Recently, theeducation sector has been continuously plagued by many sad incidents, such as parents entering schools to beat teachers; students being disrespectful and insulting teachers... In the context of changing relationships in schools, what should teachers do to maintain a healthy school environment and prevent heartbreaking incidents from happening?
Invisible pressure from social networks
The 2023-2024 school year has almost ended its first semester, but psychological pressure is still weighing heavily on Ms. TN, a teacher at a high school in District 3 (HCMC). She said that because she had just returned to work after maternity leave, her appearance had not returned to the same level as before pregnancy. “Previously, I usually spent the first 1-2 classes of the year introducing myself and getting to know the students. This year, before I received the class, I read information about myself on the school's fanpage. After the first week of school, the content the students discussed was not teaching methods but the teacher's appearance. That made me sad for a long time,” Ms. TN expressed.
In another case, a teacher at a secondary school in Go Vap District (HCMC) confided that voting for a class committee is one of the activities at the beginning of the year for teachers and students. It seems simple, but at the beginning of this school year, a student in her class was not assigned the task of deputy class monitor as he wished because he did not have the trust of other students. This student went home and told his parents.
As a result, the student’s mother went to the school and requested a meeting with representatives of the school board, the homeroom teacher, and the student’s family to clarify why “the teacher discriminated against the student.” The incident did not end there. This parent posted a status on social media with harsh words, claiming that the teacher was insensitive and did not care about the student’s feelings.
Currently, most secondary and high schools allow students to use mobile phones in class, but under teacher supervision. Accordingly, students are allowed to use mobile phones in group activities to do multiple choice exercises or look up information; during the remaining class time, students must turn off their phones or turn them off, and keep their phones in their bags or backpacks.
However, many sad events that have occurred recently show that this electronic device is being abused by students. Every word, action or image of a teacher in class can be secretly filmed, photographed or posted on social networks by students. This reality makes many teachers choose to "turn a blind eye", but always have a cautious and worried mentality, not knowing when they will be "exposed" by students, from which arises a defensive mentality, being cautious in every word and action because "a little carelessness will result in a lawsuit to the principal".
Teachers change habits and perceptions
Ms. Le Thi Viet Ha, Head of the Literature Group, Dao Son Tay High School (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City), believes that many tense incidents between students and teachers that have occurred recently are due to a lack of harmony in perception and thinking. When teachers speak and students do not understand, they will "make a mess", making teachers more easily angry, leading to inappropriate communication. To overcome this situation, teachers must first be steadfast in their expertise, because only with solid expertise can they master the lesson.
Once students are attracted to the lecture and focused on participating in classroom activities, there will be no time for personal work or "playing tricks" in class. In addition, teachers need to constantly improve their teaching skills, not focusing too much on the "teaching" factor but need to change their perception to learn with students. When students make mistakes, teachers do not judge or scold but interact as a companion, thereby reducing the tension in the teacher-student relationship and working in the spirit of sharing and cooperation.
From another perspective, according to Mr. Pham Le Thanh, Chemistry teacher at Nguyen Hien High School (District 11, Ho Chi Minh City), to do well as a teacher in the context of integration, teachers must first change their thinking about students to be more open and humane, not imposing but always receptive. In the classroom, each student has different strengths and personalities.
The task of a teacher is to communicate with students, help them feel close, see teachers as "big friends" to share their thoughts and feelings, through which teachers can guide, train and shape students to mature in personality and knowledge. Along with that, teachers today must be knowledgeable in many fields, accumulate experience, including proactively grasping trends with students to understand their spiritual and emotional lives, thereby integrating cognitive education and life skills through classroom lessons.
Dr. GIANG THIEN VU, lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education: Changing behavior from both sides
Communication and behavior must come from both sides. It is impossible to ask teachers to unilaterally change their communication style without any action or effort from students and parents. Currently, the development of science - technology and social context has changed the social status and pedagogical communication style between teachers and students. In addition, living conditions and economic life have developed in a more complete direction than before, causing the need for recognition and respect of learners to increase, which means the role and position of teachers has decreased.
Nowadays, the concept of “teacher” is increasingly expanding, no longer limited to the traditional framework, especially in the context of digital transformation of education. Therefore, the two most important criteria in pedagogical communication relationships, especially communication through digital environments (online teaching, social network interactions, etc.) are listening and understanding each other’s needs and emotions, from which we can improve communication relationships and cultural behavior in the school environment.
MSc. NGUYEN HO THUY ANH, educational psychology expert: Don't let teachers handle the crisis alone.
Being assigned to teach a class means that, legally, teachers are recognized as having the role and duties of a teacher. In any school, teachers need to be protected by the entire system of that school - from the board of directors, the union, the professional group leader, the security force, colleagues in the school...
If we think that “what must teachers do for students to be so rude”, then we have unintentionally contributed to the idea that everyone has the right to act inappropriately towards others on behalf of the law. What if in the family, if parents are wrong, children have the right to be rude, to act against moral standards? To avoid such heartbreaking images, schools need to cooperate with families to educate students from preschool to high school on how to oppose things they consider wrong in a systematic and moderate manner, and to follow the rules of the agency or school unit.
It is time for schools to rebuild their teacher support systems. In teacher recruitment interviews, in addition to questions related to income and career development opportunities, new teachers need to pay more attention to what support the school provides in dealing with crises and risky situations that arise from their jobs.
Dr. NGUYEN HUU LONG, lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City Open University: Principled and flexible behavior
The 4.0 industrial revolution brings many benefits, helping people easily access scientific knowledge and communicate with technology. This convenience helps students have the opportunity to seek knowledge to serve their learning and self-development needs. This helps them confidently approach the world, increase their understanding, and also change the relationship in daily communication between students and teachers.
Therefore, teachers need to accept the maturity and even the differences in communication of students today. Relationships need to ensure principles but must be flexible. Principles are rules in communication and behavior set in and out of the classroom, which behaviors students must comply with to ensure school culture. However, teachers need to be flexible in handling communication situations, especially with students with special "personalities". It is important that teachers learn to control their emotions, clearly distinguishing the social relationship between themselves and parents and students. Although it is difficult because teachers today have to worry about many things, but with love for the profession and love for students, teachers can do it.
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