Zhang Yan’s personal experience

Zhang Yan was born in Maoshan Village, Qichun, Hubei Province in 1984. She is currently the youngest principal in the history of Maoshan Primary School in Pengsi Town, Qichun County. He contracted polio in his childhood and lost the ability to walk normally in his right leg. In 2011, he appeared on the stage of Zhejiang Satellite TV's "China Dream Show" and became a grassroots star.

Suffering from poliomyelitis, I have been determined not to admit defeat since I was a child

On the afternoon of June 20, the school bell rang at Maoshan Primary School. Zhang Yan organized the group of students and put the children who lived far away from each other on the school bus one by one. From time to time, parents of students came over to say hello, and she always smiled and chatted with them. Walking into Zhang Yan's office, there are fashionable black handbags hanging on the wall and a guitar lying on the top of the filing cabinet. These seem to break people's impression of a mountain village primary school teacher.

Zhang Yan was born in an ordinary farm family in Maoshan Village, Qichun. She contracted polio since she was a child, resulting in a disability in her right leg, and she could not walk until she was 6 years old. After two surgeries, she finally got rid of the crutches with her tenacious perseverance. As a child, Zhang Yan was often troubled by her disability. Especially during school sports meets, she felt inferior because she could not compete. Whenever she sees Zhang Yan dazed alone, her head teacher Liu Daohai will stay with her and tell her the story of Zhang Haidi. Since then, Zhang Yan has admired the teaching profession from the bottom of her heart.

Give up high school and work as a substitute teacher in a village primary school

In the autumn of 2000, Zhang Yan was admitted to high school with excellent results, but the high school was dozens of kilometers away from home. At this time, a teacher from the village primary school went out to work, and the school was in urgent need of a substitute teacher. Village cadres feel that Zhang Yan is the best candidate. Considering that she was unable to go out due to physical reasons, Zhang Yan agreed. This year, she just turned 16 years old.

Zhang Yan, who had just entered the school, served as the first-grade class teacher and Chinese teacher. When she heard that the class teacher was a disabled person, some parents exploded: "Can she do it? Don't miss the child!" The villagers looked at her strangely, and Zhang Yan secretly argued in her heart: she must educate her children well.

The first time she took an open class, Zhang Yan messed up because she was too nervous. After that, she took the initiative to find the principal, fought for opportunities to study abroad, and made friends with famous teachers to ask for advice humbly. Since then, she has frequently appeared on the podium in open class competitions, and her teaching skills have improved by leaps and bounds. She also used her spare time to self-study a college diploma. Colleague Ji Wanxia said: "Zhang Yan is an 'award-winning professional'. Every time she goes out to compete, she either takes first or second place, and has never won third place."

In addition to teaching, Zhang Yan is also very concerned about students' lives, helping students change their clothes and preparing medical kits... Many students Zhang Yan has taught miss her very much and have become friends with her every year. Zhou Hui, a student at that time who is now working in Shenzhen, told reporters that even though he graduated from elementary school many years ago, his classmates spend his birthday with Teacher Zhang every year. If they can't go back, they call or send text messages to send blessings.