The road leading to Mon Son Secondary School in Mon Son commune, Nghe An province, is full of rocks and stones. Simple classrooms are nestled against the mountainside. There, Mr. Le Van Minh – a Literature teacher with nearly 30 years of experience – steadfastly maintains his principle of not assigning homework during Tet (Lunar New Year).
Teacher Minh shared that most of the students at the schools where he has taught are children from ethnic minority communities in remote areas, where the journey to school is difficult and learning conditions are inadequate.
Some children don't have study desks at home, so they have to study under dim lights at night. During Tet (Lunar New Year), they become even busier, having to help their parents clean, raise livestock, look after younger siblings, or go with their families to work in the fields.
Mr. Le Van Minh - a teacher at Mon Son Secondary School, Mon Son commune, Nghe An province (Photo: Provided by the interviewee).
“I once witnessed a student return to school after the Lunar New Year holiday looking worried because she hadn't finished her homework, simply because she had to accompany her mother to the market early in the morning during the holidays. Seeing them like that, I wondered, is homework really more important than the everyday worries they are carrying?” Mr. Minh confided.
For many city children, Tet might mean going out and enjoying the spring festivities. But for Mr. Minh's students, it's an opportunity to help their families, a rare occasion for a family meal with extra meat and fish. He doesn't want his students to enter the new year feeling guilty for not having finished their homework.
Regarding the decision not to assign homework during the Tet holiday, Mr. Minh admitted that he had also been concerned. The worry that students might forget what they've learned after a long break is something every teacher thinks about.
But then he thought, knowledge can be reviewed. But family gatherings only come once a year.
Teacher Minh has nearly 30 years of experience working in schools in the mountainous areas of Nghe An province (Photo: Provided by the interviewee).
However, Mr. Minh often advises his students to find a book they enjoy to read, spend time observing Tet customs in their villages, or listen to stories from their grandparents and parents.
According to the teacher, these experiences are also valuable knowledge that students need to carry with them throughout their lives, and are especially useful for studying Literature with Mr. Minh.
Regarding the controversies surrounding homework assignments during Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. Minh believes that each school and each teacher will have a different approach, appropriate to different circumstances.
In places where conditions are favorable, light review sessions can help students maintain their study habits and discipline. However, Mr. Minh believes that the amount of homework assigned during Tet (Lunar New Year) should be limited to avoid putting pressure on students to achieve high grades. Teachers can take advantage of the time after Tet to reinforce students' knowledge.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/thay-giao-day-van-30-nam-dung-lop-chua-tung-giao-bai-tap-tet-cho-hoc-sinh-20260215160333024.htm
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