On the afternoon of September 10th, SFL held a salon for retired teachers in celebration of the 40th Teachers’ Day. School leaders, teachers who retired during the recent two years, and representatives from the Business English Department, College English Teaching Divisions One and Two, and the Asian-European Language Department gathered together to celebrate Teachers’ Day. The event was hosted by Vice Dean Zhang Shanjun.

Zhang Xifeng, Dean of SFL, extended greetings to the teachers, wished them happiness every day, and congratulated them on their excellent achievements in teaching and scientific research work. She noted that in the early stage of reform and opening up, foreign language teachers took on the role of trailblazers like “pioneering oxen”. In their teaching career, they overcame the difficulties of scarce teaching materials and limited teaching resources. With their enthusiasm and perseverance, they broadened students’ international horizons. In the era of economic globalization, foreign language teachers play a vital role as key facilitators. In class, they not only teach language skills, but also cultivate cross-cultural communication abilities, thereby nurturing a significant number of foreign language professionals. In the new era of highly developed informatization and intelligence, foreign language teachers utilize modern educational technologies to innovate teaching methods, making foreign language teaching more vivid and efficient. Finally, she extended the wishes that the retired teachers would pay close attention to the development of the school and offer more suggestions and that new teachers should love their work and engage deeply with their students. 

Tu Yuanwu, Party Secretary of SFL, first extended greetings to the teachers in attendance. He and the teachers studied the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the National Education Conference. He conveyed the contents of the speech delivered by Liu Yaobin, Party Secretary of JUFE, at the celebration conference for the 40th Teachers’ Day and reviewed the journey of university’s three development phases. He demanded that teachers should uphold the principles outlined by Party Secretary Liu: be resolutely firm in beliefs and hold lofty ideals; maintain integrity and self-discipline while downplaying fame and fortune; stand as steadfast as a mountain and remain tall and firm.

During the talkfest, both new and veteran teachers offered their suggestions on teaching, talent cultivation, teaching effectiveness, research innovation, and community service, creating a lively atmosphere. Teachers emphasized that they should enhance their political awareness and strengthen their sense of mission and responsibility for cultivating talent for the Party and the country. And they would plunge into the university’s reforms and contribute to achieving the second centenary goal of JUFE.

Finally, Zhang Xifeng and Tu Yuanwu presented flowers to pay tribute to the retired veteran teachers.

By Guo Yuxin and Du Jingping