红卫小学

Hongwei Xiaoxue is my workplace. Located in the suburbs of Shanghai, in Minhang district, it takes me about one hour and 30 minutes to get there.
The school is special in that its students are the children of migrant workers. Both of the parents have to work, so someone has to take care of their children. However, the children of migrant workers are usually not allowed to attend a school in a province other than their home province.


So this school is an experiment, and thus not only funded by the Chinese state but in fact primarily by foreign donors. Its equipment is nevertheless scarce, there is no heating, no air-condition, and the teacher's salary is very low compared to those of public school teachers here. The teachers, too, are not from Shanghai, but mostly from Anhui province (because that is where the school headmaster is from, as I am told).


There are around 60 kids per class. I am teaching different classes and grades. The youngest class has children of 4 to 5 years. All the children here are sweet, noisy and at times sleepy. When the class is over, they jump up and swarm at me shouting "zaijian, zaijian!" (Goodbye).