Ms. Xuan said the secret to staying with her class is love and patience - Photo: AN VI
"Ah, ah, oh...", the regular reading sounds come from the level 4 house of Mrs. Pham Thi Xuan (72 years old, living in Tay Ninh City). She has been patient with these special children for over 20 years with her pension.
Special Class
At 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Xuan had just opened the door when the special children were brought in by their parents. Some were only 10 years old, while others were over 20 and still in elementary school.
In a room of only about 20 square meters , Ms. Xuan divided the class into three groups: spelling, math, and writing. The board above was also divided into three sections by Ms. Xuan to teach the three groups of students separately.
"Then sit up straight and take out your books for me quickly", as soon as Mrs. Xuan finished speaking, the whole class silently followed.
Unlike many other classes, students here sometimes only respond to Ms. Xuan’s questions with a smile or a scratch of the head. Even during the entire lesson, many children can only spell 2-3 words.
"Most of the children have slower cognition than their peers. This class is better. Before, I taught a class with someone over 20 years old who couldn't learn to spell. You have to be patient and love the children. If you are impatient, you won't be able to teach them," Ms. Xuan shared.
After copying the math problem on the board, Ms. Xuan walked toward the two children who were learning to spell, patiently recited the spelling of the letters a, ă, â... many times, then asked the students to look at her and repeat exactly the same.
For the students here, repeating what the teacher just said is not easy. In each lesson, they can only learn to spell 10 words at most.
The children did not call Mrs. Xuan "teacher" but affectionately called her "mother". After writing a few words on the board, Mrs. Xuan went down to the classroom and used a towel to wipe the dirty faces of many children.
"A few years ago, I taught a student who often had epileptic seizures. When he had a seizure, his body jerked violently and he fell, so he was arranged to sit alone on a sofa and I was always nearby to intervene promptly," Ms. Xuan recalled.
Another special thing about this class is that the door is always locked tightly, because many students in the class are sometimes hyperactive and run away everywhere.
"I'm worried that the children will run out into the street. They don't know anything. If something happens, it will be very dangerous," Ms. Xuan added.
The class lasts until about 11 o'clock. Any student whose parent is coming to pick them up can go home first, Ms. Xuan will open the door for them.
Tran Thi Thu (12 years old) learned to spell the word "mother". When her parents came to pick her up, she called out "mother". Kim Ngan (35 years old), Thu's mother, suddenly hugged her daughter and burst into tears.
"That's effective, tomorrow I will teach the baby to say the word three, the number of words will increase later, try to practice", Mrs. Xuan said to Ms. Ngan.
Both a teacher and a mother
Recalling the first day she sent Thu to Ms. Xuan's class, Ms. Ngan said that her daughter at home could only cry and make noises.
"Sent to Ms. Xuan's house last year, my child has improved significantly, smiles more, and feels a bit more alert," Ms. Ngan shared more.
Over the past 20 years, among her students, some children with autism, Down syndrome, and disabilities have been able to integrate into society. One of them is a student named Quoc Khanh, whom she just called to chat with via Zalo.
Mr. Khanh spoke clearly, greeted her politely and boasted that he was helping his family drive a truck to deliver goods to customers. Mr. Khanh was one of the first students in the class, Mrs. Xuan recalled that he could not speak and was very slow at math.
"I have taught Khanh primary school for nearly five years. He has started to read, his spirit and communication skills have improved a lot. Every year on November 20, he comes here to visit me," Ms. Xuan proudly said.
As a former elementary school teacher, Ms. Xuan said teaching children here is completely different. She does not prepare lesson plans in advance, nor does she assign homework.
"The goal when coming here is to help the children integrate. If we push them too hard, they will be scared, unable to learn, and won't dare to come to class," the retired teacher explained.
When asked what her secret was to staying in the class for so long, she simply replied that it was love and patience. Pens, books... all expenses in this special class were paid for by Ms. Xuan from her pension of more than 7 million VND/month.
According to Ms. Xuan, the charity class also receives attention and support from the community and social organizations. Schools in the area also often donate old books to the class.
Pointing to the flowers hanging on the cupboard, Mrs. Xuan said that was the gift that touched her the most.
"From innocent to heartbreaking children, after studying here, the children have become more aware. On holidays, they give flowers to their teachers, and when they come home, they know how to say hello to their parents. That is the motivation for me to maintain the class for over 20 years," Ms. Xuan confided.
Ms. Pham Thi Xuan (72 years old) has opened a charity class for more than 20 years - Photo: AN VI
Ms. Pham Thi Xuan used to join the army as an information soldier of the 581st group of Military Region 3 operating in Ha Nam Ninh province (old). In 1982, she followed her husband to Tay Ninh to work and build a new life.
In Tay Ninh, Ms. Xuan worked as aneducation manager and then a teacher at Kim Dong Primary School (Tay Ninh City). After retiring, she participated in social work and became known to many people for her volunteer work and caring for people in difficult circumstances.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lop-hoc-dac-biet-o-tay-ninh-co-giao-thuong-tre-mac-tu-ky-hoi-chung-down-het-long-20250601225831035.htm
Comment (0)