Choosing the right subject combination for 10th grade in the new curriculum is a challenging task.

After a year of implementing the 2018 General Education Program in grade 10, high schools have developed and adjusted subject combinations to ensure the most effective learning for students.

Parents and students carefully consider their subject combinations when completing the enrollment procedures for 10th grade.

Parents and students are confused.

During the application period for 10th grade last April, most parents focused only on choosing high schools that matched their children's abilities, without paying much attention to the subject combinations offered by their chosen schools or how their children's education aligned with career paths.

Therefore, at this time, when registering for subject combinations for high school, many parents and students are confused. Ms. Phan Thanh Nhu, a parent of a student at Le Quy Don High School (District 3), shared: "In April, the homeroom teacher of my child's 9th grade class and the school administration of the junior high school introduced the high school program, but honestly, at that time, not only me but almost all the parents in the class were only concerned about their children choosing the right majors to get into public schools. Now we are really entering the brainstorming phase to choose subject combinations that suit their strengths, passions, and future career orientation."

Nguyen Thanh Chau, a high school student who was accepted into her first-choice high school with one of the top admission scores in Ho Chi Minh City, said that when she applied for the 10th grade entrance exam, she focused on choosing a school she liked, one that suited her academic abilities and where her best friend was also applying. Now that she's been accepted, she and her friend are discussing which major and university to choose, focusing on economics , engineering, or humanities, and then selecting from the university's subject combinations.

Parents and students submit applications for admission to grade 10.

" LISTEN TO YOURSELF" TO CHOOSE ELECTIVE SUBJECTS FOR 10TH GRADE

Understanding this concern of parents and students, as soon as the results of the 10th grade entrance exams are announced, most high schools in Ho Chi Minh City organize meetings and provide counseling to parents and students about the 2018 general education program with career orientation and elective subject combinations. Choosing the right subjects will play a crucial role in helping students have a continuous and effective learning process at the high school level.

To make the right choice, students must identify themselves, answer the question of what their strengths are, who they dream of becoming, what they want to do, and consider this within the context of future career trends.

Ms. BUI MINH TAM (Principal of Le Quy Don High School, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City)

According to Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (District 1), to choose a suitable subject combination, students need to determine the profession or field of study they want to pursue. "Students need to listen to themselves and assess their inner strengths. If they don't know what profession or field of study they want to pursue, they should determine whether they prefer natural sciences or social sciences. Because when they choose a subject they enjoy, they will be able to develop their abilities and strengths," the Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School shared.

Similarly, to make the right choice, Ms. Bui Minh Tam, Principal of Le Quy Don High School (District 3), emphasized: "Students must be able to define themselves, answer the question of what their strengths are, who they dream of becoming, what they want to do, in the context of future career trends. Parents also need to accompany their children, think carefully together, make serious choices, and take responsibility for those choices. However, parents only play the role of advisors and guides, not choose for their children."

HOW WILL THE SCHOOL ADJUST?

The 2023-2024 school year marks the second year that the 2018 General Education Program has been implemented at the high school level. After a year of implementing the new program, schools have made adjustments to better suit students and enhance its effectiveness. Schools have developed a richer combination of subjects than the previous year to meet the needs of students within the existing school conditions.

The 2018 General Education Program at the High School level

The 2018 General Education Program officially came into effect at the high school level in the 2022-2023 school year, starting with grade 10. The 2023-2024 school year marks the second year of implementation at this level.

Accordingly, the 2018 general education program at the high school level includes compulsory subjects and activities, as well as elective subjects.

Compulsory subjects and educational activities include: Vietnamese language and literature; mathematics; first foreign language; history; physical education; national defense and security education; experiential activities and career guidance; and local educational content.

Elective subjects: Students choose 4 subjects from 9 elective subjects.

Elective subjects include: geography, economics and law education, physics, chemistry, biology, technology, computer science, music , and fine arts.

For example, Le Quy Don High School, with 15 tenth-grade classes, has a structure of 10 classes in the natural science stream and 5 classes in the social science stream. Each student will have two choices of elective subject groups, and the school will assign classes according to their highest priority. According to the school's leadership, the development of elective subject groups is based on surveys of the school's training strengths over many years, as well as lessons learned from the first year of implementing the new program.

In its first year, Nguyen Huu Cau High School offered 6 subject combinations for students to choose from. However, in its second year of implementing the program, the school developed 8 combinations with all the component subjects, including music and fine arts.

Choosing elective subjects is an important task for 10th-grade students.

Besides implementing the "combo" format for elective subject combinations, meaning pre-designed combinations for students to choose from, Dao Son Tay High School (Thu Duc City) has changed its approach. Ms. Hoang Thi Hao, the school's principal, said that last year, the school developed the subject combinations and students registered, with some students preferring 3/4 of the subjects in one combination and 1 subject in another… Therefore, this year, the school will not pre-design the combinations; instead, students will register and propose their own preferences.

How do students choose their elective courses?

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Mai, Principal of Nguyen Huu Cau High School (Hoc Mon District), said that after the first year of applying the new curriculum at the high school level, about 20 out of 500 students who completed grade 10 in the 2022-2023 school year expressed a desire to switch their elective subject combinations.

In addition, according to Ms. Mai, after a year of observation, it was found that 10th-grade students mainly chose elective subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology, even though they had not yet specifically decided on their future career paths, because, according to them, these subjects are included in many exam blocks and university admission combinations...

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (District 1), observed that students from top-tier schools mostly gravitate towards natural sciences and are oriented towards careers in medicine, pharmacy, economics, and engineering… Students from lower-tier schools tend to choose subjects that are more focused on rote learning, so they mainly choose majors in the social sciences.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hao stated that, in addition to compulsory subjects, which are assigned to fixed classes, the school will arrange timetables for elective subjects so that students can move to the specific classrooms for each subject. While parents and students are thinking and researching, the school's counseling team will provide support and answer questions 24/7 on social media.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hao also emphasized: Without thorough counseling, parents and students will have a tendency to choose without understanding career orientation... During the counseling process, the teachers in charge must help parents and students understand the importance of choosing subjects, so that they can make choices seriously and responsibly. In cases where there is still ambiguity and no specific direction, in addition to discussing and understanding the students' feelings, teachers can refer to the report card, and if they see promising results and positive signs in a particular subject, they can advise the students accordingly.

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