Just a small mistake can become an 'internet storm', many teachers are hesitant to go to school

This is the sharing of Dr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers ( Ministry of Education and Training ), within the framework of the discussion "Happy School", organized recently by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences in coordination with the Happy School Support and Development Fund (Happy Lof Schools) in Vietnam.

According to Mr. Duc, the 6X generation was happy to go to school. Now, on the contrary, both children and teachers are under too much pressure to go to school. Especially in the era of technology and social media explosion, every action of teachers, even the smallest mistake, can become a storm on social media. That makes teachers hesitant, not daring to express their true feelings.

In 2018, the Ministry of Education and Training began implementing the happy school model. After that, some provinces, cities, and schools turned this activity into a competitive movement with many criteria, with preliminary and final summaries, and rewards. However, Mr. Vu Minh Duc said that this needs to come from the needs of schools and teachers themselves.

"Don't turn the happy school model into a movement, a competition criterion, and then force schools to implement it. That will create more pressure for them," said Mr. Duc.

In addition, according to Mr. Duc, many schools have implemented it effectively, helping to reduce pressure on students and teachers, and teachers and students enjoy going to class. However, some models are not suitable and are being exploited for economic purposes. Therefore, he suggested that schools must ensure the core values of this model.

Ms. Louise Aukland, a neuroscience researcher at Oxford University, UK, said that according to statistics from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), one in three students is bullied every month at school, and 20% of adolescents worldwide are experiencing mental disorders.

"We must not only make students laugh, but also help them enjoy going to school, have positive emotions, thoughts and mindsets. Happy young people will achieve better results," she said.

Ms. Dang Pham Minh Loan, Director of the Happy School Support and Development Fund, said that the happy school program is designed with specific action plans for teachers and students with two basic and comprehensive models that can be applied in both depth and breadth. In the current conditions, happy schools are an extremely necessary need of society.

Dr. Le Thi Quynh Nga, Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, suggests a happy school model with two main factors.

First is the external factor such as friendly, safe landscape, solid facilities, suitable for the age and development of children. In addition, this criterion also includes the relationship between people, so that students feel respected, trusted, and shared.

"For example, if the school gate is about to collapse or the ceiling fan is at risk of falling, how can students be happy? Similarly, the way teachers treat each other and staff treat students also needs to be focused on, ensuring civility and respect," she said.

The remaining factor, Ms. Nga believes, is that because happiness is a personal emotional state, in order for students to feel happy, they need to be physically and mentally healthy.

"Schools should actively organize sports activities to help students improve their health. As for their spirit, how can we support them to think positively, which will lead to positive emotions, the source of happiness," said Ms. Nga.

Minh Khoi

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