Professor Zhangmo was teaching students to play clarinet at Hanwang School, Mianzhu County in Sichuan Province. Zhangmo from Beijing volunteered to teach students in Hanwang School for one and a half months without requiring any payment. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Zhao Lixia]
One year has gone by since last year's catastrophic earthquake in China's Sichuan province. But thanks to the boundless support of volunteers from home and abroad, most residents of the quake-hit areas have stood up again from the sadness of the disaster and focused on rebuilding their lives. Among these brave residents are their children at school.
Hanwang School was among the hardest hit buildings in Mianzhu County, Sichuan province. But after one year's reconstruction, rows of brand-new classrooms are now lining up, with a new playground sitting in the center of the campus. Students read and write in classrooms, others play outside cheerfully.
Chen Shirong is deputy headmaster of Hanwang School, which now houses some 3,000 students and 150 teachers from three nearby schools, including a kindergarten and a middle school.
"Among our team of volunteer teachers, nine were from Jiangsu province, and one from Leshan of Sichuan province. The Sichuan education bureau also allocated seven newly-graduated teachers who have volunteered to work here."
"Who have offered us such a happy life?" Singing this song at a music class, all we can see are innocent faces with happy smiles.
Chen said that volunteer teachers have played a critical role in the reconstruction of their school, as well as rebuilding confidence and stability for the young students.
Zhangmo from Beijing is a volunteer music teacher who stayed with students in Hanwang School for one and a half months without requiring any payment. Being a college music professor, he thought this was the best he could do for the kids.
"It is often considered a genuine virtue of our Chinese people that one helps others with his or her whole heart whenever they meet with difficulties. We may not be rich, but we can do something practical for the people in the quake-hit areas, so we came."
Under Zhangmo's instruction, the students had learnt to play two complete tunes, Jasmine and Yao ethnic dance melodies, in just one month. Zhangmo said that the two tunes are quite complicated, and made up of eight voice parts. He felt very proud that the kids could play these beautiful tunes in such a short period of time. These students were all complete beginners, with no musical background at all. But they were very diligent and eager to learn, spending much time practicing after class.
"I hope they will be happy. I wish these kids can get a sound music education, including those that come from remote areas and villages."
Music teachers from Hanwang School consulted Professor Zhangmo who volunteered to be a clarinet teacher on teaching students the different voice parts in the clarinet melody. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Zhao Lixia]
23 year-old Deng Qiulan is another volunteer teacher working in Hanwang School. Her job is to assist Zhangmo teach students to learn the clarinet.
Organizing dozens of students from 9 to 13 years old is never an easy job, but Deng seemed quite happy with the pupils by her side. Currently she lives in dorms on campus, and enjoys her life chatting and playing with kids after class. She was their "big sister", as she called herself.
Majoring in psychology, Deng believes music therapy is an excellent way to help children who have lost their parents in the quake.
"The kids have come to get their lives back on track. I hope they can forget about the bitter past. In the meantime, the outside world should avoid ticking their nerves that were badly hurt in the disaster. Kids need to be able to look forward."
When asking about her own wishes, Deng giggled like a child.
"Although I didn't get any specialized teacher training at college, I like to be with kids. The more I work here, the more I want to become a teacher."
She introduced me to another teacher from Beijing who voluntarily came to teach kids PE classes and requested to remain anonymous.
The deputy headmaster said he was a graduate from Peking University, majoring in law and has been teaching students to play football and basketball since graduating last year.
Shy as he was, the teacher said there was no specific reason for him to come and help. He added that the teaching and living environment here has moved him greatly, even changing his outlook of the world.
Last July, two months after the massive quake, temporary boarding rooms were constructed by the Tianjin rescue team to rebuild Hanwang School. Desks and chairs arrived shortly after from an anonymous donor, and on September 1, the new school was completed and classes could start once more. Over the past year, numerous other volunteer teachers have come to help without leaving their names and never asking for payment.
Without the unselfish contribution of such kind-hearted folks, kids in affected areas would not have been able to recover so soon from the tragedy they experienced, and the new school would not have been completed so quickly.
At this moment, I recall the third melody that the kids were learning from Professor Zhangmo. It is entitled 'Old Folks at Home', composed by Stephen Foster. The pleasant melodies of the clarinet have helped remove all the sorrow and tears at Hanwang School, bringing sunshine and hope for a brighter future.
For me, the volunteer teachers at Hanwang School have taught me the true spirit of volunteering -- to give out love with no conditions.
Students were having dance classes at the newly-built Hanwang School, Mianzhu County.The school was among the hardest hit buildings in last year's earthquake in Sichuan Province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Zhao Lixia]
Students from Hanwang School were having extracurricular activities after class. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Zhao Lixia]
