(Minghui.org) I'm a university lecturer. I feel that since parents have entrusted their child to me, it is my responsibility to teach them well.
I strive to always treat my students with honesty and integrity. For example I go back and correct my mistakes from previous classes, and admit when I don't have the complete answer to a question, then follow up later when I'm able to research it more fully.
Over time I've gained their trust in coming to me with difficult questions, as well as their personal problems when they face a dilemma.
Two students were once vying for a place in a graduate studies program, and one student had inflated reporting of his accomplishments, to try to better his chances. The other student found out about it, and came to me to complain.
I told her about the principle taught by Master in Zhuan Falun - “If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” I told her to be truthful and not to resort to the same kind of dishonesty.
I also told her to treat others kindly. If someone behaves incorrectly, that is no reason to do the same. One must learn to forbear, and only through hardships will one become mature. Heaven will look after those who follow “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” Ultimately this student was accepted into a great program.
Another student came to see me, saying that his bicycle had been stolen. Although he was very angry at the time, he forgave the thief. He asked me if what he did was right. I commended his behavior and told him that forgiving others is a virtue. By treating others kindly, he is giving them a chance to make amends and becoming more forbearing.
A student was once asked to leave school because he had failed several subjects. The head teacher and I spoke to him, and it quickly became apparent why he was struggling. He was immersed in playing video games every day, and his girlfriend, who often spoke of suicide, was also adversely affecting his ability to function.
Again I counseled him using the principles taught in Zhuan Falun. I urged him to reconsider the important things in life and set aside his addiction to video games. He was also able to reassess his relationship with this girlfriend and her perspective on certain issues.
After several conversations, his head teacher and I persuaded the school to give him another chance. He took a year's break from his studies, put his personal life in order, and ultimately got his degree.
It is with this kind of mentality, guided by Zhuan Falun and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, that I teach my classes and interact with my students and colleagues. I also bear in mind my responsibility as a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple, for example weaving in elements of traditional Chinese culture into the course material, so that the students can regain some of what was hidden from them by the Chinese Communist Party. By putting the Dafa principles into practice on a daily basis, I have become more successful in my career and personal relationships, but more importantly, a more mature cultivator.
