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Exploring the Potential for Innovative Education in Rural Settings

Zeng Xuanni, a dedicated volunteer teacher who has repeatedly taken the stage to deliver a series of poetry courses, has gained profound insights into the realm of aesthetic education. 

“Poetry serves as a bridge for students to express the beauty they often overlook in everyday life through familiar words,” Zeng explains. “It is the simplest and most direct path to pursuing aesthetic appreciation.” Over time, her initial one-hour poetry class has evolved into a comprehensive four-hour series, with each session focusing on a unique theme drawn from an ever-expanding reservoir of options. Under Zeng’s encouragement, Xiao Shan, a young girl, penned four remarkable poems, each showcasing her unpretentious expressions and inspired perspectives. On the final day of one volunteer teaching session, a quiet girl who usually sat in the front row with her head bowed added Zeng on her WeChat and began sharing her poems for feedback. These heartwarming moments have consistently reinforced Zeng’s belief in the impact of her work. 

Curriculum Scenarios in Rural Aesthetic Education Volunteer Teaching

Primary school campus

However, Zeng’s exploration of aesthetic education in rural areas extends beyond the classroom. She is particularly fascinated by the vast potential for innovative education offered by nature and ethnic culture in these settings. 

For instance, a primary school for ethnic minorities nestled by the serene waters of Lake Lugu offers a unique educational experience. Some classrooms are traditional Naxi-style log houses, while the construction of wooden models and the study of mortise and tenon joints are integral parts of the school’s curriculum. 

Adjacent to the school is a sprawling 120-mu forest farm, which serves as both a livestock farm and an outdoor classroom for the children. The farm, which includes pigs, ducks, chickens, rabbits, and vast tracts of farmland and fruit trees, provides an ideal setting for hands-on learning and exploration. 

To preserve the rich Dongba culture of the Naxi people, especially in the relatively stable and intact ethnic settlement of Lake Lugu, the school incorporates various Dongba-related courses into the curriculum from the second grade onward. These courses cover a wide range of disciplines, including language, imagery, sports, dance, and crafts. Students at the school learn Dongba characters, sing Dongba songs, and transform the timeless legends of Lake Lugu into vivid and perceptible art books. 

“With mountains and rivers as their backdrop and fields as their classroom, the school’s natural and cultural environment fosters a broader social and cultural context for aesthetic education.” While the volunteer teaching team brings their aesthetic education experience to the primary school, they also learn from the innovative educational model practiced there. “Encouraged to explore freely, the children gradually surpass the limits of their creative awareness and diverse perspectives,” Zeng observes. This is evident in their poetry and paintings, which reflect a deep connection to their surroundings and a unique perspective shaped by their rural upbringing. Ultimately, teaching and learning in authentic settings fosters closer, softer, and more long-lasting connections among people, objects, and nature. This, in turn, cultivates a solid sense of local belonging and innovative thinking, empowering future generations to build a better hometown with a unique blend of tradition and innovation.