A teacher's reflections on the profession of "soothing children."

Our generation truly grew up, maturing step by step under the strict guidance of our teachers. I still vividly remember the punishments my classmates had to endure whenever they made mistakes: standing, kneeling, flogging, manual labor…

Students and parents at that time accepted the teacher's strictness as a matter of course, as something inevitable. In fact, as many readers have commented, many students were so afraid to tell their parents about being punished by the teacher that they feared further beatings.

However, the era of corporal punishment in education has faded into the past. Society is changing, and many relationships are forced to transform to adapt to progress and civilization. Each person's understanding of the holistic development of children is gradually proving the truth that "corporal punishment is counterproductive to education."

And naturally, teachers are forced to change their educational philosophy. The teaching profession is no longer about "slapping children," but now teachers must be about "comforting children."

Illustration: Internet

Following recent incidents of school violence, many teachers have complained that teaching is a dangerous profession. Teachers are burdened with a heavy responsibility but are stripped of their right to educate. That is true, but not the whole story.

Teaching is a special profession. I still vividly remember the words of one of my teachers when bidding farewell to a class of student teachers leaving teacher training college: "A teacher must have the mind of a scholar, striving to acquire as much knowledge as possible. But more than anything, a teacher needs the heart of a mother, full of love, selflessness, and abundant patience."

Those heartfelt words paint a portrait of an exemplary teacher. Of the two elements, "talent" and "virtue," the virtue of a teacher is clearly essential, especially in a context where the teaching profession is surrounded by pressure from all sides, and every action is scrutinized and judged harshly.

Experience has shown that the most respected teachers, those who leave a lasting impression on their students, are first and foremost those who deeply love their students, are compassionate towards their mistakes, and use their own exemplary lives to tame rebellious students and "tame" those "unruly horses" in their awkward teenage years...

Before becoming excellent educators, these teachers succeeded by setting exemplary, pure examples of character and possessing boundless love. And the "sweet reward" they received was sometimes simply a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a casual thank you in writing, or a message from afar... enough to warm their hearts.

Love, selflessness, and patience—three essential qualities of a teacher—seem to have received insufficient attention. Each year during the recruitment season, there has never been a survey or a systematic training program to explore or cultivate a love for the profession and affection for children. As a result, some student teachers may suddenly realize that teaching is not simply a means of earning a living, and that reluctantly pursuing the profession only causes suffering for themselves and others.

Training courses and hands-on experience with pedagogical situations are still heavily theoretical, formalistic, and focused on slogans. Student teachers are still confused by repetitive stories and outdated narratives. Meanwhile, the diverse and ever-changing real-life situations in secondary schools force teachers to adapt, ensuring both positive teaching methods and adherence to professional ethics.

But how can we "turn things around" when the gaps in teacher training remain unfilled?

I believe that before imparting specialized knowledge to student teachers, teacher training colleges should teach them how to "comfort children" and "cultivate" and "nurture" the motherly heart within each future educator!

As the new school year begins, students across the country are eagerly returning to school. We hope that every teacher going into the classroom will cultivate a passion for the noble cause of educating future generations and nurture a heart full of love for children.