A letter written to a Tibetan primary school principal
Posted on January 29th, 2010 by Sonam
By Tenzin Yangjen Thar
In recent time, more primary schools have been built in Tibet and computer courses are even being taught in some primary schools, but many Tibetans think the new times have met with old issues such as the mother tongue language is almost being forgotten. In the following open letter to a primary school principal, the author asserts “Some people say, history cannot be forgotten, I say mother tongue language cannot be forgotten!”.
Respected Principal:
How are you? Perhaps right now you are in the classroom putting in extra hours for this year’s graduating students, or perhaps right now you are running about for the school’s construction plans; or perhaps you are summing up the education and teaching work experience, or perhaps right now you are attending the (township) town-wide, county-wide, prefecture-wide, province-wide or even nationwide education work meeting. In brief, the busiest person in the school is the principal! You must see to the development of the school, you must be concerned about the troubles of the staff, you must also see to the food and drink of students; you also have to deal with inspection and supervision from each government department; a primary school principal, particularly a Tibetan primary school principal, who doesn’t have a special ability to endure hardships, a special ability to show restraint, a particular spirit of dedication, but has no choice but to fulfill the responsibilities of a principal well.
How many Tibetan primary schools there are in the nation, I haven’t done the statistics, its results are unknown, however, I believe there are many Tibetan primary school principals who are at this moment quietly serving as role models, selflessly dedicating and giving their beautiful youth to Tibetan education undertakings!
Respected and incomparably, extremely respected principal, I am also an old teacher who has great love for education, great love for the job of teaching, in the many years of my teaching career, I’ve encountered many different characters of principals, some principals liked to play basketball, so they do everything in their power to set up a school basketball team, of course school athletics flourish, and student uniforms are all very special; some principals like performing arts activities, the annual “June 1st” activities are absolutely grand and spectacular, students’ song and dance performances are top of the line in their area; some principals like to socialize and drink, and there is no lack of heavy drinkers among the staff, some principals are selfish, obstructing and restricting the will of the people for the sake of a little bit of benefit, and even forming cliques, its foul stench often enveloping the school grounds; some principals like to have all the power, whatever he says is what counts, he doesn’t like other people to interrupt, and likes even less the staff who talk back; there are still some principals who are extremely jealous, and don’t like people with arrogant personalities, for anything that exceeds his field of capabilities, he will give you a hard time, saying you are “devious”, and not attending to your proper duties. Still there are some principals who like subservient people, incapable and average, work that does not demand development but does not seek fault, …
Respected principal, perhaps you think I am scolding you. I am not, I truly am not. I like principals who possess a sense of ethnic responsibility, progressing with the times, a principal who is scientific and analytical is my model. Perhaps you would ask, why don’t I become a principal? Since I’m not a person who abides by the rules, having written drafts of criticisms, mentions opinions, and enjoys bickering with leaders, I’m still a person outside of the system. Respected principal, would you still say I could be a principal?
Respected principal, schools nowadays under the support of the state, school buildings have been built, computer courses are being taught, teaching facilities are even newer, teaching conditions have improved, according to reason, we should applaud and cheer. However, under this kind of historical background, the new times have met with old issues, our mother tongue language is almost being forgotten. Some people say, history cannot be forgotten, I say mother tongue language cannot be forgotten!
Respected principal, has your school attached importance to mother tongue medium education? Can your teachers and students speak pure Tibetan? As long as your teachers and students, one hundred percent can speak pure Tibetan, then, you are a principal rich in a sense of ethnic responsibility, you are a qualified principal, and your school equally is also a qualified school.
Some principals were never skilled in speaking Chinese, yet they toss their fluent and pure Tibetan to the side, and insist on speaking Chinese. Running meetings in Chinese, teaching and researching in Chinese, reporting in Chinese, like a completely Chinese person. Regarding this, they have ample reasons: By mastering Chinese you can go about China, by reading English you can run around the world! Ah ah, so mastering Tibetan has become devoid of gratitude, forgetting one’s ancestors?
Some principals were never skilled in writing Chinese, yet they obediently relegate their perfectly good Tibetan writing skills to the backs of their brains. Running to typing offices to make Chinese language slogans. Rules and regulations are in Chinese, corridor signs are in Chinese, places for posting and writing are all in Chinese, from this, in this school you obviously can’t find culture that has ethnic characteristics; the mouths of teachers and students are full of language mixing Tibetan and Chinese, speaking pure and fluent Tibetan is on the contrary not easy. No wonder someone said: the main position for strengthening mother tongue medium education is the school, particularly crucial is primary school education.
Respected principal, our schools, since they are Tibetan primary schools, mother tongue medium education should be predominant. Even though at present all schools in Tibetan areas are currently being laid out and adjusted, yet there is something that can never be changed, and that is that Tibetan schools must strengthen mother tongue medium education.
Respected principal, in the process of transforming school models, we must set up good education and teaching plans, school-based resources, use determined times and measures, and fully implement mother tongue medium education. Some schools don’t practice what they preach, and just require students and teachers to disregard their own capabilities; and still there are some schools, for the sake of gaining social prestige and praise from their superiors, take it upon themselves to add Chinese medium class time and shorten Tibetan language class time, going against state education guidelines, policies, and not benefiting the development of school-based resources; some school curricula have been reformed for ten years, but the curriculum set up doesn’t change for five or six years, curriculum arrangements have no direction, have no aim, are not scientific, the teaching instructor’s curriculum is scattered, the complaints of teachers are heard all about, there are no rules to follow, teaching and research emphasize format, after examining, without exception the case is closed, it is never put on the agenda; some schools’ physical education classes are continuously shepherd style, neglecting break-time calisthenics, music classes become homework classes, these outdated conventions and practices have brought a lot of negative factors to the development of schools, and greatly dampened the initiative of teachers.
Respected principal, you have also come to deeply understand the real issues faced by Tibetan mother tongue medium education. You also often say ‘what is from the mouth is from the heart’, you have also pondered solutions. Then, the first way I vote for is: starting from primary school education, from self-acting, from acting now.
Respected principal, perhaps right now you are worrying about this situation. It’s ok, I’ll teach you a support. In the year-end assessment add a subject, competency or incompetency in speaking pure Tibetan. Carrying out only this method in school is still not enough, there is the need to set up specialized organizations, in order to oversee the smooth development of this work.
Respected principal, you already know the reason I’m writing you this letter. Let us pick up the long-absent pure mother tongue language, let the great rhythm of the mother tongue jump in the joyful song and laughter of the school grounds, cultivate more and more mother tongue enthusiasts!
The work of a school does not differentiate between large and small matters, each starting point begins at zero, bit by bit, a few accumulating into many, an education that nurtures is formed like this. Speaking pure Tibetan in Tibetan primary schools is also an important component of an education that nurtures; a tripartite educational method made up of schools, families, and society must continue and persevere, a minor change in schools should make speaking pure Tibetan a homework assignment for students, requiring families to actively collaborate.
In today’s schools, some principals regard inspection and approval from superiors as the primary task to be accomplished, greatly weakening the content of much of the nurturing education, standardized education, and conventional education, the work of the school appearing to function for the sake of inspection work, some work is not inspected by higher levels, for instance: speaking Tibetan, schools have not done this work from the outset to the end. Some principals figure that for work that is not examined by superiors, schools have no duty or need to do them well, this thinking is simply absolutely ridiculous!
Respected principal, would you say these opinions are correct? You would certainly say they were incorrect.
There is still a type of phenomenon in schools that must be talked about. Some mid-level cadres, appear to know the ropes, but actually don’t, they don’t know how to do something but won’t find someone who knows how to do it, this is called sitting on a toilet but not shitting (taking up space but not doing anything), most of the mid-level cadres in some schools are close friends of the principal, more stubborn than the principal! In instances such as these, a principal with power should immediately resolve these issues, otherwise, it will obstruct the healthy development of the school!
Respected principal, if you’ve been able to listen to my tireless nagging, then you’ve given me, a nothing, some respect! Today I will write the letter to here, if you have any thoughts, please critique after this essay.
05 December 2009
[ 2009/12/5 11:21:00 | By: 旦正·羊尖太 ]
写 给藏族小学校长的一封信
尊敬的校长：
你好？也许你正在教室里为应届毕业 生而加班加点，也许你正在为学校的建设规划而四处奔走；也许你正在总结教育教学工作经验，也许你正在参加全（乡）镇、全县、全州、全省乃至全国的教育工作 会议。总之一句话，学校里最最忙碌的人，就是校长啊，你要关心学校发展，你要关心职工的后顾之忧，你还要关心学生的吃喝拉撒；还要应付来自各个部门的检查 和督导；一个小学校长尤其是一个藏族小学的校长，没有特别能吃苦、特别能忍耐、特别能奉献的精神，就无法很好地履行校长的职责。
全国有多少个藏族小学，我没有做过 统计，其结果不得而知，但是，我相信有很多的藏族小学校长正在默默无闻地为人师表，把美丽的青春无私地奉献给了藏族教育事业！
尊敬而无比十分尊敬的校长，我也是 一个十分钟爱教育事业，钟爱教师岗位的老教师，在漫漫的教学生涯中，遇到过许多性格各异的校长，有些校长喜欢打篮球，就千方百计地组建校园球队，学校的体 育工作绝对蒸蒸日上，学生的校服都很有特点；有些校长喜欢文艺活动，一年一度的“六一”活动绝对轰轰烈烈，学生的歌舞表演在所辖范围堪称一流；有些校长喜 欢交际、喝酒，职工中不乏高拳大酒量的，有些校长自私，为一点局部利益而拦笼人心，还会“拉帮结派”，乌烟瘴气时时笼罩在校园；有些校长喜欢大权独揽，个 人说了算，不喜欢他人插嘴，更不喜欢顶嘴的职工；还有一些校长嫉妒心特强，不喜欢个性张扬的人，凡事超过了他的能力范畴，他就给你小鞋，说你是“歪才”， 不务正业，还有一些校长喜欢俯首帖耳的人，能力不强水平一般，工作中不求发展但求无过，……
尊敬的校长，也许你认为我在骂你。 不是的，真的不是。我喜欢具有民族责任感的校长，与时具进，科学思辨的校长才是我的楷模。也许你会问，我为什么不当校长，因为我不是一个“安分守己”的 人，写过批评稿，提过意见，喜欢跟领导抬杠，我还是一个退出组织的人。尊敬的校长，你说说我还能成为一个校长吗？
尊敬的校长，现在的学校在国家的扶 持下，教学楼盖起来了，计算机开课了，教学设备更新了，教学环境好了，按道理，我们应该拍手称快。然而，在这样的历史背景下，新时代遇到老问题了，我们的 母语几乎在忘却。有人说，历史不能忘却，我说母语不能忘却！
尊敬的校长，你的学校重视过母语教 育吗？你的老师和学生能说纯正的藏语吗？只要你的老师和学生，百分之百地能够说纯正的藏语，那么，你就是一个富有民族责任感的校长，你是一个合格的校长， 你的学校同样也是一个合格的学校。
有些校长本来不擅长说汉语，却把自 己流利纯正的藏语甩到一边，偏偏要说汉语。主持会议说汉语，教学研究说汉语，汇报工作说汉语，好像一个十足的汉人。对此，他们有充分的理由：学好汉语走中 国，读好英语跑世界！呵呵，学好藏文就成了忘恩负义，忘了祖宗？
有些校长本来不擅长写汉字，却把一 手很好的藏文字帖抛在脑后。跑到打字室大搞汉文标语。规章制度是汉文、走廊文化是汉文，能贴能写的地方全是汉文，从此，在这个学校显然找不出具有民族特色 的文化了，老师、学生满嘴是藏汉夹杂的语言，说纯正流利的藏语反而不自在了。难怪有人说：加强母语教育的主阵地还是在学校，尤其是小学教育非常关键。
尊敬的校长，我们的学校既然是藏族 小学，那就应该是母语教育为主要的。虽然目前藏区整个儿的学校正在布局和调整，但是有一条是永远都变不了的，那就是藏族学校必须强化母语教育。
尊敬的校长，学校模式正在转变过 程，我们一定要设置好教育教学规划，设置好校本资源，用一定的时间和措施，全面落实母语教育。有些学校光说不练，只要求学生，教师自身的能力全然不顾；还 有些学校，为了赢得社会声誉和上级部门的好评，擅自增加汉语课时减少藏文课时，既违背国家教育方针、政策,又不利于校本资源的开发；有些学校课程改革十几 年，但是课程设置五六年不变，课程安排没有针对、没有目的，没有科学性，任课教师的课程满天飞，老师们怨声载道，没有规则可循，教学研究重形式，检查过后 一律完事大吉，从来不放在议事日程上；有些学校的体育课一直是放羊式，忽略课间操，音乐课成了作业课，这些陈规旧习对学校发展带来了许多不利因素，极大地 挫伤了教师的积极性。
尊敬的校长，你也深深体会到藏族母 语教育面临的实际问题。你也常常说在嘴上挂在心上，你也寻思着解决的办法。那么，我第一个举手推荐的办法是：从小学教育抓起，从自我做起，从现在做起。
尊敬的校长，也许你正在为此事而烦 恼。没关系，我教你支一招。年终的考核中再加上一个内容，说纯正藏语合格，否则，不合格。这个办法仅在学校执行还不行，有必要设置专门的机构，以便督促此 项工作的顺利开展。
尊敬的校长，你已经知道我给你写信 的目的。让我们拾起久违的纯正母语，让伟大母语的韵律跳跃在欢歌笑语的校园里，培养更多更多的母语爱好者！
学校工作不分大事小事，每一项工作 的起跑线都在零距离上开始，一点一滴，积少成多，养成教育就是如此形成的。藏族小学的说纯正藏语也是养成教育的重要组成部分，学校、家长和社会三位一体的 教育方式必须继续坚持，学校稍作改变，把说纯正藏语作为学生的一个作业，要求家长积极配合。
现在的学校里，有些校长把上级检查 和验收当作首要工作任务来完成，把许多养成教育、规范教育和常规教育内容大大小弱了，学校的工作似乎是为了检查工作而工作，有些项目上级不检查，比如：说 藏语，学校自始至终就没有做过此项工作。有些校长认为，上级不检查的项目，学校没有义务和必要做好，这一思维简直是荒谬透顶啊。
尊敬的校长，你说这些想法对吗？你 肯定会说，不对。
学校里还有一种现象有必要说一说。 有些中层干部，看似懂行，其实不成，自己不会弄还不叫会的人做，这叫占着茅坑不拉屎，有些学校的中层干部多半是校长的铁哥儿们，比校长还要牛啊！诸如这样 的现象，校长有权应该马上解决，否在，将会阻碍学校健康发展！
尊敬的校长，能够听我不厌其烦的唠 叨，对于我来说，给足了面子！今天的信就写到这里，如果有想法，请在文后批评。
2009年12月5日
