Promoting teachers' autonomy when unifying a set of textbooks

GD&TĐ - According to many managers and teachers, unifying a set of textbooks does not disrupt teaching and learning.

The measure of educational innovation is not based on how many textbooks are available, but on the requirements of the program, teachers refer to many sources of learning materials, determine appropriate teaching and assessment methods.

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Since implementing the 2018 General Education Program, Town 2 Secondary School, Van An Commune, Nghe An has used the Connecting Knowledge to Life book series. After completing the 4-year cycle, entering the 2025-2026 school year, the school has not changed its choice of textbooks to stabilize teaching and learning as well as facilitate parents and students in purchasing books.

Regarding the policy of using a unified set of textbooks, Ms. Tran Thi Duyen - Vice Principal of Town 2 Secondary School (Van An Commune, Nghe An) said that the school is ready to accept and implement.

In the past school years, although there were 3 sets of textbooks that were reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Education and Training , during the teaching and learning process, the school only selected and used 1 set of textbooks.

Therefore, a unified set of textbooks will not affect or change much in teachers' teaching. According to the 2018 General Education Program, textbooks are not a law, but only teaching materials through which teachers can help students develop the qualities and skills they need to achieve.

Class time at Town 2 Secondary School, Van An Commune, Nghe An. Photo: Ho Lai

“Our school uses the book series Connecting knowledge with life, but in practice, teaching in class, nurturing excellent students, reviewing for final exams... many teachers of the school have proactively bought other sets of books as reference materials. Thereby, filtering and using flexible and appropriate content in teaching, suitable for each group of students. The most important thing for teachers in the past years of implementing the 2018 General Education Program is to form a mindset and teaching methods in the direction of promoting teaching capacity. Therefore, when using a unified set of books, it does not lose flexibility or creativity in education," Ms. Tran Thi Duyen shared.

Meanwhile, Ms. Pham Thi Huong - Principal of Town 2 Primary School (Van An Commune, Nghe An) frankly admitted that if teachers have high qualifications, using many sets of books and reference materials for teaching is a wonderful thing. However, from many years of teaching and management experience, Ms. Huong shared that the level of primary school teachers in the school in particular and in the area in general is not uniform. Primary school teachers who are highly autonomous, flexible, and boldly creative in their lessons are not many.

Teachers must actively self-study, improve their capacity, and proactively research teaching materials to come up with appropriate teaching methods. Photo: Ho Lai

In the current stage, if a unified set of common textbooks is implemented, Ms. Pham Thi Huong hopes that there will be orientation in each lesson, in addition to the requirement to meet the regulations in the curriculum framework. Thus, competent teachers will still proactively promote their abilities and strengths, improving the effectiveness of teaching. Meanwhile, teachers with lower qualifications will also be more confident in teaching, without fear of being misdirected.

Ms. Pham Thi Huong also said that in the 5 years of implementing the General Education Program at the primary level, the school's teachers have been trained, exchanged, and participated in professional activities regularly and continuously. The school's board of directors also updates guiding documents, grasps domestic and international educational trends to disseminate and exchange with teachers. The school sets high requirements for teachers in self-study and self-improvement of capacity such as: Self-study of English, application of information technology, digital transformation in teaching. Currently, the school's teachers can flexibly apply AI to teaching lessons such as: designing teaching activities, organizing games to promote creativity, and self-learning of knowledge for students...

As teachers become more mature and confident in their expertise, skills, and teaching methods, it becomes easier to approach new elements in education, including changing textbooks.

Consistency in teaching and assessment

According to teacher Phan Thi Van Huong - teacher of Hung Dung Secondary School (Truong Vinh Ward, Nghe An), implementing a common set of textbooks does not cause difficulties for teachers in teaching. The important thing is that teachers study the documents, focus on the knowledge and skills that students need to achieve, and create consistency in teaching.

According to Ms. Van Huong, the number of textbooks is not a measure of teaching innovation, but rather the creativity and autonomy of teachers: Pedagogical capacity, teaching organization, and student assessment organization. Textbooks are only the main documents for organizing teaching. Teachers need to base on the requirements of the program, refer to many sources of learning materials, and determine appropriate teaching methods, not only in Literature but also in other subjects.

Teacher Phan Thi Van Huong (middle) is currently a Literature teacher at Hung Dung Secondary School (Truong Vinh Ward, Nghe An). Photo: NVCC

“I agree with the current general education program in its superiority, giving teachers and students the opportunity to be autonomous and creative. The way the questions are organized for assessment and evaluation are also open-ended, posing problems and requiring students to apply their knowledge to come up with solutions. Regardless of which textbooks are used, I hope the education sector will continue to promote innovations in current testing and assessment methods so that teachers and students can feel secure in teaching and learning,” Ms. Van Huong shared.

Many school administrators in Nghe An said that it is currently unclear whether the Ministry of Education and Training will compile a completely new set of common textbooks, or on the basis of adjusting and supplementing one of the three existing textbook sets. However, regardless of the plan, the desire of officials and teachers is that the common textbooks will ensure scientific, logical, and modern qualities - effective and high-quality teaching materials.

According to Mr. Cao Thanh Bao - Principal of Ha Huy Tap High School (Thanh Vinh Ward, Nghe An), the spirit of the 2018 General Education Program is to take the learner as the center. Along with that, innovate teaching methods, testing and evaluating learners. When using a unified set of books, it is easy for some teachers and students to stick to one document in teaching and learning as before when considering textbooks as a decree. Therefore, to ensure the spirit of innovation in teaching and learning according to the 2018 General Education Program, it is necessary to ensure the testing and evaluation of learners in the direction of promoting their capacity. Avoid the situation of "teaching according to the test", or teaching by rote.

Mr. Cao Thanh Bao - Principal of Ha Huy Tap High School (Nghe An) also shared that, regarding the policy of a common set of textbooks, when free for students, the implementation method at the school is to lend textbooks to students. Students do not have to buy books, but depending on the subject and topic of study, they choose and register to borrow books with the school. At the end of the school year, they will return them to the next class and borrow books for the new school year. Every year, the school will review and report the number of damaged or lost books (if any) to request additional books.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/phat-huy-nang-luc-tu-chu-cua-giao-vien-khi-thong-nhat-mot-bo-sach-giao-khoa-post748198.html