(Minghui.org) Mrs. Yan Zhuying is 55 this year and has been a school teacher for over 30 years. She is respected by both her students and their parents and has received the “Outstanding Teacher” award twice. She treats each student with sincerity and kindness, which she says stems from her cultivation in Falun Dafa.
In 2007, her young son’s hearing was impacted by otitis media, a middle ear infection. She and her husband took their son to several hospitals in Taiwan, where he received various treatments, but tthe problem was never completely resolved.
When she was feeling desperate and helpless, her sister and a colleague suggested she take her son to a Falun Gong 9-day introduction. She decided they might as well go and see what happened. She and her son attended the classes. Now she is on the path of Falun Dafa cultivation, which has completely transformed her life for the better.
“During the classes, while listening to Master Li Hongzhi lecturing, I felt this practice was so different from all other beliefs I had experienced before. In the past, when I worshiped a religious figure, I always asked for a happy life and good health. Falun Dafa’s principles helped me understand what true cultivation is and answered many of my questions about life. I felt like a whole new world was opening up to me,” Mrs. Yan said.
Her son’s otitis media also significantly diminished. He practiced the exercises, studied the Fa with the adults, and stopped taking antibiotics. Later, the fluid build-up in his ear disappeared, and his hearing returned to normal. He became much happier and more focused on what he was doing.
Mrs. Yan was deeply moved by the miraculous power and wonderfulness of Falun Dafa, leading her mother, husband, and two children to begin the practice of cultivating mind and body.
Photo: Mrs Yan (second from right) practicing Falun Gong with her family.
Hearing Stories About Morality Reinforced Kindness in Students
Mrs. Yan thought: “I want to be a true cultivator, not just a good person among everyday people. I must conduct myself according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. As a teacher, I do what I do for the benefit of my students, and I hope they achieve high scores on their exams. However, deep down inside, I also hope that others will praise me for being a good teacher.”
She looked within and focused on letting go of those selfish thoughts. While taking her teaching seriously, she also paid closer attention to guiding her students in developing their moral character. With that a goal in mind, she adopted a new a new approach to handling issues that arose around her.
Over 10 years ago, a student in her class lost an important USB flash drive. “In the past, when I was a student, if something like this happened, the teacher would ask all of us to open our schoolbags and desk drawers to see if anyone had taken it. However, as a Dafa cultivator, I believe that the children are inherently kind and I should help them understand how to be good people in a different way,” Mrs.Yan said.
She shared moral stories from the Epoch Times newspaper with her students, guiding them to develop a righteous outlook in life. In one class, she recounted a story about a kindhearted old man who quietly helped his neighbors throughout his life and, as a result, was protected by heavenly blessings during a severe storm.
After telling her students the story, she said, “Gods can see everything we do, good and bad. I don’t think anyone in our class would steal things from others. I would rather think that someone might have taken the USB drive by mistake and forgotten to put it back. As long as you realize your mistake and kindly put it back, I do not need to know who it was.”
“You’re now in the third year of middle school, and you will soon take exams. As your teacher, I don’t want to see any of you have a shadow in your heart because of a small mistake you made. As long as you want to correct your mistakes and be kindhearted people, the gods will see your shining hearts. I have full confidence in you,” Mrs. Yan said.
To her delight, the next day, the student whose USB drive had been missing rushed to her and said excitedly, “Teacher, you’re incredible. My flash drive was put back in my pencil box.”
Mrs. Yan felt emotional when she heard the news. She said later, “I know that Master Li has opened up my wisdom, so that I learned how to give the student an opportunity to correct the wrongdoing without being humiliated or labeled a “thief.”
Falun Dafa Has Given Me Wisdom in Teaching
One year, her class was scheduled to participate in a flute competition during a Mother’s Day celebration. The music teacher told Mrs. Yan, “Your former classes all did very well in flute playing, and always came out on top, but this year’s class isn’t good at all. No matter what I say, they just won’t practice, so their performance might not be good.”
Mrs. Yan didn’t reprimand her students. Instead, she focused on helping them understand the deeper meaning of the piece and why practicing it was important. She showed a video of Shen Yun musicians sharing their feeling about music’s profundity so her students could grasp the spirit that inspired the artists.
Next, she shared the background story of the piece they were practicing. It was about a group of students who graduated but felt deep regret because of a misunderstanding. Through their longing and remorse, they learned to value one another. Her students were deeply touched by the story.
“You have a natural talent to be in this class together, and now you are practicing a beautiful melody. Shouldn’t you cherish such an opportunity?” Mrs. Yan encouraged her students, “You’re not practicing just for the competition, but also because of the bond you share and to show gratitude to your parents.”
After the sharing and discussion, her students’ attitudes changed significantly. Those who didn’t want to practice began practicing diligently, and those who played well helped those who were less able. The whole class became more united and harmonious.
At the gratitude concert held on Mother’s Day, her students performed with great success, and the class was recognized for having the most parents in attendance in the entire school.
“As long as we have Dafa in our hearts, and a wish to save people, we can use many positive stories and the power of kindness to help students, their parents, and ourselves pull through one challenge after another. This is the most precious and wonderful experience I have had in many years of teaching,” Mrs. Yan said.
Conclusion
Mrs. Yan has built a strong trust with her students’ parents and many have said to her, “We feel reassured with you as the class teacher.” “Such trust comes from my sincere communication with the parents, and my approach to handling students’ problems.” Mrs. Yan said.
“In fact, nothing is accidental. When students encounter issues, I’m also being tested. I always look within to see whether I have explained things clearly to the students or whether my explanation has caused any misunderstandings. Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance have taught me how to be a good teacher in the true sense. I must cultivate myself well to be worthy of the connection I have with so many of my students and their parents.”
Reflecting on the past 20 years of cultivating, Mrs. Yan’s heart is filled with deep gratitude, “Cultivating in Dafa has given me a completely new life and I’m immensely grateful to Master for offering me the opportunity to learn that the path of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is what a human being should follow,” she said gratefully.
“Even after I retire and am no longer a teacher, I will continue helping people discover the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa so that they can find the true direction in life through Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
Category: Improving Oneself
