On the 37th Teacher's Day of China, the Publicity Department and the Ministry of Education jointly released the advanced deeds of the “Most Beautiful Teachers 2021” on September 10, paying high tribute to teachers and educators throughout China. The launch ceremony of “Shining Name 2021 - The Most Beautiful Teacher” was broadcast the night of the 10th on CCTV-1 and CCTV-10. Xiao Xiangrong, dean and professor of the School of Arts and Communication of Beijing Normal University, was awarded the “National Most Beautiful Teacher 2021,” and “National Most Beautiful Teacher Team” was awarded to the Dianxi volunteer teachers team, which was coordinated by BNU.

Through the touching character short films and inspiring live interviews, the launch ceremony vividly demonstrated the stories of the 10 Most Beautiful Teachers and of the Dianxi volunteer teachers, showing their noble spirit and character.

Xiao Xiangrong: Tell the Chinese story with art

In the past 20 years, Xiao Xiangrong has served as the key creator of major literary and artistic projects of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture and the Publicity Department. He has also taught year-round. As a leading figure of dance discipline, he created an open education concept, leading China’s dancing onto the international stage. He has adhered to a creative education that caters to the national social needs and cultivates outstanding back-up talents, walking in the forefront of artistic practice and academic theory.

At the launch ceremony, Xiao talked about aesthetics and art education. “Today's art education,” he said, “is no longer a professional education or skills education, but a literacy education for all.” “It’s not temporary, but lifelong.” He believes that we should encourage children to appreciate different splendors, so as to achieve a common beauty; we should protect, inspire, and release the beauty in their hearts, so that they could grow up healthy and free. He called on all art educationists to join hands and strive for beauty in a new era.

Dianxi volunteer teachers: illuminate the education in western Yunnan

In the fall semester of 2020, the education assistance operation to Nujiang was launched. It was led by the Teacher Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education, under the overall responsibility of BNU. The act was in order to win the battle against poverty, and to increase the educational assistance to Nujiang,Yunnan Province. In the 2020-2021 academic year, supported by BNU as well as many other institutions across China, more than 100 teachers from 26 provinces and autonomous regions, including Xinjiang and Tibet, taught in the counties and cities of Nujiang.

The volunteer teachers carried out educational support through demonstration, paired assistance, exploring visual guidance, joint teaching and research, double-teacher classes, individualized teaching, door-to-door education for the disabled, etc., promoting the overall development of local teachers. They also went across the mountains with local teachers for home visits and provided multiple resources for the local schools and even those surrounding nearby Tibet, solving a bundle of practical problems. Their selfless efforts and heartfelt feelings showed the dedication and borderless love of national pilot teachers, playing as a vivid model in the new era of moral education.