culture

Whenever I hear and see the laudable deeds and noble virtues of young people volunteering to work at the demanding jobs, I think of our college graduates who volunteered as teachers at branch schools of the remote mountain villages and islands, said Pak Kum Hui, rector of Pyongyang Teachers Training College.

Among the graduates is Ju Hyon Cho, who works as a teacher at the branch of Mu Island of Sunwi Senior Middle School.

Four years ago, Ju applied for a job at the branch school on Mu Island as she graduated from the college with determination to follow the example of many young people who volunteered to work in the difficult and labour-consuming sectors. 

When she made up her mind and told them about the decision to work at the branch school on the island, her father and her college lecturers were worried whether she, who had lived peacefully in Pyongyang, would manage to settle in the island. So some people advised her to think of it again as good decisions are not implemented of their own accord.

However, Hyon Cho never gave up her decision.

So she left for Mu Island with a warm send-off of many people including the lecturers of her alma mater and friends.

As sea waves are not always gentle, for her, who had grown up in the city, life on the island and education of students were not as smooth as she had thought. 

“The sea wind was different from the soft breeze in the city and the sound of breaking waves made it difficult for me to sleep at night. And as the students were born and spent their childhood on the island seeing only the sea, mutual response was also hard to expect,” recalled Ju.

She taught only three children in different grades. So it was more difficult to prepare for lessons and combined class lessons she gave for the first time were also hard for her.

But she didn’t spare time and energy for the education of students. 

She made various visual aids and teaching tools by herself and brought a bagful of reference books needed for the study of students whenever she came out to the land, instead of the things for her life.

She obtained videos to help children have a vivid idea of things by walking a long distance or studied hard to find learning methods suitable for the preparedness of each student. And she frequently visited experienced teachers to discuss new teaching methods in an effort to improve the knowledge of a student who showed poor school performance. 

“It was really difficult for me to settle here. So I often feared I would fail to abide by my first decision. But I hardened my will again and again, seeing the service personnel and officers’ wives defending the country on the island all their lives,” said Hyon Cho.

Thanks to her painstaking efforts for the students of the branch, their school performance improved with the passage of time and she was awarded the title of October 8 Model Teacher.

She was honoured to attend the 14th National Conference of Teachers in recognition of her admirable deeds.