Education Development > Outstanding Rural Teacher Prize > Miss Peng Cui Feng

An industrious and dedicated teacher--- The story of Miss Peng Cui Feng

2003-12-08

Source: Pu Rong school district

In February 1984, Peng Cui Feng was barely 23 years old, passed the necessary examination to become a non-state employed teacher. At that time Peng seemed to know little about teaching and did not think about how she can become a good teacher. However, when she looked into the children’s eyes filled with innocence and desire, and was so overwhelmed by the sense of responsibility and impulse that her whole life would be devoted to teaching at that instant.

Peng Cui Feng made up her mind to do something for the children. She taught in several schools as class adviser, most notably combining the work of head-master and teacher for multiple classes in two schools for the past 11 years.

Located at the foot of the towering Baiyun Mountain, Zege Primary School was in a relatively deprived village where families were in such poverty that their children were at the brink of losing their education opportunity. Even the school itself was a dangerous, ramshackle building where water leaked and rain would flood the classroom. When Peng Cui Feng arrived here in March 1992, she faced a seriously run-down school building (with a 4-meter long classroom and a 3-meter wide stage), broken chairs and desks, a worn-out blackboard, a venue of less than 20 square meters for activity, as well as a classroom packed with two grades of students. Although having two young children to rear, Peng did not submit to the heavy family burden as she brought her grandmother and little brother to the school to help take care of her children and do housework. She rent a house in the village to live in. On the one hand, Peng urged all children of the right age to go to school while on the other taking every possible measure to solve concrete problems of the school. Several pillars were installed to hold the ramshackle building; tiles were added on the roof to prevent water leakage; chairs, desks and blackboard were repaired. Therefore the school looked entirely different, thereby attracting many parents to send their children there.

In 1995, to improve herself and impart knowledge more effectively to children in the mountainous areas, Peng Cui Feng furthered her study on education theories in The Normal College of Jishou University. Upon graduation, Peng returned to Zege Primary School to carry out aggressive reform in education, handling with matters such as school administration, planning and facilities properly. She sought advice from other teachers to make up for her own inadequacies and in search of new teaching methods and mindset.

In 1999, the county government helped the school build a new building with standard classrooms and spacious venue for student activities. Students could at last study in a bright and spacious classroom, which encouraged her to work more selflessly. Regardless of the blistering hot summer or the piercing cold winter, of the rainy or windy days, Peng walked through 7 to 8 kilometers of hill roads to reach the school every day. One day last winter, Peng brought with her an umbrella and went to school as usual. Due to the heavy snow, Peng could not see her way clearly and tumbled down a cliff that was more than 10 feet high. She suffered from unbearable pain but that could not hinder her from reaching the school and fulfilling her teaching responsibility on time. As seasons and years passed by, the hardship of Peng’s teaching life took its toll, leaving her more vulnerable to illness. Peng’s voice sometimes went hoarse but she insisted on teaching instead of taking the doctor’s advice to take some rest, because no substitute teacher was available for the school. Peng put aside her family duties as she refused to see her two children (who were studying in secondary school) until Sundays, even when they fell ill for several times. When asked to go home to look after the sick children, Peng entrusted the task to the relatives living in the town and said, “School-day cannot be cancelled at will because nobody will take care of the students.”

Over years, Peng Cui Feng dedicated her full love to the students. For one instance, she did not only waive the tuition fee but also bought stationeries for the two poverty-stricken families of Peng Ren Li and Peng Jing Shi. For another, Peng gave her children’s clothes to her student Peng De Zhi, who fell accidentally into a pool of water and wet her clothes on a chilling winter day. On countless occasions, Peng donated clothes and shoes to dozens of students; bought medicines for students who fell ill; arranged additional lessons after school for inferior students, going extra length to teach them so that they could catch up with the rest of the class. Besides, Peng often paid visits to students’ families, contacting with their parents at least twice a week. Some of her colleagues said, “Except dining and sleeping, she devotes the rest of her time teaching.” Under Peng’s meticulous care, what the students felt was the love of not merely a teacher but a parent as well. In return for Peng’s enthusiasm and delicate effort, not a single student dropped out of school. Parents remarked, “We would be very sorry if our children do not study hard.”

Peng Cui Feng had thorough understanding of being a teacher who should both impart knowledge and educate students by being a role model. Peng carried out in-depth research on the teaching materials, giving each lesson professionally, guiding students in accordance to their aptitudes. There were two boyish girls, Peng Shuang Shuang and Peng Ji Fen, who were reluctant to do their homework and had little interest for study, but enjoyed wrestling, rolling metal hoops, quarrelling and fighting. After repeated observation, Peng found that the two girls were particularly keen on games and activities, so she tried to teach in the form of games to help them study and foster their interest to learn. Working hard to overcome their bad habits, Peng Shuang Shuang and Peng Ji Fen were gradually able to finish homework on their own and improve their academic results. During her lessons, Peng managed to turn the classroom into a pleasant environment where students were studying fully on their own initiative, thus enhancing their ability. To make sure that all students progress in their study at the same rate, Peng made painstaking effort in helping those who lagged behind, in her words, “What I want is not a partly high yield, but an overall bumper harvest.” As a result, students were greatly motivated. Over years, the enrollment rate, retention rate and passing rate of the students were all 100%, coupled with a very high distinction rate. In every school district’s uniform examinations, Peng’s class would rank among the top three. Peng wrote an essay on compound teaching that won her a county prize. In 1991, Peng was elected as a pioneer educator of the county. Another award came on 2002 Teacher’s Day when she was elected as excellent class adviser of the county and was commended by the government.

For 20 years, Peng Cui Feng taught at several schools. Wherever she went, she was a model teacher providing motivation and warmth, and having compassion for every one of her students.