An 80-year-old has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Record as serving the ‘longest career as a female language teacher’ of 64 years and 33 days.
Gatekeepers News reports that Yeyu Ying began her teaching career at the age of 17 in a rural elementary school in Zhejiang, China as a way of supporting her family who were poor.
Despite initially retiring in February 1999 at the age of 55, her passion for teaching led her to found Yuying Elementary School, where she continues to teach to this day.
Yeyu Ying currently still teaches six Chinese language classes each week. Her commitment to lifelong learning is evident in her constant updating of teaching methods and resources, even as she grows older.
She recalled “remember seeing record challenges on TV long ago and thinking about my own passion for teaching. I always believed my lesson plans were the most meticulous in the world. Maybe I harbored a secret desire to challenge the record but never dared to speak it out loud for fear of being laughed at.”
“Earlier this year, while chatting with my daughter, we watched some Guinness World Records challenge clips again. I decided to discuss applying with my colleagues, and to my surprise, we succeeded!”
Reflecting on her achievement, Yeyu Ying who couldn’t hide her joy said “This recognition is a testament to my lifelong passion. Coming from a rural village in southern China, establishing a school in Lishui in the 1990s, and receiving such an honour for what seemed like an ordinary career fills me with gratitude.”
Yeyu Ying has always faced life’s challenges with courage and never thought of giving up. At 17, she was tested by mischievous students. After retiring, she faced the challenge of founding a school on her own, moving locations three times in four years. Over her decades-long teaching career, she was faced with physical difficulties as walking to school became hard.
Even as a principal, Yeyu Ying would rise at 5 a.m. and be at school by 7:30 a.m. to monitor teachers’ and students activities before starting her teaching duties. When teachers were away for meetings or training, she would step in to save on school expenses.
She further recalled “In any spare moment, I was preparing lessons. Unlike today, we didn’t have convenient electronic devices. Every lesson was meticulously handwritten with a calligraphy brush, taking six hours to prepare each class. If I wasn’t satisfied with my handwriting, I would tear up the pages and start over.”
Chai Yuanzhi, who helped Yeyu Ying with her application described her as the most responsible and determined person he has ever met.
Yeyu Ying’s daughter, Ye Zi recalled her mother carrying her as a three-year-old to teach in a mountain village school, where students from five grades were taught in a single room.
She said, “My mother devoted her entire life to education, never leaving the classroom.”
“After retiring, she established Yuying Elementary School to continue teaching.”
Remarkably, even at 80, Yeyu Ying still plans to dedicate her life to society by opening a nursing home.
She added “plan to open a nursing home next, dedicating my remaining life to society and helping the elderly live their final years with joy.”
Yeyu Ying further revealed that she is currently conducting social research for her new project.
