Experience Sharing from a Schoolteacher

I worked as a director of education in high schools for many years. After I started practicing Falun Dafa, I began to build a deeper understanding about the serious moral degradation of our society. Knowing that the general environment is deteriorating, a thought came to mind to change my career path and become the director of student administration. I wanted to promote moral education in schools so morality could take deeper root in the hearts of young students.

My friends were all surprised to learn that I had volunteered to take on the position of Director of Student Administration. They all thought that managing a class was tough enough. How could I manage the affairs of 3,000 students at the same time, especially as I am a woman? However, I knew that my choice was right. I would like to share with you what I have gone through over these past four years.

1. Chaos among the students

In August 2005 when I took over the Student Affairs Department, I found that the task was much more daunting than I had imagined. I was distressed to see the disorder among the students. Some of the classrooms looked like junkyards. In the corridors around the classrooms, there were cigarette butts and betel nut dregs. Some students formed small gangs and destroyed school property all the time. If teachers scolded them, the students would respond by cursing at them. Gangs were constantly instigating fights. At lunchtime, the students littered food around the school grounds and, on some occasions, tossed the scraps into the neighbouring residences. The restroom doors were torn down. In terms of clothing and appearance, the students violated the dress code and did not wear uniforms or belts. They dressed anyway they wanted to and did not fasten their clothes appropriately. This chaotic situation caused the inexperienced Chief of Conduct in Education, who had recently taken the position, to suffer a severe emotional breakdown, and he could no longer carry out his daily duties. Disturbing phenomena were observed throughout the school. Since I was newly transferred to the school, my colleagues were as curious as I was as to what I would do to resolve the chaos.

2. The best solution is Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance

During the past four years, Master's principles have guided me forward. I used Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance as the core of all moral teachings. I tried to build the concept of morality within the students by explaining to them the importance of morality in the morning gathering and by collecting stories of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to share with them and enlighten them. I also described the relationship between "Virtue and Karma." I hoped that they would understand how to control themselves and that they should not do wrong even when nobody was watching them or even when the written law did not forbid it. I hoped they would look inward when faced with tribulations. I also asked the students to adjust their appearance and clothing so that it was appropriate. Through these activities, I hoped that they would become dignified and full of grace.

3. Difficulties

The past four years have proved to be a big challenge for the teachers in charge of student affairs in the school. The Department of Education had lifted its once tight regulations on student hair styles and has also made it clear that students would not be punished because of improper appearance or inappropriate clothing. Because of this, students have become even more unrestrained. They file complaints with government officials as soon as the school administrators attempt to implement control. During these hearings, I had to promote our ideas over and over again, persistently pointing out and correcting students when their conduct and dress were unacceptable. As described above, they filed complaints with the Bureau of Education of the county government and with the Department of Education. In some cases, they even asked me to step down from my position as director. Some resorted to email campaigns, trying to attract news media coverage. Parents also approached politicians to get them to interfere. Some parents roared at and insulted me. On one occasion, an officer from the county Education Bureau joked, "Ms. Chang, we have received more complaints about you than anyone else. I should charge you by the complaint." I replied, "I think you should reward me on a case-by-case basis. Nowadays, who else wants to take on this suffering?" How could I have been so persistent and remained so fearless in the face of those challenges? It was because I believed in my mission--that moral values should never be undermined.

4. How did I overcome the difficulties?

Everything that a practitioner encounters should be examined from the basis of the Fa. Once we do that, everything will be resolved easily. When students or parents shouted abusive words at me, I looked at it as a test to examine whether my mind was steadfast. Even though they might have simply have been students or a student's parents, they all have predestined relationships with me.

Master said,

"In cultivation practice, there may be two scenarios when dealing with specific conflicts or when others treat you badly. One is that you might have treated this person badly in your previous life. You feel in your heart that it is unfair, 'How can this person treat me like this?' Then why did you treat this person that way in the past? You might claim that you actually did not know it at that time, and this life has nothing to do with the other life. That does not work. There is another issue. In conflicts, the issue of transforming karma is involved. Therefore, in dealing with specific conflicts we should be forgiving instead of acting like ordinary people." (Zhuan Falun).

At the very beginning, when my colleagues saw that I could stay calm and that I would not get angry in the face of students' bad conduct, they were worried that the students might become even more domineering. In fact, it turned out to be different. When the students made mistakes, I punished them according to the school's regulations. However, in one-on-one interviews with each individual student, I always talked to them about the principles of righteousness. The effect was much better than verbal abuse. It also made the students more willing to correct their mistakes. As time went on, my colleagues started to admire my calmness. They also witnessed my persistence and my confidence that I would never relax the discipline.

5. Searching inward is the best way to resolve a problem.

One time when a student did not follow the school's regulations, I contacted his father by phone. Due to the student's infractions, the regulations mandated that the student be penalized. This generated strong dissatisfaction on the part of the father in the phone conversation. The next day, the father threatened my supervisor, saying that if we imposed the penalties on his son, he would come and make trouble for me. Worried about the possible repercussions, my colleague prompted me to withdraw the punishment. Although I was not particularly afraid at the time, I searched inside and tried to find a reason why the father had reacted so negatively. I knew that I could have done better, and, if I had, the father would not have reacted so. I recalled what had transpired in our phone conversation, and I noticed that I had not explained the whole thing clearly enough. This had been a good student, so when his father picked up the phone, he was probably very surprised to hear that his son was being punished. This had to be the reason why he had reacted in such an unreasonable way. Soon after I identified my shortcoming, I called the father again. As I expected, his attitude was completely different. He apologized to me several times and admitted that his reaction was not rational and he hoped that I would also forgive him. I admitted that I did not explain the issue to him clearly. We finally resolved the conflict peacefully and rationally. The father agreed that his son should be penalized. This provided me another vantage point to understanding the power of searching inside.

Master said,
"We have also said that if every one of us cultivates his inner self, examines his own xinxing (heart and mind nature) to look for the causes of wrongdoing so as to do better next time, and considers others first when taking any action, human society would become better and ethical standards would again rise." (Zhuan Falun)

6. The fruitful results after four years of work with student affairs

During the past four years, the students have made profound changes. Rule-breaking has been significantly reduced. Classrooms became cleaner and more orderly. Seldom was food thrown all over. Damage to public property decreased. Violence was alleviated and replaced with peacefulness on the campus. The school was ranked No. 1 in the ethics education assessment among the senior high schools of Kaohsiung City. The number of new students enrolled in the school increased by 200, bringing the total number of students to over 1,300. When students changed school districts to enrol in our school, their parents said it was not the outstanding enrolment rate of the senior high students nor the school's graduates that attracted them. It was the superior overall performance of the students' conduct and appearance that brought them to us. The assessors also believe that the moral fibre that generated the promotion of walking to school was a success. The time lapse between high school entrance exams has resulted in disorder for almost all of the junior high schools. However, the situation has been stable and calm in the school I served. The difference is due to the deep roots in moral education that we continue to cultivate.

7. More teachers are becoming Falun Gong practitioners

During the past four years, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance strengthened my spirit when I taught students and handled daily jobs. Whenever I encountered difficulties, tribulations, or conflicts, I checked myself against these principles and continued to search inside and rectify myself. This is how difficulties are overcome and dilemmas are resolved. My colleagues clearly saw that Falun Gong practitioners are truly different. I retired on August 1 of this year. As I saw my colleagues start cultivation practice one after another, I asked the school principal's permission to host a five-day-long Falun Dafa conference. The principal agreed and also encouraged colleagues to attend. More than 10 teachers have become practitioners so far. The principal said that another conference should be hosted next year. He added, "Your retirement is a great loss to the school. Some teachers who used to have negative opinions about Falun Gong changed their attitude because of you." I said, "You don't have to worry too much. The roots of morality have grown deep. If my successor also practices Falun Gong, the momentum will continue." The new director of student affairs started practicing Falun Gong this June. She was the outstanding chief of student affairs who worked closely with me over the past four years.

8. "Falun Dafa Is Good!"

a. At the commencement ceremony, graduating students shouted, "Falun Dafa is good!"
At the commencement ceremony, I delivered a speech and told the students, "More than 160 MBA graduates from Harvard University will take an oath at their commencement ceremony that they will obey moral standards. Their actions are highly recognized by professors and industry leaders. It is your good fortune that, starting from the time you joined the junior high school, I have been teaching you the importance of ethics, hoping that you will become dignified and modest individuals. Even though I am doing a good thing, there have been severe challenges. Fortunately, I am a Falun Gong practitioner, and I have survived the challenges. The support and affirmation from the principal, the encouragement from fellow teachers, and the cards that students have written to me all gave me strength. I am going to leave the school as you do. Please allow me to thank you all for your encouragement. I would like to thank another great man--Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong. It is because of him that I can have a healthy body, a calm heart, extraordinary physical strength, and high morals to lead you." At that moment, warm applause came from the audience. At the end, I said, "No matter how many blessings I can give you, nothing can be comparable to a simple sentence: 'Falun Dafa is good.' Please follow me and say, 'Falun Dafa is good.'" The applause grew even louder. This unusual commencement ceremony ended in the terrific sound of, "Falun Dafa is good!"

b. An unusual party for my retirement

My school colleagues gave me a farewell party for my retirement. The school principal started his speech by saying, "Falun Dafa is good." Among the presents that I received was a banner that I wear across my shoulders. "Honorable Discharge" is embroidered on one side, and "Eliminate the Communist Bandits" is embroidered on the other. Another gift was a commemorative plaque, on which it is written: "The Law Wheel Turns Constantly," "Dafa Is Good," and "The Luster of the Falun Shines Brilliantly in the Universe." Another gift was a key ring with "Falun Dafa Is Good" inscribed on one side and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" inscribed on the other. I also received a pre-paid phone card for making calls to the public security officers in China, so that I can ask them to stop persecuting Falun Gong. The former head of the Parents Association also presented me with a purple lotus lamp-stand with "Falun Dafa Is Good" inscribed on the side. The party completely revolved around Falun Dafa.

The past four years of work with student affairs have been tough. However, I am happy to see the growth and improvement of the students. A fellow teacher wrote a card to me that said, "You have led the students to recover their natural characteristics and have made the campus much purer than before." The whole process made me deeply understand that only Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance can reverse the ever-deteriorating moral trend. I also fully realized that when we do well, there are so many sentient beings affected by us in such a big scope. Master said in "Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference," "Dafa disciples cover an enormous range of places and regions around the world." He also said,

"In reality, the entire world has been divided up with a piece apportioned to each Dafa disciple. This is reflected in how things are on Earth, and how the people in this world correspond to the cosmos."

The responsibility for Dafa disciples is gigantic, but the forms through which we carry out that responsibility are quite common. It is my hope that by sharing my experiences with fellow practitioners, we may play our roles well and fulfil our prehistoric oath so that we may live up to Master's compassionate salvation. Thank you very much.