Volunteer educators reshape a rural school's future

Fan Yichao, a 24-year-old postgraduate student at East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai, has been receiving heartfelt messages from students at Fonian School in Weishan town, Liling, Hunan province, where he recently completed a two-week volunteer teaching program this summer.

As team leader, Fan, along with about a dozen fellow ECNU students, joined the program in early July — an initiative that has been running for over a decade.

Launched in 2014, the program at Fonian School — formerly known as Dalin Primary School — was established to honor the educational philosophy of Liu Fonian, a former president of ECNU who studied at the school as a child.

Over the past 11 years, more than 100 ECNU volunteers have contributed over 800 hours of service, supporting the education of more than 800 local students.

Thanks to these sustained efforts, the once under-resourced school — struggling with outdated facilities and a shortage of teachers — has been transformed into a "model rural school", with total student enrollment growing from fewer than 60 to 180.

"When I was young, I really admired the volunteer teachers. They were confident, knowledgeable, warm, and loving, and I dreamed of becoming someone like them," said Zhong Lingxuan, who first attended the camp in 2015 as a fourth-grade student. Now a university student herself, Zhong has returned — as one of the volunteers contributing to rural education.

"As a child, the summer camp felt like a kaleidoscope to me — rotating once a year and always bringing something new," he added.

These fresh experiences came not only with the arrival of new volunteer teachers each year but also from the creative and carefully designed lessons they brought with them.

This year, for example, the team prepared about 40 customized lessons for the two-week camp, covering a wide range of topics across eight sectors, including aesthetics, craftsmanship, scientific innovation, culture, history, and personal development, according to Fan.

He noted that the team developed a variety of teaching methods to keep the students engaged. In addition to traditional classroom approaches, they integrated music, sports, dance, painting, and even melodrama into the curriculum.

A special highlight this year was a course on artificial intelligence, where students learned how to interact with AI tools by writing stories and generating illustrations.

"Two weeks is a short time, but what we hope to give students through the camp is an opportunity to broaden their horizons, better understand themselves and others, and begin shaping their values," Fan said.

This year's camp welcomed students from first to sixth grade, divided into two classes. For the young volunteer teachers, adapting lessons to suit all levels was no small task.

"We adjusted the difficulty and content of each class based on our observations and interactions with the students," Fan explained. "Compared to those in cities, students in rural schools often face more complex challenges, such as loneliness, interpersonal conflicts, and family issues."

This made communication outside the classroom an essential part of the volunteers' work. Through heartfelt conversations, companionship, and interactive activities, Fan's team made great efforts to comfort the children, ease their anxiety, and help build a caring, supportive community.

Zhou Shiqi, 23, a soon-to-be graduate student majoring in special education at ECNU, was one of the volunteer teachers this summer. She said she was glad to see the students' curiosity and excitement about the new AI course, as well as their growing self-awareness and emotional resilience.

"The students might not yet have a clear plan for their future," Zhou said. "But I believe it's important for them to gain a new perspective on life, discover their strengths, and be inspired to see a different side of themselves."

Inspired paths

The decade-long efforts of volunteer teachers like Fan and Zhou have not only opened up a new world for students at Fonian School but have also deeply influenced the volunteers themselves — shaping their outlooks and career choices.

Lyu Wenfei, a volunteer teacher at the very first summer camp at Fonian School in 2014, gave up a well-paying corporate job to become a primary school teacher in Shanghai — a decision she credits to her teaching experience at Fonian. Similarly, Shi Yuzhi, also a volunteer at the first camp, went on to become a university counselor.

"As education majors, we have always hoped to enter real classrooms and engage with students in order to truly understand local education," Shi said. "The camp gave us that opportunity, and I still often share that experience with my students."

This resonates with Fan's plans for the future. Although his time as a volunteer has ended, he treasures the messages and updates he receives from his students and enjoys sharing moments from daily life with them.

"I haven't decided on a career yet, but I know I want to stay in the education sector," Fan said. "This experience has helped me better reflect on what education means in remote areas like Fonian School, and how I can empower them through my own efforts."

Zhang Wenjun contributed to this story.

wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn