With the new curriculum, how should teachers' mindsets change and become more creative? These are stories and perspectives shared by teachers who have been teaching and learning under the new curriculum for the past few years.
LET'S "CATCH THE TREND" WITH OUR STUDENTS
During a recent training session on the 5th grade Vietnamese textbook organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, Dr. Tran Thi Quynh Nga, a principal lecturer in the Department of Primary Education at Hue University of Education, recounted a story. At one training session for primary school teachers, a demonstration lesson was shown. Before requiring students to write a paragraph introducing their favorite cartoon, the teacher had them play a game of listening to music and guessing the cartoon's name. Dr. Nga turned to the primary school teachers and asked, "Does anyone know what cartoon this is?", and many shook their heads. Similarly, with the new Vietnamese textbook curriculum, in grades 4 and 5, there is an extended reading section. When Dr. Nga asked the teachers, "What kind of books do children like to read these days?", few could answer. The part where teachers suggest good books for students to read, and encourage them to take notes and share their reading with teachers and classmates, was also largely overlooked by many teachers.
Teachers from Thanh An Primary School, Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, at a training session on the 5th grade textbook.
The first point Dr. Nga wants to emphasize to teachers who will be teaching 5th grade from the 2024-2025 school year is to boldly "follow trends" with their students. When teachers truly enter the world of young children, knowing what movies they like to watch, what songs they like to listen to, what books they like to read, then in their lessons, they only need to mention one detail, and the students will exclaim with delight, making the lesson much more engaging. Next, Dr. Nga reminds teachers not to underestimate the importance of the warm-up at the beginning of the lesson – just 3-5 minutes, but it's crucial because it creates interest for students and connects them to the lesson. Happy students, happy teachers, will lead to a happy lesson and a happy school. The new curriculum requires a new mindset from teachers, a new mindset towards learners, and a new mindset towards the texts they will read and understand.
I spent over a month of summer studying the new textbooks.
The 2024-2025 school year will be the first year that Mr. Mai Ngoc Giau, 29 years old, with 7 years of experience at Thanh An Primary School in Can Gio District (Ho Chi Minh City), teaches 5th grade. "Previously, I taught 4th grade. I spent more than a month of summer vacation studying the new 5th grade textbooks, covering all subjects from math, Vietnamese, science … I believe that with the new curriculum, teachers need to carefully study the lesson content to impart knowledge and understanding to their students. At the same time, each teacher like me must learn from senior teachers and colleagues… to find effective ways to convey knowledge. In today's age, students easily access information on the internet, however, teachers need to guide them to receive accurate information," Mr. Giau said.
A female teacher with many years of experience as a homeroom teacher at a primary school in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the mindset of a teacher in any era always needs innovation, creativity, and must always be for the benefit of the students. She expressed: "Just a few minutes of conversation, suggesting books they should read, can help spread a reading culture among students. Just a few minutes guiding students through simple experiments like making bean sprouts or growing rice from grains... can make students more enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school. Innovation isn't something far-fetched when teachers meticulously care for these small details every day."
I strive a little harder each day for my students.
Speaking at the training session on the new 5th grade science textbooks held at Binh Khanh Primary School, Can Gio District on July 9th, Ms. Vo Thi Hong Thu, Deputy Principal of Binh Hung Primary School, Binh Chanh District (Ho Chi Minh City), said that the new textbooks are compiled with the aim of developing students' competencies and qualities, helping them to be constantly creative and apply what they have learned to life. The teaching method for science under the new curriculum also focuses on learning through experience, discovery, exchange, discussion, and project-based learning…
A teacher asked, "How can we teach and learn through experience and practice in places with limited facilities?" Ms. Vo Thi My Hanh, Deputy Principal of Dong Ba Primary School, Phu Nhuan District (Ho Chi Minh City), said that a combination of practical experiments and observation could be used. For example, teachers could perform experiments and record videos for students to watch; however, this should be limited. "If each teacher makes a little effort in each subject, we can see a clear change in the students. Teachers should observe that students who learn the new curriculum from grade 1 to grade 5 will be very confident when presenting and more capable when working in groups," Ms. Hanh shared.
Teachers at the training session on the 5th grade Vietnamese language textbook in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
ENHANCE TEACHERS' SELF-LEARNING ABILITIES
Ms. Dinh Thi Lieu, Deputy Principal of Thanh An Primary School, Can Gio District, said that the school has a team of young, enthusiastic teachers who are always dynamic and creative, and quick to apply information technology. This is also a favorable factor when implementing the new curriculum. "In education, the creativity of teachers is very important. And especially when implementing the new curriculum, I believe even more that teachers need to constantly improve their self-learning abilities, in addition to participating in professional development activities from the Department of Education and Training," Ms. Lieu said.
According to Ms. Vo Thi Kim Anh, a specialist at the Education and Training Department of Can Gio District, the new program promotes student initiative, develops their abilities and qualities, and teaches in a way that closely reflects reality... "With the new program, a humane and objective assessment method from teachers is needed, because each student will have their own abilities and strengths; it's impossible to expect all students to excel in all subjects equally. The important thing is that teachers need to help students develop their existing abilities and strengths, and strive harder in skills they haven't yet mastered so that today will be better than yesterday," Ms. Kim Anh explained.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/theo-chuong-trinh-moi-giao-vien-day-hoc-rat-khac-185240721204744715.htm
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