Thoughts and feelings about the teaching profession

Teachers are the guides who lead generations of students to maturity.

ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Education has always been a focal point of public attention. On November 20th – Vietnamese Teachers' Day – these "engineers of the soul" receive even more attention from society. Flowers, praise, congratulations, gifts… have become commonplace, so they're considered normal. What's abnormal is that these images of gratitude quickly fade into the background amidst controversy. Could it be that individual "mistakes" from somewhere have been pieced together to create a gloomy picture?

Criticism is often disguised as constructive feedback. Is that fair when students are improving every day thanks to the care of their teachers? Let's not forget the schools in remote, mountainous, and island areas. There, teachers are imparting knowledge amidst numerous hardships. Although they are considered truly virtuous teachers in the eyes of the people, none of them dream of titles like People's Teacher or Excellent Teacher.

The challenge is finding teachers who know how to inspire.

No one is born to be a teacher. But those who are teachers must live and teach in a way that is worthy of the respect and reverence for teachers that the people have always upheld. They must live virtuously, be clean, and behave according to standards in order to teach what is good and right. Be cautious with young students. Because chalk written on a blackboard can be easily erased. But what a teacher writes on a student's soul will remain deeply etched for a lifetime. Unfortunately, the current educational environment, though not widespread, still has some "officials" with a knack for arrogance, excessive fees, and abuse of power; and some teachers with a "specialty" in hurting students.

Our nation's history is not lacking in enlightened and virtuous masters like Chu Van An, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Le Quy Don... These renowned masters did not attend teacher training colleges. The profound cultural heritage of the nation "trained" them. Teacher training colleges now produce thousands of teachers every year without difficulty. The challenge lies in finding teachers who can inspire learning, who can use their compassion and virtue to touch the hearts of their students. These are truly excellent teachers, and one excellent teacher is worth more than a load of books.

Nothing can replace the teacher in the role of shaping character, nurturing the soul, and enlightening the intellect of students.

I once heard a strange story about an 11th-grade student at school X. She disliked the school because it forced students to participate in too many extracurricular competitions, cutting short regular class time. Students assigned to these competitions found it difficult to refuse. Despite her dislike, she was commended every week during the flag-raising ceremony. When her friends questioned her, she explained: "If I dislike it but can't escape it, I have to adapt. I can't use that as a reason to be dissatisfied or become delinquent." I admired her. Knowing how to change one's perspective and way of thinking to transform one's circumstances is something not everyone can do.

Looking out the window in the morning, I often see parents dropping their children off at school with grumpy faces. The child hastily eats something in the car. Their eyes look a little sad. The journey to school lacks joy. The afternoons are no more relaxing. Hundreds of parents anxiously wait for their children outside the school gate. Before even getting home, parents are already asking: "How many points did you get today?" The road home is devoid of laughter. I think building a happy school environment isn't just the responsibility of the school and teachers, but also of the parents. Adults are pushing their children to study until they're practically worn out. Gritting your teeth to study might have some benefits, but it's a benefit without teeth. Cramming is like scooping water with a sieve. After graduation, how many life skills will they actually possess?

A happy school requires the joint efforts of the school, family, and society.

Teachers' place remains the podium.

Despite numerous difficulties and shortcomings, teachers always encourage each other: Our place remains the classroom. As for how much our quality of life will improve, we'll just have to wait, as we've always waited. Waiting is a quality, and also a habit, of self-respecting teachers. While undertaking the arduous task set forth by educational reform, teachers are also eagerly awaiting a reform in the lives of educators.

Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20th evokes many emotions and thoughts. Schools are entering a digital transformation, culminating in robots and artificial intelligence. But these are merely conveniences. Nothing can replace the teacher in their role of shaping character, nurturing souls, and enlightening the minds of generations of students.

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