A lesson in gratitude

Schools in areas recently affected by natural disasters are still in disarray, with classrooms, desks, chairs, and textbooks in disarray… Just before Teachers' Day, some localities had to urgently relocate students and teachers due to the risk of landslides.

Since the beginning of the school year, teaching and learning in disaster-stricken areas have faced numerous difficulties. The prolonged school closures and damage to school buildings have led to concerns about declining quality, especially during a period of significant educational reform. This risks widening the gap in access to education between different regions.

In that context, many provinces, cities, and schools have decided not to accept flowers and gifts on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, but instead to redirect the funds to help students and teachers in areas affected by natural disasters overcome this difficult period.

Previously, some places have called for students not to receive flowers on Vietnamese Teachers' Day. In previous years, some principals even sent open letters requesting that the flowers be donated instead to cover the cost of health insurance for students. However, this year, with prolonged and widespread natural disasters causing heavy losses in many provinces and cities, this call for solidarity has a positive and far-reaching impact.

This is also an opportunity for the school to teach students about compassion, gratitude, and the value of sharing with the community. Teachers usually teach these lessons, but only in theory; now is the time for students to put them into practice through concrete actions.

As circumstances change, so does our definition of "gratitude." On occasions like Teachers' Day, gratitude is implicitly understood as expressing appreciation to the primary recipient, in this case, the teachers. However, when schools and teachers call for students not to accept gifts on holidays but instead redirect the funds to those in need, gratitude becomes closer to sharing and compassion. At that point, gratitude is not just about remembering and being thankful, but also about responsibility to the community, sharing, empathizing, and showing empathy towards those in difficult circumstances who need support.

Similarly, at the Vietnamese Teachers' Day celebration at Hanoi Pedagogical University earlier this week, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son spoke about gratitude from a different perspective. The Minister shared: "This year's November 20th celebration has many special features. Never before has the education sector had such a position, been entrusted with such a mission, and received such attention and care as it does now. Education and training is identified as a top national priority, determining the future of the nation. Teachers are considered the driving force for educational development and the decisive factor in the quality of education. Many new policies have been issued by the Party and the State to develop the teaching staff. This is a great joy and an encouragement for those working in education."

From there, the Minister conveyed the message: "We teachers also need to be grateful to society for bringing nobility to our profession. We need to repay it in a way that is worthy of the trust, care, and expectations. All teachers need to strive to cultivate, train, and learn continuously to always be a shining example for students to follow."

From this perspective, gratitude is not simply about expressing thanks, but also about reciprocating and acting in a way that is worthy of the trust and affection bestowed upon us.

This year's Vietnamese Teachers' Day may not be filled with congratulatory flowers as usual, but that doesn't diminish the value of gratitude. On the contrary, it makes teachers feel warmer as this appreciation is transformed into practical actions to help those in need.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bai-hoc-ve-su-tri-an-185251119222441401.htm