Multicultural school

Trường học đa văn hóa - Ảnh 1. — Students learn traditional weaving skills at the multicultural festival - Photo: THẾ LƯỢNG

Organizing activities and models to create a multicultural space for students to experience, reflecting the diverse ethnic groups. This is the "Multicultural School Connected with the Community" model of the Ethnic Boarding School, Secondary and High School in Bao Yen District, Lao Cai Province.

From the dedication of the teachers

In the 2024-2025 school year, the school has 489 boarding students, the majority of whom are children of ethnic minorities such as Tay, Dao, Mong, and Xa Pho. Therefore, all extracurricular activities are tailored to the living and learning conditions, as well as the abilities and talents of these students.

Teacher Cao Thi Ha Yen (Dao ethnic group, born in 1982) has been with the school for over 20 years. She serves as the part-time head of the school's Youth Union and consistently comes up with innovative ideas and models tailored to the school's specific characteristics. A highlight of these models is the "Multicultural School Connected with the Community," centered around the "For the Community" Club.

"The majority of the students are from ethnic minority groups. Their knowledge of traditional culture is a great advantage for organizing activities specifically related to the culture of these ethnic groups," Ms. Ha Yen shared.

According to Ms. Ha Yen, this educational model is perfectly suitable and brings practical benefits to students from ethnic minority groups.

In addition, to help students learn about the national culture, the school has also built a "Community Center". This building is located behind the classrooms and sports field, adjacent to the student dormitory.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Huy, the school's vice principal, "The school's community center was completed in 2022. With a total area of approximately 800 square ^{meters across} two floors, it's designed in the traditional stilt house style of the Tay ethnic group, built with bricks and supported by sturdy, tall pillars. This is a place where students can organize group activities."

The interior space of the "Community Center" is designed and decorated by the school with vibrant colors reflecting the diverse ethnic groups. It includes corners and display areas showcasing artifacts and photographs representing the traditional culture of various ethnic groups, collected, designed, and presented by the school's teachers and students. Typical examples include presentations of community tourism destinations in Nghia Do commune, as well as the cuisine , clothing, and household items of these ethnic groups.

The vibrant cultural activities of the "Community Center" are made possible thanks to the contributions of teacher Cao Thi Ha Yen, art teacher Ma Thi Thao, and other teachers in the school's teaching staff.

The students were excited.

Giang Khanh Ly (of the Giay ethnic group), a student in class 9A, shared: "When my teachers assigned me the task of collecting and displaying cultural artifacts at the boarding school, I was very excited and actively participated in the work."

We were assigned to groups representing ethnic groups such as Tay, Dao, Mong, Nung, Giay, etc., to facilitate the collection of artifacts in the places where we were born and raised. Creating and displaying cultural products of these ethnic groups is also a meaningful experience that fills me with pride."

In addition to organizing the "Ethnic New Year" celebration before the Lunar New Year holiday, the school also organizes an "Ethnic Culture Festival" every year to create a beneficial playground and provide students with an experience of traditional culture. Through this, ethnic minority students feel proud, appreciate, and are conscious of preserving the traditional cultural values of their ethnic group.

A unique feature of this program is that each year, the school selects an ethnic group such as the Tay, Mong, Dao, Nung, Xa Pho, etc., to organize activities for students to learn about and develop scripts for performing the traditional cultural forms of that ethnic group. Thanks to this, students from many different ethnic groups can immerse themselves in and experience the culture of a particular ethnic group.

Lessons without chalk or blackboards.

At the ethnic cultural festival, students showcased cultural traditions such as costumes, musical instruments, folk songs, dances, cuisine, wedding customs, spiritual rituals, and folk games. They vividly recreated the unique aspects of the traditional cultural identity of various ethnic groups and developed essential skills such as social etiquette, teamwork, and presentation skills.

These are truly lessons without chalk or blackboards for the students of the Ethnic Boarding School, Secondary and High School in Bao Yen District.

* Mr. Dang Minh Khuong (Principal of the Ethnic Boarding School, Junior and Senior High School of Bao Yen District):

To help students take pride in their national cultural values.

The "Community Center" and "Ethnic Culture Festival" models at the Bao Yen District Ethnic Boarding School (Secondary and High School) serve as a common home and a vibrant cultural festival, contributing to the education of ethnic minority students. Through these activities, students are always proud of and cherish the traditional cultural values of their ethnic groups. They also develop an awareness of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of their homeland.

The success of this model is due to the dedication and continuous creativity of the school's staff, teachers, and employees. At the same time, the students' aspiration to excel, rooted in their cultural identity, is the core element that creates the connection and harmony of cultural identities within the school environment.

NGUYEN THE LUONG

Source: https://archive.vietnam.vn/truong-hoc-da-van-hoa/