TwosecondaryschoolteachersIremembershowhowdifferentpeoplecanbethoughengagedinthesameprofession.
MrsWang,myphilosophyteacher,sentustosleeplessthantenminuteswhenshestartedtalkinginclass.Whenaheadnodded,shewouldpointatthedozingstudentandmadethreateningremarks.Shesaidthatshewasboredteachingus.Somestudentsinhereyeshadnodesiretolearn.ButtheotherteacherMrLialwayshadbrighteyesinasmilingfaceandencouragingwordswhichshowedthathelovedChinesehistoryhewasteachingandwantedustoloveittoo.
Whenitcametotheirattitudestotheirstudents,theyweredifferenttoo.AfterMrsWangfinishedherday'slessensshefeltthatshehadfinishedherjob.OncewhenIaskedheraquestionoutsideclassaboutaterm,shecontinuedwithpreparationtoleaveandsaidthatIcouldbringmyquestiontoclassnextweek.BeforeIknewitshehadputherkeysintoherhandbagandwalkedoutofthedoor.Inthehistoryclass,however,aquestionevenafterthebellwouldstillbegivenattentiontobyMrLi.Hewouldrushtotheboardinalastminuteattempttoclearup.Oftenhewasseenwithanumberofstudentsstandingoutsidetheclassroom,discussingtheday'sassignment.
Theirmethodsofteachingwerenotlikeaswell.MrsWangstucktothetextbookandtrainedushowtomemorizeminutefacts.HoweverMrLibroughtinfilms,maps,slides,tapes,anythingthatwouldhelpuslearn.Oncethewholeclasswenttoseethe'filmLinZexu'inordertobetterunderstandthehistoryoftheOptiumWarfrom1840to1842.Owingtothesecontrasts,IdonotthinkIcanforgeteitherofmypastteachers.