Cultivating a love for culture through experiences in traditional craft villages.

From this practical experience, it can be seen that experiencing traditional craft villages is not just a illustrative educational activity, but is becoming a bridge for students to step out of the classroom, to directly observe, listen, and interact with those who "preserve the craft".

Students from Hoang Phu Secondary School (Hoang Thanh commune) visit and experience the Le Gia canned seafood production factory. Photo: Viet Huong.

Hands-on experiences in traditional craft villages help children understand more about culture, the value of labor, and inspire passion and creativity.

As part of its experiential education activities, on November 21, 2025, Hoang Phu Secondary School (Hoang Thanh commune) organized a field trip for its students to visit and experience the traditional fish sauce making craft of Khuc Phu - one of the cradles of traditional fish sauce making in Thanh Hoa province. The destination was Le Gia Seafood Canned Food Factory.

Through hands-on experience at the craft village, students have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the Khuc Phu fish sauce craft village, the traditional fish sauce production process, from fermenting anchovies with sea salt, pressing, stirring, to extracting the fish sauce... This seemingly dry knowledge is absorbed very naturally when connected to the craft village environment and the simple, sincere stories of Mr. Le Anh - the owner of the Le Gia fish sauce brand - a man born and raised in the craft village, and also a genuine worker in the fish sauce factory.

Right in the factory's space, the students also participated in the "Golden Bell" game, with a series of questions revolving around knowledge of traditional fish sauce making and local culture.

Nguyen Van Minh Duc, a student in class 8A1 at Hoang Phu Secondary School, shared: “Before, I only knew fish sauce for dipping and cooking. Now I understand that making each drop of fish sauce is a very long and elaborate process, taking up to two years of fermenting salted fish using traditional methods to produce the final product. I appreciate the hard work of the laborers more and am proud that my hometown has such a traditional craft.”

More than just a field trip, the experiential activities at Le Gia also instilled in the students a sense of pride in their hometown. Witnessing firsthand a traditional fish sauce production facility that meets standards, has a brand name, boasts two 5-star OCOP products, and has a large market, the students realized that traditional crafts are not just a thing of the past, but can absolutely coexist with modernity.

“Visiting and experiencing the Le Gia factory has broadened my horizons, allowed me to learn many new things, and made me even more proud of the traditional craft of my hometown. In particular, Mr. Le Anh's stories were very inspiring, motivating us to continue striving in our studies, pursuing our dreams, and contributing to our homeland,” shared Cao Thi Uyen Linh, a student in class 8A4.

Mr. Truong Van Thuat, Principal of Hoang Phu Secondary School, said: “In the current educational context, the school places great importance on extracurricular experiential learning activities. Many activities are organized in collaboration with other schools, such as: experiencing the traditional fish sauce making village of Khuc Phu, visiting the Vietnam Military Museum, and the Army Station military experience area (Hanoi). In particular, the traditional fish sauce making experience at the Le Gia factory included many beneficial activities, not only providing knowledge about the craft but, more importantly, spreading cultural and traditional values, helping students understand and appreciate the value of labor. These are lessons that textbooks cannot fully convey. When students leave the classroom and are exposed to real-life production, they will form a more comprehensive view of the local economy and culture, thereby fostering an awareness of preserving and promoting the values ​​of their homeland.”

Thanh Hoa has long been known as the land of "hundreds of crafts." Through the ups and downs of history and social changes, traditional craft villages have remained present as enduring cultural undercurrents, quietly flowing through community life. Many craft villages have gradually built their brands, bringing their products to the market, such as Hoang Ha wood carvings, Thieu Trung bronze ware, Nga Son sedge handicrafts, Khuc Phu fish sauce, and Ba Lang fish sauce... Notably, behind this development are the figures of young people who dare to think, dare to act, boldly innovate in thinking, management, and market approach. They are helping to prove that traditional crafts are not just memories but can absolutely become a driving force for economic and cultural development in contemporary life.

From this practical experience, it can be seen that experiential learning in craft villages is not just a illustrative educational activity, but is becoming a bridge for students to step out of the classroom, to directly observe, listen, and interact with those who "preserve the craft." They not only acquire knowledge but also feel the depth of cultural identity and the value of genuine labor. It is from these intimate experiences that love for their homeland is naturally and sustainably formed, nurturing the aspiration to inherit, innovate, and spread traditional values. In the long term, if experiential education in craft villages is organized systematically, linked to school tourism and career guidance, it will be an important "seed" for the craft villages of Thanh Hoa province to not only be preserved but also continue to adapt and develop in the rhythm of modern life.

Viet Huong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/gieo-tinh-yeu-van-hoa-nbsp-tu-trai-nghiem-lang-nghe-274723.htm