A First Grader Cries and Throws Tantrums Every Day for 2 Months, But She Turned the Situation Around with a Single Toy

In the early morning, just before dawn, many first-grade children are still snuggled in their beds, unwilling to get up, while teachers have already hurried to school to check if the classrooms are tidy and prepare for the start of the day. In the evening, when parents come to pick up their children after work, the classroom lights are still on, and teachers are chatting with parents about the children’s moods and small progress during the day. These days, day after day, seem ordinary but carry so much delicate warmth.

Take Teacher Wang Weilin from Class 5 at Nanchang Campus as an example. She compares the classroom to a “mental weather station.” When the weather is good, she uses smiles and games to boost the children’s confidence; when a child is feeling down, she doesn’t rush to criticize but quietly accompanies them. There is a little girl in her class who cried almost every day during the first two months of school and refused to integrate into the group. Teacher Wang discussed with the parents, and after brief goodbyes each day, she would send a small note or a toy to offer encouragement. The child is responsible for watering the class plants and playing hand-in-hand with a friend. These seemingly insignificant small acts are like sunlight slowly seeping through clouds. One morning in November, she suddenly ran into the classroom bouncing with joy, finally smiling. At that moment, Teacher Wang probably knew better than anyone: growth always involves some rain, but if someone is willing to hold an umbrella, you won’t get soaked too badly.

Developing classroom habits also requires such patience. Teacher Wang uses nursery rhymes and fun little competitions to make organizing schoolbags and lining up quietly become natural rhythms. The class rules are not set by the teacher alone but are a “fence” created through everyone’s discussion, protecting each person and making fairness a habit. She says education is not just about teaching knowledge but also about teaching children how to get along with the world—enjoying the sunshine and being able to withstand the wind and rain.

Teacher Jia Ting from North Campus focuses more on “using the heart, not force.” Her class used to be a bit unruly. At first, she couldn’t help but raise her voice, but the results were not good. Later, after reading Positive Discipline, she realized that constant pressure only makes children more resistant. She began to change her approach, using a discovery perspective to find each child’s strengths. There was a boy who was called a “problem student” and often distracted in class. But Teacher Jia noticed he was very careful when organizing the class mini-supermarket, so she deliberately highlighted this strength and praised him publicly. Gradually, he started to stay quiet voluntarily, his handwriting improved, and he even volunteered to manage the mini-supermarket. It turns out every child has a fire inside, waiting to be seen and ignited.

Teacher Jia summarized her approach as the “Four Haves”: a pair of eyes good at discovering, a mouth good at praising, a pair of ears attentive to listening, and a gentle yet firm heart. She turned cleaning duty into a shared activity, with children forming teams to tidy the classroom, which gradually made the space feel like home. Class monitors and group leaders take turns, transforming passive obedience into active responsibility. Positive encouragement replaces criticism, and rules are no longer cold but rooted with warmth in their hearts. She reflects that a homeroom teacher shifts from being a busy manager to a warm companion. The children’s changes and parents’ trust are the best rewards.

The stories of these teachers make one can’t help but wonder: if every child on their growth journey could be tenderly and firmly protected like this, would they avoid many detours? In today’s fast-paced society, parents often worry that their children will fall behind at the starting line, but perhaps the true starting line is whether a child can get up after falling, or have someone who understands when they are unhappy. What teachers do is to help children build this inner strength.

Think of those small moments: a child straightening their back after being praised; a child hugging a toy quietly in a corner to soothe their mood; a class becoming warm and orderly because of shared agreements. These accumulations are what make education most touching. Honors may only be occasional flashes of sunshine; daily companionship in the mundane is the true nourishment.

On the path of education, teachers and parents are actually companions. Children’s worlds are full of ups and downs, and having someone willing to walk through the rainy season with them, waiting quietly for the rainbow, is perhaps the greatest blessing. May more guardians like these nurture with their hearts, so that every tiny seed can bloom its own flower after the rain.