Quang Ngai: Classroom of love for disabled children

Despite their gray hair and weak health, with their enthusiasm and love for children, some retired teachers in Quang Ngai have opened free classes for disabled children, helping them move forward to the future.

Teacher Nguyen Thi Huong, Hanh Minh commune, Nghia Hanh district, guides students in writing. (Photo: Dinh Huong/ VNA)

With enthusiasm and love for children, some retired teachers in Quang Ngai have opened free classes for disabled children.

Even though their hair is grey, their eyes are dim, and their health is weak, their minds are still bright to light the way for their students to move forward to the future.

Special Class

For the past 12 years, in Tinh Tho commune, Son Tinh district, there has been a charity class for disabled children organized by the Commune's Association of Former Teachers. Mr. Tran Dinh Vuong (70 years old), Chairman of the Association, is the one who mobilized his colleagues to open and teach the class.

Charity class in Tinh Tho commune, Son Tinh district. (Photo: Dinh Huong/VNA)

Recalling the first day of opening the class, Mr. Vuong said that in order to have a class, teachers had to check for disabled children who could move but did not go to school, and then convince their parents to bring them to this charity class.

The students' curriculum also only has two subjects: Math and Vietnamese. Between the two cultural lessons are lessons on developing communication skills, independence skills and fun activities.

There are 8 teachers taking turns teaching the students. These teachers used to be teachers at primary and secondary schools in Son Tinh district, now retired, so they volunteer to teach the students for free.

The greatest wish of these special teachers is that the children are healthy and know how to read and write... This means that even though the teachers have retired, they can still contribute to society.

This class currently has 7 students, the youngest is 13 years old, the oldest is 26 years old, all of them are disabled. Therefore, to teach these special students, teachers have to prepare separate lessons for each student.

“In the early days, when we were not familiar with teaching children with disabilities, many teachers were very confused. Therefore, we had to borrow documents from the Provincial School for Education for Children with Disabilities to learn. Each teaching session had to have two teachers in the classroom. One person held chalk to teach on the podium, the other person carefully guided each stroke of the children's handwriting,” said Mr. Vuong.

Like Mr. Vuong, Mr. Doan Thanh Len believes that teaching disabled students is not only difficult but also tiring because even though they are grown up, they are not yet smart, cannot read or write, many of them cannot even speak and are not aware of their own behavior. Therefore, in order to teach, teachers must first learn about each student's condition, befriend them and most importantly, always know how to praise and encourage them.

Teach how to be a normal person

If at first they did not know anything, after a long time of studying, each of them had certain life skills. What is special is that they really like going to school.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tinh Tho commune, said that her child has Down syndrome. Before coming to this class, he knew nothing. At home, he only ate and slept. But since coming here, he has made a lot of progress. Although he forgets what he learns, he knows how to help with some chores at home, knows how to take care of his personal hygiene, and knows how to greet others.

Ms. Truong Thi Thu Cuc, Hanh Minh commune, Nghia Hanh district, teaches students. (Photo: Dinh Huong/VNA)

At the Cultural House of Hanh Minh commune, Nghia Hanh district, there is also a charity class for disabled children opened and directly taught by Ms. Truong Thi Thu Cuc (71 years old), a retired teacher, from 2015 to present.

Besides Ms. Cuc, there are currently two other teachers teaching in the class. Talking about the opportunity to come to this charity class, Ms. Cuc shared that as a teacher, she knows that there are many disabled students who, although studying the general curriculum and being promoted to the next grade "regularly", have serious knowledge gaps. There is a child who is in junior high school but still cannot read or write. Therefore, when she retired, she asked the local government for permission to open this charity class to reinforce the knowledge of the children.

Every week, 10 students aged 7-15 come to class. They are not only reviewed by Ms. Cuc about basic knowledge according to the curriculum but also guided to write each letter and number. The lessons are flexibly divided into parts of learning letters and numbers, dancing and singing to make the students more interested.

Coming to this class, the children are not only taught for free but also provided with books and school supplies from the mobilization of Ms. Cuc and the local government.

In addition, she often deducts her pension to buy candy and food to make her grandchildren happy.

Over the years, charity classes taught by retired teachers have taught free of charge to many disabled students, some of whom have “graduated” and are able to work as factory workers, some of whom have started families; some of the “slower” students have also learned to take care of themselves and help their parents with housework.

Ms. Phan Thi Anh Le, Deputy Head of the Department of Education and Training of Nghia Hanh district, said that by implementing universal education, disabled children within their abilities are given the opportunity to go to school to integrate.

However, in educational institutions, teachers have to teach many students, so they cannot pay special attention and care to disabled children. Therefore, coming to Ms. Truong Thi Thu Cuc's charity class, the children are not only cared for, loved, and shared, but also have access to knowledge appropriate to their abilities.

Ms. Cuc and the teachers at the charity class are shining examples of love for children and passion for the profession for teachers like us to follow.

With their silent yet noble contributions, the retired teachers, full of enthusiasm and dedication to children with disabilities, are admirable and respectable examples, dedicating their whole lives to the cause of "cultivating people." Hopefully, the teachers will always be healthy to continue teaching the less fortunate children, helping them become useful people for society./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/quang-ngai-lop-hoc-cua-nhung-yeu-thuong-danh-cho-tre-khuet-tat-post993809.vnp