' children schools still face many difficulties and problems, such as funds, qualifications, etc., but compared to the poor children of migrant workers who cannot afford schooling, it's no 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 through my efforts, to try to explore a successful way for the continuation of the Migrant Workers' Children Charity School. Strive to let every poor child have access to education.
[Student's Question]
Student Zhu Ping: You are the principal, but we prefer to consider you as a family member. Can you often teach us classes?
[Yan Zhaoshi's Answer]
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 happy that you consider me as a family member. Because I have been busy inside and outside recently, I indeed haven't taught much in the past few months. In the future, I will strive to spend more time teaching you, being able to teach you is the most enjoyable thing for me.
On December 23 at noon, dozens of children huddled in a shabby classroom eating steamed buns, seeing Yan Zhaoshi come, they quickly took the opportunity to request earnestly. The children stared wide-eyed, silent, looking rather unexcited.
Yan Zhaoshi patted a few children's heads and said, "Alright, I'll teach you." He ordered them to finish their meals and not leave any leftovers.
A few bold students asked, "Why invite New Oriental teachers? Teach us how to cook."
Yan Zhaoshi was surprised by the unexpected response. All the students in the class only knew about New Oriental Cooking School, but didn't know there was another New Oriental that also teaches English.
After hearing these innocent, clever children's answers, Yan Zhaoshi fell into deep contemplation.
"The children's dreams wither too early, rather they perceive the hardships of life too early," Yan Zhaoshi said, his original intention of losing money to run the school was "not to continue cultivating, shaping, and continuing the next generation of migrant workers, but to allow the children of migrant workers to learn, strive, and possess satisfying jobs and lives through education."
At midnight on December 24, the stars filled the sky.
Yan Zhaoshi sat cross-legged on the bed weaving a "scarf" in the dormitory.
A medium-sized truck stopped at the school gate, and several workers were moving the school desks and chairs, living utensils.
Last August, the school officially opened, and about 200 children successfully enrolled.
Last July, when he went to a migrant workers' children school in Tangjialing again to teach as a volunteer, tears almost came down.
Last year in January, after being introduced by a friend, Yan Zhaoshi, who worked as an engineer, volunteered to teach in a migrant workers' children school in Tangjialing.
A month ago, he invited New Oriental teachers to teach the children English.
Yan Zhaoshi not only personally gave lessons but also often invited "famous scholars" to give lectures.
"Kids, what are your dreams?" Last year at the beginning of the school term, Yan Zhaoshi once asked 200 students in the school.
The answers from the children made him feel heartbroken.
The dreams of first and second graders were mostly police officers, bosses, government officials; while the dreams of fifth and sixth graders were nurses, bodyguards, opening small shops, selling beer, etc.
"Beer salesperson, open a small shop..." Listening to these innocent and adorable children blurt out their dreams, Yan Zhaoshi fell into deep contemplation.
Yan Zhaoshi once again fell into thought, "Actually, the volunteers and teachers who came to our place also said not to let the children lose at the starting line, but I know this is 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 dash across the finish line equally, one goes abroad; one enters the kitchen."
Location: Liuli Village, Xibeiwang Town, Haidian District
Yan Zhaoshi made a decision that surprised everyone - quit his white-collar job and take over the school.
Within 10 days, he resigned and took over the loss-making school, found a location for the school, decorated the classrooms... Everything was done within 10 days.
Last August, the school officially opened, and about 200 children smoothly enrolled.
Yan Zhaoshi, apart from personally giving lessons, also often invited "famous scholars" to give lectures.
The children's answers made him feel heartbroken once.
Let Yan Zhaoshi be surprised is that all the students in the class only know New Oriental cooking school, but do not know there is another New Oriental also teaches English.
42-year-old Yan Zhaoshi tried to change something.
Yan Zhaoshi used a flashlight and quietly walked out of the door. Night patrol.
Red iron gates opened, cold wind rushed in. Yan Zhaoshi looked around, saw no abnormalities, and returned to the dormitory. That day, a student stayed in the dormitory. Sometimes due to long distance and busy work, parents couldn't come in time.
As expected, in more than a year, his personal expenditure exceeded 150,000 yuan. "Any poor child, if they can't afford tuition fees, it doesn't matter, I will accept them."
Born into a scholarly family, Yan Zhaoshi had a natural intimacy with the role of "teacher".
Children stared wide-eyed, silent, looking rather unexcited.
Children who liked science, every weekend, Yan Zhaoshi would always teach math problems to the children. Teaching math was like telling stories, the children loved this gray-haired teacher who looked like a grandfather.
What happens next for this middle-aged man who has fallen asleep, perhaps the answer lies in his dreams.