农村学校努力留住教师

One major aspect of China’s education reform is to improve equality. Rural schools are at the center of this endeavor. Poverty, harsh natural conditions, and limited resources are the main reasons for this. So it’s especially important to make sure they don’t lose what they have before getting all they need.
中国教育改革的一个主要方面是提高质量。农村学校处于这项努力的中心。贫穷、恶劣的自然环境以及有限的资源都是其主要原因。所以，在他们没有获得所需之前，确保他们不会失去所有是特别重要的。

It’s difficult enough just getting up to the mountain. The weather in Pu’an County is like this for half of the year. If it’s this bad in a car, imagine being on foot. It takes the students at least two hours to get to school.
上山是很困难的。普安县这样的天气有半年了。如果坐在车里都这样糟糕，设想一下走路会怎么样。学生们至少要花2个小时才能到学校。

In this dormitory, Chen Meirong prepares for class. She discusses with her husband, who teaches at a nearby junior high.
Chen Meirong在在这间宿舍里备课。她和她的丈夫在讨论，她丈夫在附近一所中学教书。

Chen Meirong said, "I teach Chinese, English, arts, and moral education. And I try to make materials to make my classes more interesting. We don’t have enough teachers, so we all have to do as much as we can."
Chen Meirong称：“我教语文、数学、美术和道德教育。我尝试制作一些材料，使我的课更加生动。师资不足，所以我们必须尽我们所能做得更多。”

When Chen first arrived three years ago, she was overwhelmed. There was simply too much to get used to for a girl fresh out of college.
当Chen三年前第一次来到这里的时候，她不知所措。对于一个刚刚走出大学的女孩子来说，有太多的东西要适应。

Chen Meirong said, "I felt like crying. I thought this was not the kind of place where I’d like to start my career. I’m from the countryside, too. But it was much better than here. Then I saw myself in these kids and decided to give it a try."
Chen Meirong表示：“我想哭。我觉得这不是我想开始我的职业生涯的那种地方。我也来自农村。但是那里比这里好得多。然后我在这些孩子身上看到我自己，我决定试一试。”

From the moment she began her first class, it became a commitment. She wants to equip these children with the basic knowledge for a better future.
从她开始上第一堂课的那时起，这成为一个承诺。她想用基础知识武装这些孩子，让他们有一个更美好的未来。

This primary school is the hope of a village. And teachers, of course, are the hopes of such schools. Most poor rural areas across China face the same challenge. While Chen chooses to stay, many of her colleagues turn to alternatives they consider better. So keeping good teachers is a top problem for the education system.
小学是一个乡村的希望。老师，当然是这些学校的希望。中国许多贫穷的农村地区面临同样的挑战。当Chen选择留下来的时候，她的许多同事选择其它他们认为更好的。所以，留住好的教师是教育系统一个重要问题。

In 2006, China launched a project to encourage teachers with better qualifications to work in rural schools. They are usually college graduates, unlike local teachers.
2006年，中国开展一项计划，鼓励拥有更好资格的教师到农村学校工作。与当地教师不一样，他们通常是大学毕业生。

Most of their salary comes from central government funding, and the rest from the local budget. Besides insurance and pensions, the teachers make 1800 yuan a month, or about three hundred US dollars. It isn’t much, but it’s more than the county alone can afford.
他们的薪水大部分来自中央政府提供的资金，余下的来自当地政府预算。除了保险费和养老金，教师每个月有1800元，约合300美元。这并不多，但是单单只有县是负担不起的。

The school principal is happy to see the change.
这位校长看到这种变化很高兴。

Li Zhenggao, rural school principal, said, "We’ve seen a dramatic improvement in our education quality since these teachers arrived. More students are doing well enough to enter a good high school, which opens the door to universities."
农村校长Li Zhenggao称：“这些教师到来之后，我们的教育质量显著提高。更多学生学得很好，能够进入好的中学，好的中学又为大学敞开大门。”

Contracts under the project run for three years. The initiative has helped keep 95 percent of the teachers. Like Chen, some who stay have another goal.
该项计划的合同期为三年。这项倡议帮助留住了95%的教师。和Chen一样，留下来的教师有些有另一个目标。

Chen Meirong said, "I started with enough knowledge, but no experience. Now I have experience, but want to expand my knowledge, since I feel isolated living in the mountains. I wish to have a chance to study further, to get a master’s degree, for example. And when I come back to these children, I will have more to offer."
Chen Meirong表示：“开始的时候我有足够的知识，但是没有经验。现在，我有了经验，但是我想扩大我的知识，因为我觉得住在山里与世隔绝。我希望有机会进一步深造，比如，获得一个硕士学位。当我回到这些孩子身边时，我可以提供更多。”

They love spending time together talking about dreams and the bigger world out there. These girls say they want to study English abroad or become architects or fashion designers. And to reach their goals, the kids in Pu’an County are making the most of their time in the class.
她们喜欢花时间一起谈论梦想和外面更大的世界。这些女孩表示，她们想到国外学英语或者成为建筑师或时装设计师。为了实现这些目标，普安县的孩子们将他们大多数时间都花在课堂上。