'First sweet fruit' from the wish to train English teachers for Meo Vac

Behind that seemingly ordinary information is a story imbued with the love of teachers.

A TEACHER IN HANOI SPENDS MONEY TRAINING ENGLISH TEACHERS FOR AN ENTIRE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

Right after graduating from Hanoi National University of Education, Tan Ta Quyen (23 years old) returned to her hometown in Sung Man to apply for an English teacher position, where the whole commune had no primary school English teachers. Quyen was the first student out of 33 students in the project "Training English teachers for Meo Vac district" initiated and sponsored by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang, President of Marie Curie School (Hanoi), to graduate from school.

Starting from the situation of almost "nothing" primary school English teachers in Meo Vac district, old Ha Giang province, to support the locality, in addition to recruiting and paying nearly 20 online English teachers for all primary schools in the locality, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang initiated and started implementing another, more fundamental project. That is to support training English teachers for Meo Vac with a total estimated budget of up to 12 billion VND. According to the commitment, the students will return to Meo Vac to apply to be English teachers in their hometown.

'Trái ngọt đầu mùa' từ tâm nguyện đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh cho Mèo Vạc - Ảnh 1. — Tan Ta Quyen (23 years old) just graduated from Hanoi Pedagogical University, the first student in Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang's project, returned to his hometown Sung Mang to apply for an English teacher position.

'Trái ngọt đầu mùa' từ tâm nguyện đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh cho Mèo Vạc - Ảnh 2. — Teacher Khang's approach helps solve the fundamental problem of teacher shortage.

Teacher Khang shared that as soon as he started supporting English teaching in Meo Vac, he understood that this could not last long. "I was wondering how to help Meo Vac find a solution to fundamentally solve the problem of English teachers, instead of "eating today's meal and worrying about tomorrow's meal" like now," he said.

After many sleepless nights due to that worry, in 2023, Mr. Khang proactively proposed to the People's Committee of Meo Vac District (old) to coordinate training of English teachers for the district in the form of recruitment, combined with socialization, with the name "Training English teachers for Meo Vac". Marie Curie School will support the training of about 30 teachers for Meo Vac with an estimated total cost of 6 - 12 billion VND.

Meo Vac authorities proactively seek out students from local families who have been admitted to English language universities and arrange for them to teach at schools in the district after graduation. Marie Curie School supports a minimum of VND5 million/student/month for accommodation and meals (from December 2023). This amount can increase to VND10 million/month, depending on the students' academic performance; the amount is transferred directly to the students' accounts each month of actual study.

Meo Vac District, the beneficiary of the teacher recruitment source, was then responsible for monitoring the implementation. Students signed a commitment to return to their hometown to teach after graduating...

MAKE THE DREAMS OF HIGHLAND STUDENTS COME TRUE

Vang Thi Lia is a Mong ethnic, living in Lung Pu commune, an English language student (Thai Nguyen University of Science ), shared: When she first passed the university entrance exam, she lived far from home, had to pay for all kinds of expenses, but each month Lia's parents could only save and borrow a maximum of 1 million VND to send her, and the average was 500,000 VND, sometimes only 300,000 - 400,000 VND. Lia confided that sometimes she felt confused, not knowing if she could continue to study and graduate... Therefore, she shared that she was very grateful to the project for creating conditions for her to have the opportunity to pursue her dream, not only sharing the financial burden but also being a great source of motivation to help her determinedly study, get a good diploma to be sure to return to work as a teacher in her hometown.

'Trái ngọt đầu mùa' từ tâm nguyện đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh cho Mèo Vạc - Ảnh 3. — Teaching in a place where third grade students are first introduced to English, and are not even really fluent in Kinh, requires a lot of perseverance and patience.

'Trái ngọt đầu mùa' từ tâm nguyện đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh cho Mèo Vạc - Ảnh 4. — Every student in this difficult area needs the attention and encouragement of the teacher through words, eyes, and teaching skills.

Chao Thi Xuan, a Dao ethnic, from Xin Cai commune, confided: "I am the 7th child in a family of 9 siblings; my father passed away early, and now my mother is the only one farming to raise the children. When I passed the university entrance exam, the eldest sister in the family, even though she was married, still encouraged me to go to school and supported me with 2 million VND per month from her already very limited preschool teacher salary. In 2023, when my sister called to inform me that a benefactor had sponsored at least 5 million VND/month for my education, I could not believe my ears, I was so happy that I cried, thinking that she said that to make me feel secure in studying. I did not expect that just a few days later it would come true."

"After I finish studying, I will definitely return to my hometown to become an English teacher. Not only because of the commitment when receiving support but also because of my own experience," Xuan affirmed, adding that when he went to high school, because the whole district had no teachers, he could only learn English in grade 6. He had always cherished the dream of becoming a teacher to teach foreign languages to children in his hometown. Now he has more determination and motivation to make his dream come true.

LEARN FROM THE TEACHER TO BECOME A TEACHER

After more than 1 month of working at Sung Mang Primary Boarding School, Tan Ta Quyen shared: Currently, Marie Curie School is still continuing to support teaching English to primary schools in the old Meo Vac district, so in addition to teaching primary English, the young teacher was mobilized by the commune to support other schools, including teaching 6th and 7th graders because there is a shortage of teachers everywhere.

Teaching in a place where third grade students are introduced to English for the first time, and are not yet fully fluent in Kinh, Quyen confided that she knows she will have to be very persistent and patient to overcome many challenges. Each word, each sentence, each lesson must be paused for much longer than students in urban areas.

'Trái ngọt đầu mùa' từ tâm nguyện đào tạo giáo viên tiếng Anh cho Mèo Vạc - Ảnh 5. — Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang and students in the project "Training English teachers for Meo Vac district"

Quyen shared that she herself has received a lot in the past time, not just the monthly tuition fee. Quyen boasted that right after graduating, Mr. Khang "bought" her a brand new motorbike as a means of transportation along with the warmest words of encouragement and advice. "A teacher in Hanoi, a complete stranger, but he takes care of us from our studies to our jobs, like a father takes care of his children, so we cannot let him down...", Quyen said.

"There is no greater happiness," said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang to Thanh Nien reporter when he heard that the first student in his "recruitment project" had graduated and returned to his hometown to become an English teacher. He called it the things he "got to do" for the border area of the Fatherland, the first "sweet fruit" of the project that he had put a lot of wishes into, with the students that he considered his children and grandchildren...

Mr. Bui Quang Tri, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Tuyen Quang, commented that supporting English teacher training is especially meaningful when it is predicted that at least until 2030, the province will still have difficulty recruiting teachers for this subject. Mr. Khang's approach helps solve the fundamental problem of teacher shortage not only for Meo Vac but also for some other places in the province with the assignment and mobilization of the education sector.

Things that technology-based learning still can't do

English is a subject that can easily apply artificial intelligence (AI) when there are too many technology options to be able to learn without a traditional teacher. However, teacher Tan Ta Quyen shared that only when teaching students in remote areas can he understand that technology cannot completely replace teachers. Each student here needs attention and encouragement through words, eyes, and pedagogical skills of the teacher. Some students are excited about the subject, but others are afraid of new things and withdraw... Therefore, if we set the same requirements as for students in urban areas, forcing them to finish each lesson, many students will be left behind in their own classroom.

"When I put my heart and soul into each lesson, I understand that students will be able to feel it more deeply than anyone else. Therefore, even though they are still shy and confused with the subject, they still respond with their best efforts," Mr. Quyen confided.

These are things that, according to Quyen, technology-based learning cannot do yet. AI teachers cannot share priceless emotions or timely encouragement when students need it most.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trai-ngot-dau-mua-tu-tam-nguyen-dao-tao-giao-vien-tieng-anh-cho-meo-vac-185251113172336889.htm