Character 丨My teacher "friend" Teacher Sun

By the way, I have been teaching for nearly 40 years, and I am also a veteran on the altar. Whenever I face the brilliant smiling faces of my classmates and listen to the laughter of the children strung with silver bells, my heart is always filled with an indescribable happiness. Looking at my own students in front of me, I often think of my time as a student, and I can't forget my teacher Sun who taught me in elementary school.

I was just 10 years old and in the fourth grade at a dilapidated, cramped branch in Zhongjiawa. The teacher who taught me Chinese was The class teacher, Teacher Sun, who was in her 30s, thin and small, her face was slightly red, and she walked with wind and fire, criticizing her classmates for their steel teeth and sharp teeth. Many of the classmates were afraid of her. At that time, my family was poor, my body was also very weak, lonely and inferior, I always liked to sit alone in the classroom to read and write on weekdays, I did not go out after class, I rarely said a word to my classmates, and I was depressed. But I love to learn, and my grades are always in front of the class, especially essays, and I am often read as a model in the class. Despite this, I was always more afraid of Teacher Sun than respectful, and I rarely had contact with her on weekdays.

Once, Teacher Sun assigned an essay "My Friend" and asked us to take it home to write. The next day, in class, Teacher Sun counted the collected composition texts, suddenly raised his head and swept a stern look at his classmates: "One less book, which classmate did not hand it in?" Suddenly, the air in the classroom seemed to freeze, and the students were waiting for a storm to come. At this time, sitting in the front row, I felt that the gaze was like a cold sword stabbing straight at me, I stood up from my seat with my legs trembling, my head buried deep in my chest, I did not dare to face Teacher Sun's sharp gaze, I knew that I would be greeted by a thunderous criticism, I was extremely scared, my heart was pounding. "You, you didn't finish..." Probably Teacher Sun didn't believe his eyes, "You, a good student, how can you not finish?" "I, I..." I snorted, my heart almost beating to my throat, and I couldn't say anything more. Why, you say? "Teacher, I... I don't have friends..." I finally plucked up the courage to tell the truth. After saying that, I cried "wow" and fell on the table, and tears burst out. Years of loneliness and unhappiness suddenly turned into tears and flowed out. "Zhao Shougao," her tone suddenly became softer, "how can you not have friends?" You study so well, your classmates like you, they are all your friends, besides, the teacher is also your friend, I am your friend! Hearing this, I suddenly froze, "Friend", Teacher Sun is my "friend"? I couldn't believe my ears, I couldn't believe that the stern teacher in front of me was willing to be my friend. In my mind, the teacher is the most sacred and majestic person under the heavens, the "sage" who is high above, how can she be a child's friend? Especially a little lamb like me, who lives in isolation, can have such a big friend, and is the first friend in life, is a teacher friend, this is too, too... "You don't have to be sad, your family life is difficult, let's think of a way, it will always get better..."

In the evening, Teacher Sun and a few classmates came to my house, and the friends also brought my favorite villain books. The days that followed slowly became brighter, and I became another person from then on, with my laughter in the classroom and my presence on the playground. In short, it was the teacher's words that changed his personality and changed his life. After a few more years, the introverted Mu Ne took up the teaching whip like Teacher Sun. When I faced so many strange children for the first time, I was so nervous that I didn't know what to say, when Teacher Sun's words "I am your friend" seemed to ring in my ears again, my heart stabilized, and I blurted out almost without thinking: "From today on, I will learn Chinese with everyone, we are all friends..." In this way, I began the first class of my teaching career.

The days ahead were bumpy and long, with wind and rain, bitterness and joy, but I always regarded the students as my friends, "only asked about the cultivation, not the harvest", and dedicated all my efforts and energy to those lovely children and to the sacred cause of education.

Over the years, I have taught countless students, and they have all become my student friends. I have also selflessly helped many lonely, inferior and confused students like I was back then with my own love. On the first Teachers' Day in 1985, I attended the provincial conference as a representative of outstanding teachers in the province, and in the flowers and applause, the first thing I thought of was Teacher Sun's "big friend", and it was her "teacher is also your friend" That gave me the true meaning of being a teacher!

Unfortunately, Teacher Sun only taught me for two years, and then he was transferred to the south with his lover who worked in the army, and I still don't know where she is, not even her name. A few years ago, classmates gathered and asked all the students, and everyone didn't know. But in this short period of two years, she gave me too much help, too much teaching, one of which will never be forgotten is probably the sentence "I am your friend", in fact, this sentence is enough, it is Teacher Sun's fiery heart, the love of the sea, and the love of the broad. With it, the boat of education has sails, life has sunshine, and life has color!

(Author: Zhao Shougao)

Graphics and text are irrelevant

Originally published in Qingdao Financial Daily People Weekly

Version 2021.10.25 a7

Editor: Zhou Xiaofang