Be the Change You Want to See
---- Sunflower Volunteers from SISU Law School
SISU Law School first-year student Diao Guannan
“Sunflower” is a volunteer teamestablished six years ago from School ofLaw, Shanghai International Studies University (SISU). This year, tenwell-selected members went to Shanghai Collection Hope Primary School locatedin ShangRao, HengFengprovince, providing summer programfor local primary schoolkids. During recent six years, dozens of qualified volunteer teachers from SISULawSchool participated the program, and sent their love and help to kids.
This year’s Sunflowerfocusesmore on cultivating students in comprehensive quality and humanistic spiritduring daily studies. Various courses were designed to broaden the student’shorizons, including handicrafts, sign language, music, physical education. Inaddition, physics and geography are also available as extended courses.
As college students, thesummer volunteer experience enhances their sense of social responsibility. Theirstudents are mainly kids of fourthgrade, and most are lovely but naughty andeasily distracted. However, several kids stayed even after the classed are over,reviewing what teacher had taught and begging teachers to teach something new,something more. The purity and passion in their eyes, are the strongest motivefor all teachers.
There was a girl student who hurt her hands by accident one day. Three ofthe volunteers decided immediately to send her home. To everyone’s surprise,they had to detour around a mountain, go up and down two or three times, passat least three graveyards to get her home. Seeing teachers coming, the girl’sgrandma put down everything she was busy with to welcome the guests. Deeply moved,those volunteers also realized they responsibility as teachers. With the accessto abundant knowledge and totally different living conditions in big cities,youngsters must try their best tolending hands to people and places in need.
“I wasdeeply moved by the children and the team members. Every time when I was in theclass, I just wanted to give them everything I know. What impressed me most wasone sign language class, where I found a boy was using left hand. I walked tohim and told him that he ought to use the opposite hand, but he told me thathis right hand was a little inharmonious to finish the gesture. Hearing thesewords, I was quite embarrassed as a teacher not to find it and care for him. Inmy opinion, this summer volunteer program offered us an opportunity to grow upin another way. I feel greatly appreciated. ”said Qian Hui, a member of thisyear’s Sunflower.
“I experienced a different attitude towards life,realizing that being a teacher is never easy. There are a lot of controversiesabout short-term volunteer teaching programs, but conclusions mustn’t be drawneasily and quickly without experiencing it in person. The short-term volunteer programmay have its drawbacks, but I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.The kids are able to be exposed to something fresh, which is more conducive totheir growth and development. As volunteers, we have unprecedented feelings aswell.” Zhang Yan, the fourth captain of the team, and one of 2016 outstandinggraduates of Law School, shared her feelings about volunteer teaching. “Whatelse, never to be a utilitarian to take part in volunteer teaching.” She added.
“Sunflower might not be the most influential summer volunteer team,epically because it’s mainly is a college team, but I can see the progress inall aspects this year. We have established deep friendships with the kids. Ihope this program can continue and members could try their best to handle everydetail of each part and bring themhelp beneficial to both physical and mental development.”said You Liping, 2014 Law School student, a member of last year’s team, whoparticipated in two years’ preparatory work of volunteer teaching.
At the end of this year’s volunteer work, the headmaster of Hope PrimarySchool, who witnessed the whole process of the whole process, spoke highly ofthe team members and expressed his appreciation. He said, “All the members werewell prepared with their courses. Students have benefited much and enjoyedstudy these days.”
SISU Law School alwaysencourage students participate into all kinds of social practices, especiallyduring summer holiday. These activities aim to strengthen the students’teamworkspirit, creativity, and most importantly, social responsibility, which is thefoundationto be future international legal talents.
