Developing pedagogical practice schools: Maintaining quality, avoiding dispersion

GD&TĐ - Expanding teacher training schools is necessary to serve teacher training, but also requires reasonable planning and policies to avoid dispersion and unfair competition.

Need for expansion

In the process of fundamental and comprehensive education reform, teacher training institutions increasingly focus on linking theory with practice. Pedagogical practice schools were established to create a professional training environment for students, where they can experiment and update new teaching methods.

This is not only a “laboratory” for lecturers and pedagogical students, but also a place to receive and spread innovation to general education. Along with the need for expansion, many managers and experts emphasize the negative side of the “flourishing” practice schools. If each pedagogical school opens more general facilities under the name of “pedagogical practice”, this can cause significant consequences for the education system.

Dr. Pham Kim Thu - Principal of Mai Hac De High School ( Hanoi ) said that a teacher training school should only establish a maximum of 1-2 practice facilities, but they must be properly invested and closely linked to the training program. Opening too many will lead to a situation of dispersion, lack of concentration, and even disrupt the planning of the school network.

According to Dr. Thu, national and local planning calculates the number of general schools based on population density and learning needs. If a series of unplanned practice schools appear, it will put pressure on infrastructure, traffic and imbalance in enrollment. In particular, parents and students may be caught up in the new "wave" without ensuring the expected quality.

From another perspective, Dr. Le Dong Phuong - former Director of the Center for Higher Education Research (Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences ), said that for large-scale universities training in pedagogy, the number of 1-2 practice schools may not be enough.

He cited: “There are teacher training schools that train thousands of students. With a class size of 30-40 students, only one student teacher can be arranged. If there are only 1-2 practice schools, it is clearly not enough. Opening many facilities is necessary to ensure that students have the opportunity to practice and intern.”

Dr. Phuong emphasized that the pedagogical practice school also plays an important role in implementing new training programs such as teaching in English, or integrated subjects of History - Geography, and Natural Sciences. “The more practice facilities there are, the greater the opportunity for lecturers and students to approach and experiment with new methods. That is the factor that creates dynamism and creativity for the teacher training system,” he said.

Many people believe that when the State supports teacher training colleges with land and human resources, opening more practice schools will create a superior advantage over private schools that have to take care of all their facilities, teachers and finances. However, Dr. Le Dong Phuong believes that the issue needs to be viewed more objectively.

He analyzed that the teacher training school is a public school, so it is also limited by the investment capacity of the governing body. Tuition fees may be higher than some other schools but are still subject to certain regulations of the local Department of Education and Training.

“Therefore, it does not create fierce competition as many people fear. If private schools feel pressured, what they need to do is focus on improving the quality of training to affirm their position,” Dr. Phuong said.

Associate Professor Dr. Vo Van Thang - former Principal of An Giang University (Ho Chi Minh City National University), shared experiences from the model of Pedagogical Practice High School of the unit. This is the leading model in the country in organizing 3 levels of general education right on the university campus. Currently, the school is in the top group in Long Xuyen City (old), ensuring quality, promoting efficiency, saving human resources and costs.

“The establishment of a practice school, if properly planned and strictly approved, will bring about clear results: saving human resources and costs while ensuring the quality of internships for pedagogical students,” Mr. Thang commented.

Obviously, in the context of increasingly diverse teacher training, the need for practice is constantly increasing, the expansion of practice facilities is necessary. But the story does not stop at quantity, but also lies in the organization and planning to avoid unwanted consequences.

Students defend their graduation projects at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. Photo: N.D

Keep the system fair

Dr. Pham Kim Thu also pointed out the shortcomings: there are universities that do not train teachers or medical students but still open general education facilities under the name of "practice". "This deviates from the goal. Practice must be associated with vocational training in teachers or medicine. If it turns into an educational business, it will no longer have professional meaning," the doctor said.

According to Dr. Thu, higher education institutions that train teachers must prioritize teacher training instead of pursuing commercial goals. The establishment of new practice schools must be linked to the school network planning, with assessment from the State management agency on practical needs. In particular, the “practice linkage” model can be encouraged, instead of opening more schools.

“Pedagogical colleges can sign cooperation agreements with existing high schools to send students for internships. This will save resources and ensure fairness for schools in the area,” said Dr. Thu.

Sharing the same approach, Associate Professor Dr. Vo Van Thang said that we should not ban the opening of new practice schools, but we also cannot allow them to develop indiscriminately. “Planning must be based on the number of students, schools and practical needs of each area,” Mr. Thang said.

Dr. Le Dong Phuong emphasized that if there is a need, both public and private schools should build their own practice facilities, or sign cooperation agreements with general schools to serve the goal of vocational training. Regarding concerns that opening too many practice facilities could disrupt the general education planning, Dr. Phuong affirmed that this has been calculated in Circular 01/2024/TT-BGDDT on Standards for Higher Education Institutions.

“Pedagogical schools are required to have practice facilities. Construction within university campuses is normal and does not disrupt planning as many people think,” said Mr. Phuong.

Currently, many pedagogical universities in the Southeast region have established pedagogical practice schools, such as the University of Pedagogical Practice High School (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education), Practice Primary School, Practice High School (Saigon University), Practice High School (Dong Nai University)... This is an environment for students to practice their profession, and at the same time a place to test and spread new teaching methods.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/phat-trien-truong-thuc-hanh-su-pham-giu-chat-luong-tranh-dan-trai-post754901.html