A fourth grader's question left the famous poet "confused"

(Dan Tri) - In response to a question from a 4th grade student, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu admitted his confusion, bewilderment, and even concern about the responsibility of each person in today's era toward the young generation.

“Through books, I know that in the past, there were many famous people in the fields of science , literature, etc. who left behind many valuable works for life and history. And now, what do we have and what will we leave for the next generation?”

That was the question Kim Long, a 4th grade student in Ho Chi Minh City, asked poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association, at the exchange session "From reading to writing - The journey of language development".

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu was surprised by a fourth-grade student's question: "What do we have and what will we leave for the next generation?" (Photo: Hoai Nam).

Mr. Nguyen Quang Thieu said he was surprised, embarrassed, and even somewhat troubled by the philosophical question of his 4th grade student. That question is the responsibility of every person in this era that children are looking at, reflecting on, and waiting for.

At the program, many parents and teachers also expressed concern about the current situation of students reading less books and only preferring to use smartphones.

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu expressed his opinion that the fact that children often hold their phones in their hands is a concern that needs to be warned. However, the fact that children do not have the habit of reading is not their fault, but mostly comes from the fact that adults have not created a healthy environment for children to access reading culture.

Talking about the impact of the surrounding environment on each person's behavior, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu said that he witnessed many adults in the country carelessly littering and throwing away cigarette butts because many people around them were doing the same. But when they went to another country, they did not dare, but carefully looked for the right place to throw trash and cigarette butts.

Going abroad, he also observed that adults in developed countries do not use phones as much as we do. They still hold books in their hands, can read books on the balcony, read on the bus...

The author of the poem "Echo" emphasizes that children's reading culture is influenced by their living environment. If parents, uncles, aunts, siblings do not read books, children will not read books and vice versa.

“If everyone in the parents’ house is holding a phone, the child will reach out and ask for it even though he doesn’t understand what’s inside. But if the child sees his parents and everyone reading a book, he will look for the book. The journey to foster a reading culture must first start from the family, then from the school and the community,” said poet Nguyen Quang Thieu.

He also said that the Vietnam Writers Association is implementing a project to bring free books to children in remote mountainous areas.

The program does not deliver books through schools or libraries, but delivers them directly to the children. The children take the book home, and may leave it on the corner of the table or under the bed, but at least it is there for them to see.

Many students also wonder about balancing technology use and reading when technology, especially artificial intelligence, penetrates every corner of life.

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu confided that when he writes, he records the things he fears, the things he desires, where he went wrong... to reflect on himself, to review himself every day as a way of self -education .

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu interacts with students and parents in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: PN).

According to him, through writing and reading, one can understand one's own heart, have feelings for the people around him, and the feelings from a drop of rain "can also make one tremble"...

At that time, everyone will realize the limits of technology - something that can bring us many conveniences, but cannot create emotions or nurture love.

Chairman of the Writers' Association Nguyen Quang Thieu confided: "Literature or art in general originating from sincerity is a kind of "magic". That magic brings about change from within, helping each person look back at a tree and see it as more beautiful than yesterday, and recognize the good things in the people around them."

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/cau-hoi-cua-hoc-sinh-lop-4-lam-nha-tho-noi-tieng-lung-tung-20251206172021380.htm