On July 3, 2015, 21 SBC student volunteers arrived at the second primary school of Shiyang Town, located in Taishun County of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, where they began a two-week teaching programme. The volunteers travelled for nearly ten hours by train and bus in order to reach the school.
The volunteers ran the teaching programme for the local pupils as a summer camp. Except for regular courses like music, painting, history, biology and PE, the volunteers taught some featured courses like etiquette, citizenship and storytelling. In addition, the volunteers visited local pupils’ families after class and helped out with their homework.
The whole teaching programme only lasted two weeks but all the volunteers agreed that it was the most valuable experience of their lives. Let us see how they described the experiences in their own words.
Wu Yiyingn (Year one, Business Management) The second day after I had returned to Shanghai, my mind was filled with the memory of pupils I taught the past two weeks. It was not only a volunteer teaching experience but also was the journey of life which made us aware of exactly where we are headed.
Liu Mingcong (Year one, Business Management) I was deeply moved by one detail that all the pupils greeted us as their teachers when seeing us after the first class of etiquette. They kept what we taught in their minds.
Sun Sifei (Year one, Electrical and Electronic Engineering) I have tasted the happiness and toughness of life, and learned a lot of living skills during the past two weeks.
Ding Ziqi (Year one, Event Managements) During the two weeks, all the volunteers became close friends of each-other, and great teachers for the local pupils. Yesterday I received a call from a pupil I taught. He asked me when I would be back and be his teacher helping his homework. He even drew a map showing me how to get to his house. I must go back there.
Xu Chaojun (Year one, Mechanical Engineering) Every noon after school, it took about 40 minute for me to accompany several pupils who lived far away from the school to home. Despite sunburn or encountering rainstorms on the way, I learned a lot from the pupils and knew how much they liked us and wanted us to stay.
Wei Chunning (Year one Business Management) When visiting the local pupils’ families, I learned that most of them lived with their relatives and not their parents, who were migrant workers. I also know how hard to be a teacher, learned a few living skills and made a lot of new friends.
