Hard work, poor pay, but here to help

Li Shuai, 28, became a teacher at Beijing Stars and Rain Education Institute for Autism six years ago after graduating from college with a psychology degree.

I teach a class for teenagers. You may be able to tell by the bruises and scratches that line my arms.

Many of the youngsters in my class are unable to control their behavior, and they can often become aggressive. They are tall, and some of them are strong, too, so it's not usual for me to receive a few scratches when I intervene to stop an autistic student acting out.