Flowers on the page

Teacher Alăng Thị Điệp tutors students at night. Photo: THIỆN TÙNG

A role model for children

Ms. Alang Thi Diep, a teacher at Chu Van An Ethnic Boarding Primary School (Tra Tap commune), a Co Tu woman from the mountains of Tay Giang, has chosen Tra Tap as a meaningful place to settle down. Every week, she travels nearly 200 kilometers through the forest to get to class, a journey that is arduous just to mention.

On several occasions when I met the young teacher, I was pleasantly surprised by her dynamism and enthusiasm at local programs and events. Even more surprising was how, during the recent floods, she and her colleagues rolled up their sleeves and worked tirelessly, carrying planks of wood and lifting tables to help people move their belongings.

"There are many hardships here, so we have to try a little harder. Every effort, however small, will, I believe, yield positive results later. But teaching children to read and count isn't enough, because the regular work of teachers also involves taking care of the students' lives, acting as their parents when they are at school," Ms. Diep confided.

Ms. Diep actively participates in community activities to help people in mountainous areas. Photo: THIEN TUNG

Outside of class hours, teacher Alăng Thị Điệp also "plays the role" of a hairdresser, a nail technician, and is always ready to help students with any tasks they can't do themselves. In this way, the young teacher has become a close older sister and mother figure to generations of students in the highlands.

"I was born and raised in the mountains, so I know what these children are capable of and what they need. I want them to be confident, to step out and explore life, just like I have done and am doing. Only then will their future not depend on farming," Ms. Diep said.

As a member of an ethnic minority group, Alăng Thị Điệp was once shy and self-conscious due to the hardships of growing up far from electricity, the bustling city, and the educational advancements that were inaccessible in the mountainous region. However, the dedication and care of her teachers helped the young woman gradually gain confidence and aspire to assert her place in society.

Ms. Diep shared: "Now, every time I return to my old school and visit my teachers, I always feel proud that I have become the person I wanted to be, the person that my teachers worked hard to cultivate and guide. The person I am today is the result of the seeds that my teachers nurtured in their noble profession of educating people."

The Flower of Knowledge

Young and enthusiastic, teacher Nguyen Thi Phuong Uyen of Vo Nguyen Giap Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School (Tra Tap commune) has become a shining example in bringing science into the lives of students in mountainous areas.

Students in mountainous areas learn new scientific knowledge from their teacher. Photo: THIEN TUNG

Leaving the well-off lowlands, Ms. Uyen started working in Tra Don in 2021, and then moved to Tra Tap after officially being recruited into the civil service in 2023. Throughout her years of service, this young teacher has consistently applied innovative teaching methods and what she learned in school, helping her students approach science in the most insightful way.

"Everyone asks why I chose to stay in the mountains, but I just know that the children in the highlands deserve to learn science like any other student, so I started by teaching STEM to my students. Initially, it was extremely difficult because most of the children here were unfamiliar with this knowledge, but now things are different. My students have mastered science in fields that suit their abilities," Ms. Uyen shared.

When the Mầm Xanh herbal shampoo, an OCOP product, won second prize in the district-level STEM competition, the joy spread not only among the teachers and students but also throughout the community. It proves that students in mountainous regions are fully capable of creativity, exploration, and mastery of knowledge. Through each project, the students become more confident, learn teamwork, and present their ideas to a crowd – skills that were previously difficult to develop using traditional teaching methods.

“These experiences can nurture dreams and ignite passions, showing the children that knowledge is not something distant, but rather a tool to help them change their lives, opening up opportunities for self-discovery and development in the future. Seeing them become more confident every day, I believe even more that education in mountainous areas can change from the smallest things,” Ms. Uyen said.

These stories are just small pieces in the beautiful picture of education in the mountainous region of Tra Tap. For the teachers, each innocent Xo Dang and Ca Dong child is like a clear stream, steadily progressing and reaching for even the smallest dreams. Every neatly written letter, every academic achievement, every STEM project created… are all “flowers” born from the students’ efforts and the teachers’ dedication. On the pages of books in the highlands, these flowers may not be brightly colored, but they are resilient, simple, and imbued with love. They bloom from the sweat of the teachers, from the students’ will to succeed, and from the sharing of the entire community.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/hoa-tren-trang-sach-3312403.html