Cultivating the Fields of Children’s Hearts
The Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association (Singapore) marks its 20th year this year. Each year, senior teachers from the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association in Taiwan will come to Singapore to share their experiences teaching Jing Si Aphorisms with teachers in Singapore. This year, three teachers from Taiwan shared with their counterparts in Singapore how to incorporate the Aphorisms into lessons, inspiring the latter to do more to cultivate the fields of children’s hearts.
Teacher from Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Taiwan) ：
How can we still teach Jing Si Aphorisms under academic pressure and parents’ expectations?
Teachers from the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association in Taiwan have a way to incorporate Jing Si Aphorisms into lessons.
Teacher from Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Taiwan) ：
When you’re teaching social studies or science, for example, you can find a keyword and then include the story with the Aphorism. This is how we incorporate it into our lessons
Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Singapore) Tan Pin Ru：
It is really great to use stories to inspire students. We must also let them reflect, so that it will be more extensive.
Teacher in Singapore Ma Jing：
We can share these teachings within limited lesson time and instill one theme into the students’ minds during a school term. We can think about and plan for it, and then put it into practice.
The three teachers from Taiwan held a sharing session for teachers in Singapore. Close to a hundred teachers and education volunteers attended the session. Besides sharing how to incorporate the Aphorisms, the Taiwanese teachers also shared about classroom management.
Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Singapore) Low Yee Leong：
All our students share affinities with us. No matter whether they are good or bad students, we must face them with a grateful heart, and return to our calling and initial aspiration. Then we can continue walking the path. We should cultivate the field of every child’s heart and become their “farmers”.
Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Singapore) Zhang Li Ping：
Besides teaching from books, we must also help children develop a kind and loving heart, and guide them to work with their hearts. This is what I’ve learnt. I won’t give up on any student.
Singapore’s Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2019. The teachers promote Jing Si Aphorisms in schools and are faced with many challenges in the process. Tan Pin Ru continues to find ways to bring the wholesome teachings into schools and her motivation comes from her team and her initial aspiration.
Tzu Chi Teachers’ Assn. (Singapore) Tan Pin Ru
One of Master Cheng Yen’s Jing Si Aphorisms says that there is no child in this world that cannot be taught well. It’s just that the teachers and parents have not found the right ways to teach them. So now, I hope to repay my gratitude to the Buddha and my refuge master by taking hold of each moment and really give of myself without seeking anything in return.
After a 20-year journey, with a sense of mission, the teachers continue their spirit of nurturing and cultivating students’ character.
