The third day of Tet, teachers and the journey to keep the flame of gratitude in the flow of Vietnamese culture

EVERY TET SPRING COMES, VIETNAMESE PEOPLE RECALL THE FOLK SAYING "THE 1ST DAY IS FOR THE FATHER, THE 2ND DAY IS FOR THE MOTHER, THE 3RD DAY IS FOR THE TEACHER" AS A WAY OF SHOWING THE TRADITION OF "REMEMBERING THE SOURCE WHEN DRINKING WATER" AND "RESPECTING TEACHERS AND RESPECTING RELIGION".

Bat Xat is one of the poorest communes in Lao Cai province, where people's living conditions are still lacking. Here, most of the students are Mong ethnic people, their journey to school is extremely difficult when they have to go through forests and cross streams from dawn. The story of teachers sowing dreams is also more difficult when facing poor teaching conditions, students "skipping class to go to the fields".

However, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy - a teacher at Pa Cheo Boarding Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Lao Cai) is still attached to this land, diligently sowing the seeds of knowledge for many generations of students. Ms. Thuy's perseverance is formed from her love for the profession, nurtured by the love of the children and people here.

When mentioning the saying "the third day of Tet, teachers", the female teacher could not help but be moved by the sincere and simple feelings of the students here. Despite the difficult economic conditions, the students still brought their sincere hearts to their teachers. Those were lovely wishes, simple gifts such as bunches of green dong leaves, branches of wild peach blossoms full of buds, or fragrant sticky rice cakes.

In the chilly weather, the children’s cheerful laughter, the flickering fire from the pot of banh chung and the pink peach blossoms blend together to create a peaceful and warm Tet atmosphere in the highlands. This beauty helps teachers forget the difficulties and fatigue and encourages perseverance in sowing the seeds of knowledge.

"Despite many hardships, I am still determined to stay with this land and school. Seeing my students grow up day by day, my heart is filled with immense pride. That is what motivates me to continue to stay and contribute" - Ms. Thuy confided.

The third day of Tet has long been a traditional day to show gratitude to teachers - the dedicated ferrymen who have guided generations of students. In the bustling atmosphere of spring, the wishes sent to teachers are filled with gratitude and sincere feelings.

Once a student, now a teacher, Ms. Dang Thi Lan Anh - a teacher at Wellspring Hanoi International Bilingual School ( Hanoi ) clearly feels the strong connection between teachers and students through each generation. The wishes not only bring joy to Tet but also motivate the young teacher to continue to contribute, impart knowledge and love to generations of students.

“Remembering the days when I was a student, I used to eagerly go with my friends to wish our teachers a Happy New Year. Those were early mornings, when the weather was still a bit chilly, the whole group brought a small bouquet of flowers and some candy. We happily walked into our teachers’ houses, anxiously waiting to say our best wishes.

At that time, our joy was simply seeing the teachers' smiles, hearing their kind instructions and recalling dear memories at school" - Ms. Lan Anh recalled.

Now, standing on the podium as a teacher, Ms. Lan Anh deeply understands the meaning of the third day of Tet. Looking at the students eagerly coming to visit, the young teacher sees herself in the bright eyes and bright smiles of the students.

Having been involved in the profession of "knocking children's heads" for more than 20 years, Ms. Do Thi Thu Nga - a teacher at Thang 10 High School (Tuyen Quang) always looks forward to Teacher's Day because this is an opportunity for her to meet her old students and see their growth.

“The third day of Tet is the time when many of my students come to my house to visit. For students, this is an opportunity to visit and send their New Year wishes to their teachers, and also a chance to recall many memories.

As for me, Tet is an opportunity to see the maturity of each former student. This is probably one of the happiest things for a teacher" - Ms. Nga confided.

On the third day of Tet, when teachers and students meet, it is also an opportunity for stories to be shared. Teachers, in the role of seniors, bring valuable experiences and advice to students. Sometimes, that advice will change the child's life.

“One evening on the third day of Tet many years ago, a student in my 12th grade class asked to come over to my house to wish me a happy new year. After asking me about it, he suddenly cried and said he would quit school after Tet to go to work to help his family.

At that time, I confided in and gave advice to the student. In the end, he was determined to finish high school, then join the police force, and now he is married, has children and still visits me. So, Tet is an opportunity to meet, share and connect" - Ms. Nga recalled.

According to folk belief, "the third day of Tet is for teachers" to remind the tradition of "respecting teachers", honoring teachers who have passed on knowledge, taught skills... to students to help them become famous, talented, and good people.

According to Professor Dr. Pham Tat Dong - former Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Science and Education - in this saying, teachers are placed on par with parents - those who have given birth and raised them, affirming that teachers play an important role in the growth process of each person.

Tet Teacher's Day in the first days of the new year also shows the difference with Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20. In the jubilant atmosphere of Tet, it is the time to pay respect to special relatives, those who have a great influence on you. New Year's wishes are also prayers for loved ones to have a peaceful year and all things go smoothly.

Amidst the rapid development of society, the tradition of “respecting teachers” expressed through Tet Teacher also has changed to adapt to the times. Nowadays, it is not necessary to visit teachers on the 3rd day, but you can still visit on the 4th or 5th day, depending on the schedule of both sides.

“With the development of social networks, students and teachers can communicate via text messages, comments under articles or a friendly phone call. Respecting teachers is not about complicated things or valuable items, but lies in the feelings that are given” - Professor Pham Tat Dong emphasized.