Stories: Children, Community, Future

Changes in teaching methodology have brought back positive outcomes for both teachers and students of Don Phong primary school in Bac Kan. On celebration of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, let’s enjoy a story by Van, an experienced teacher from the school.

Thanks to ChildFund, our school was rebuilt in 2014 and now has eight classrooms on two floors. Since then we have been able to accommodate more children in school. They now have a safe and stimulating environment for studying,” Dung, vice principal of Don Phong primary school, says.

In addition to infrastructure support, ChildFund has also improved the quality of teaching at the main school and three satellite schools in Don Phong commune. Teachers took part in training programs on new learning methods such as experiential learning cycles applied in writing and science and student analysis.

“We highly value the student analysis method introduced by ChildFund. The method allows teachers to really know the capacity of different students, so they can arrange the level of tests and exercises that best support the development of their students,” explains Van, a teacher at Don Phong primary since 2010.

“Since there will be a rotation of teachers every year among schools in our commune, not everyone will be able to attend the training. We have discussed that those who do attend will deliver the content to those who don’t in our teacher meetings so that everyone can gain the skills.”

Van also has new skills in child-centred teaching methods. “Among all the methods introduced, the positive teaching methods were the most useful to me. It helped boost the teaching and studying in classes where I was in charge,” she says.

Unlike ‘traditional’ ways of teaching, where teachers deliver all of the lessons and students listen and note passively, with the positive teaching methods, teachers only make suggestions, provide inspiration and give support to students in the studying process.

Van spends a lot of time collecting information to aid what she has already learnt. “When positive teaching methods were applied in my classes, the students became more interested and involved in the lessons. That change encouraged me to continue using these methods, although they required more of my time and effort in preparing for lessons. I love seeing the passion in studying from my students.”