The "fire-bearers"

Inspirational

In a quiet classroom, the morning sunlight poured through the window, teacher Nguyen Thi Sau (born in 1980), homeroom teacher of the 11th grade History class at Vo Nguyen Giap High School for the Gifted, began the lesson with a question not in the textbook: "What do you think made a nation that had just escaped from more than 80 years of domination rise up to seize power in just half a month?" The whole class was silent, then hands slowly raised. The classroom atmosphere seemed to be taken back to the fall of 1945. The dry political events suddenly became lively through the stories of Ms. Sau, who had spent 22 years attached to the blackboard, white chalk and the golden pages of the nation's history.

For Ms. Sau, each class hour is a journey to sow the seeds of patriotism into the souls of her students - Photo: TA

No longer just lifeless lines on a book page, the August Revolution appears through Ms. Sau's lecture like a slow-motion film full of drama and emotion. "Ms. Sau teaches history very well. Listening to her talk about the spirit of the whole nation rising up, I feel my heart fluttering and extremely proud," said Nguyen Truong Hai, a 11th grade student majoring in History and a member of the national excellent student selection team, proud of his teacher.

Truong Hai's sharing is also the sentiment of many generations of students for that dedicated teacher. For Ms. Sau, each class hour is a journey to sow the seeds of patriotism in the souls of her students. She especially focuses on innovating teaching methods so that each class hour is no longer dry but becomes lively and engaging. Her dedication has reaped proud "sweet fruits". As a member of the National Council for Training Gifted Students in History and many years as team leader, she and her students have written golden pages of achievements. From the 2019-2020 school year to the 2023-2024 school year, the province's National Gifted Students in History team has won 26 prizes, including 1 first prize, 8 second prizes, 4 third prizes and 13 consolation prizes. In addition, under her guidance, many students have achieved high results in provincial-level Gifted Students competitions. These awards are clear evidence of her dedication, professionalism and effectiveness in training methods.

Teacher Nguyen Dang Truyen always worries about how to make his students not learn history because it is compulsory, but because of passion - Photo: TA

Also having 22 years of attachment to the subject of History, teacher Le Duc Anh (born in 1979), Trieu Phong High School, has persistently "lit the fire" of passion for history in many generations of students. For him, success is not about scores or awards but when students who used to be bored with studying History suddenly turn around and love it and become passionate about it. "History is not to be memorized but to be understood, to feel and to live more responsibly", those are the words that teacher Duc Anh often tells his students. Not dry or empty, historical stories through teacher Anh's lectures become close, authentic and touching.

Throughout the years of working in this profession, the teacher has always been concerned with the question: How can students no longer see History as a dry subject? And the answer is the love for history, the enthusiasm and responsibility of the teacher. For him, teaching history is not only telling stories of the past but also a way to sow gratitude and responsibility in the hearts of students, so that they understand that they are a part of the flow of the nation and that they themselves are continuing to write history today.

Many schools organize revolutionary tradition education at historical sites and "red addresses" - Photo: TA

Nurture a love of history

Once considered a "difficult" subject with dry timelines and events, History is now gradually becoming a favorite of many students when teachers "inspire" with their love for the profession, love for history and constant innovation.

Teacher Nguyen Dang Truyen (born in 1984), a teacher at Tran Hung Dao High School, with 19 years of teaching experience, is always concerned about how to make students not learn history because it is compulsory, but because of passion. With an emotional narrative voice and open-ended questions, each of his lessons is a story, a vivid journey that helps students see that history is not far away, but close. Not only inspiring through lectures, teacher Truyen also proactively innovates teaching methods: Let students discuss in groups, use documentary images, clips, mind maps, etc. From there, students learn History through many senses, through emotions, not just through words.

“In today’s era, when the young generation has access to so many streams of information, preserving and promoting traditional values is very important. Therefore, history teachers are the ones who light the fire of national pride, so that history is not only on the pages of books, but also the blood flowing in the veins of young people so that they can write the golden history of their ancestors with practical, meaningful and valuable actions,” emphasized teacher Nguyen Thi Hai Yen, Principal of Vo Nguyen Giap High School for the Gifted.

In many other schools, teachers also actively apply technology, using videos , documentary clips, and vivid illustrations to make historical events more familiar and realistic. Not only in the classroom, historical playgrounds, extracurricular activities, and visits to historical sites... also contribute to bringing students closer to history in a natural and exciting way.

History will no longer be dry when each teacher knows how to "breathe life" into each lesson. And it is the love and creativity of the teacher that is the bridge that brings students back to their roots, to understand more, love more, and be more proud of their nation and country, to prepare them for the future.

Peace of Mind

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202509/nhung-nguoi-truyen-lua-2174992/