Math Teacher Honored with Shiduo Award for Dedication to Education and Volleyball

Cai Bangju, a math teacher at Minsheng Junior High School in Chiayi, has received the prestigious Shiduo Award, recognizing his 24 years of dedication to education and 14 years of commitment to volleyball.

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Education is a 'life impacting life' marathon. No matter how advanced technology becomes, it cannot replace the warmth of a teacher accompanying students.

For over a decade, Cai has coached the school's volleyball team on a voluntary basis, without any pay. He began with a team that lacked a formal court, yet he guided them to become one of the top 12 teams in the national C-league. His coaching prowess was further highlighted by his role in nurturing Yang Cheng-rui, a student who went on to represent Taiwan in the U17 World Cup. Cai also aims to foster international and inter-school exchanges through volleyball, broadening students' horizons.

Beyond the volleyball court, Cai has embraced educational innovation. He has integrated digital technology into his teaching, earning double special awards in the Ministry of Education's digital learning lesson plan competition last year. He pioneered the use of AI and other digital tools, shifting students' roles from merely solving problems to creating them, thereby boosting their motivation. His "Exam Lottery" and "Probability Play Big" lesson plans, which incorporate AI tools, have shown significant results, with low-scoring students improving their average from 32 to 57, and the class average reaching 82.06.

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Only by continuously improving can teachers truly connect with students. I hope to be not just a transmitter of knowledge, but a 'dream agent' who discovers children's strengths.

Cai emphasizes that education is a "life impacting life" marathon, where technology cannot replace the warmth of a teacher's presence. He prioritizes classroom management and fosters strong parent-teacher cooperation to ensure students grow up healthy, happy, and secure. His commitment is evident in his early arrival at school each day to create a stable environment and the high parent participation rate in class meetings, with parents even forming support groups. Cai believes in continuous improvement and sees himself not just as a knowledge transmitter but as a "dream agent" who helps students discover their potential and find their own path.

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To do one thing for a lifetime; to persist and evolve, and wait for it to bloom.