No one answered her questions, only allowing people to sit down.
Then they asked some questions that they might be willing to answer.
"Classmates, how many music classes do you have a week?"
No one spoke. After a while, everyone shook their heads.
"No music classes? Do you have art classes?"
As expected, there were none.
The teachers' lounge was empty. Apart from a few broken desks, there wasn't even a blackboard. How could there be art classes?
"Do you have physical education classes?"
Everyone fell silent again.
Tián Tián understood. The break time had also arrived. She told everyone to go out and rest for a while, then took her textbooks back to the office.
The few teachers and the principal also entered the office one after another.
Tián Tián chatted with them, asking if other grades had music, art, and physical education classes.
Teacher Táng, who was the most lively, was the first to respond.
"It seems our thoughts are similar. The first thing new teachers realize is this. We've all asked these questions before. No."
"We don't have equipment, we don't have staff, and we don't have the hardware. What art and music can we teach?"
"The parents of these children are mostly uneducated. They think they're amazing for earning three to five thousand yuan a month working outside. They advocate for the uselessness of learning. As long as the child is safe and healthy, they can go out to work at fifteen or sixteen. They don't care about anything else."
"We tried to fight for it at first, but now..."
She shrugged. Tián Tián understood.
But, "Art and music can be skipped, but why not physical education? They only have core subjects all day, and the children are mentally and physically exhausted."
Teacher Táng picked up the conversation again: "We are all female teachers. Who will be the physical education teacher? Will you lead it, or will I? Besides, the campus is so small, and there aren't many activities to open up."
Perhaps Tián Tián planned to stay here for the long haul, or perhaps she was naive and romantic.
She felt that the problems Teacher Táng mentioned were not really problems.
"Physical education teachers don't have to be male. Sports are not divided by gender. We female teachers can also lead them in sports."
"The venue doesn't need to be too big, as long as everyone can run and jump to change their mood."
"If I'm willing to be the physical education teacher, can we arrange the curriculum in the future?"
The principal, besides being the principal, was also a handyman who had to deal with all sorts of miscellaneous matters.
He was busy and didn't have much thought for innovation.
"Teacher Jiāng, you might have just arrived and don't know. Our school's college entrance examination pass rate has always been the lowest among the towns in the county."
"I think our primary task is to improve the college entrance examination pass rate. You are teaching the graduating class, so you need to focus on it..."
This meant that she should not be messing around with other things.
Tián Tián knew that the principal had his own considerations, but she still felt that besides just teaching, students should have extracurricular activities.
If for no other reason, even if they remembered it when they grew up, it would be some childhood fun, and they would have more material for writing essays.
"Principal. When you have time, let's have a meeting. I think we should still arrange some activities."
The other teachers didn't know Tián Tián's background, but the principal did.
Although he didn't quite agree with the naive and romantic ideas of this young lady, he didn't dare to say much.
"The teachers still have to teach, and I'm afraid they don't have time. If you are willing to sacrifice some time at noon..."
The other teachers lowered their heads.
The principal smiled: "Why don't you coordinate with the other teachers first?"
Tián Tián knew it was not good to sacrifice others' rest time. Empty talk would only make people dislike her.
She nodded and didn't say anything further.
But she already had an idea in her mind.
After the third class, during the half-hour break, the teachers were chatting at the entrance of the second-grade classroom. Tián Tián also walked over.
"Do we also eat in the cafeteria at noon?"
The teachers were discussing this newcomer who seemed to have dropped from the sky. Seeing her approach, they all put on smiles.
"Yes, we will eat in the cafeteria for all three meals from now on."
Tián Tián said, "Everyone has been eating for so long, I'm sure they're a bit tired. How about I treat everyone to lunch? Is Lao Zhāng Fast Food the only restaurant in our town?"
She was treating everyone to a meal right after arriving? It was just a teaching assignment, was it necessary to spend so much?
But, it was a meal of delicious food.
Teacher Táng took the initiative to reply: "There's also a more upscale restaurant that specializes in catering for weddings and funerals. Are you really going to treat us to a meal?"
"Really. We can chat while eating lunch, and discuss the matter I brought up this morning. This way, it won't delay everyone's time, and we can get to know each other better. It will be a bit of trouble for everyone to go out in this hot weather, is that okay?"
Seeing her good attitude and the prospect of delicious food, everyone agreed.
Tián Tián was very happy: "Then I'll go and order the food, and pre-order the dishes. But I don't know where the restaurant is. Teacher Táng, can you take me there?"
They borrowed the principal's electric scooter, and Teacher Táng drove Tián Tián out.
Because they still had to teach, Tián Tián didn't even get a clear look at the menu. She waved her hand, asked the boss to make ten of their best-selling dishes, paid a deposit of two hundred yuan, and then returned.
On the way back, Teacher Táng couldn't help but ask her.
"Teacher Jiāng. Where are you from? Which university did you graduate from? Why did you think of coming here for teaching?"
Tián Tián said, "I graduated several years ago. My entrepreneurial venture failed, and I felt that staying in the big city was boring, so I wanted to come out and change my environment."
"You've even started a business? No wonder you're so generous."
Teacher Táng fell silent.
Soon it was time for school to end. The teachers invited the principal to go to the restaurant together.
Entering the air-conditioned private room and looking at the large table of delicacies, the principal thought to himself, this young lady is really here to do charity work.
During the meal, everyone ate heartily, and Tián Tián spoke earnestly.
She was willing to fund the school to get an electronic keyboard, buy some paints and drawing paper, and have the entire grade take music, art, and physical education classes together during a certain period.
This way, it wouldn't cost the teachers much more, and they could experience the joy of extracurricular activities.
She was providing both money and effort, so the others had nothing to object to.
The matter was happily settled.
However, she couldn't get away from classes from Monday to Friday, so she would have to go shopping for these things on the weekend.
While everyone else went for a nap at noon, Tián Tián didn't want to climb to the upper bunk and toss and turn, and she couldn't sleep anyway. So, she stayed in the office to prepare for the afternoon classes.
Unexpectedly, shortly after she sat down, Chén Dōngyáng came again.
He thoughtfully bought her a new teacup, made her some chrysanthemum tea, and brought her lunch in a thermos.
"I was afraid you wouldn't get used to the school cafeteria, and that it was unhygienic, so I made you fried rice with egg. Try it quickly."
"Aren't you tired after a morning of classes? Why don't you rest for a while?"