Choose textbooks for students

Effectively serve teaching and learning

The selection of textbooks is no longer new to schools and teachers because they have gone through 4 years of changing textbooks according to the new program for grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10, 11. The 2024-2025 school year is the last year to implement the new textbooks according to the 2018 general education program for grades 5, 9 and 12.

The new point this time is to give teachers the right to choose books again, just like the first time changing textbooks for grade 1 in the 2020-2021 school year. Experience from previous times creates favorable conditions for teachers and schools to choose suitable books to effectively serve teaching and learning.

Like other schools, after being trained on selecting new textbooks for grade 9, Ngoc Chau Secondary School (Hai Duong City) directed teachers to study the textbooks through soft copies and sample books, from which they made comments and suggestions for each book. Professional groups met, made proposals and the school discussed and agreed. The results of the textbook selection vote were arranged in order of the number of votes in agreement from highest to lowest.

Ms. Pham Thanh Nga, Principal of Ngoc Chau Secondary School, said that in order to choose suitable textbooks for grade 9, teachers are assigned the task of studying books from grades 6 to 8 in the new program, from there comparing and contrasting, choosing a set of grade 9 textbooks to ensure continuity and suitability.

According to teacher Nguyen Thi Van, Principal of Gia Hoa Primary School (Gia Loc), when given autonomy, teachers boldly expressed their opinions and choices. When teachers choose the textbooks they like, it will be easier for future teaching as well as ensure the interests of students.

The selection of books is also discussed and consulted by teachers, with reference to schools in the area to ensure similarity, serve professional training, and help parents save costs and take advantage of old books.

Pressure

Teacher Nguyen Thi Thuy Ha, Principal of Nam Sach II High School, said: “We consider this a relatively heavy task, because when autonomy is given, schools and teachers must be more responsible. Teachers must spend a lot of time carefully studying textbooks to suit students’ abilities and the actual conditions of the school.”

According to teacher Nguyen Van Hung, Lac Long Secondary School (Kinh Mon), giving teachers autonomy to choose books is very reasonable but not easy because there are 3 book series: Canh Dieu, Ket noi tri thuc and Chan troi sang tao.

“We have to concentrate highly in training sessions, study many books of different sets, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each book. The most difficult thing is to agree to choose a set of books that meets the criteria of convenience for each teacher as well as professional activities of groups and clusters of schools in the area. Only then will teachers be able to teach directly effectively in the future,” Mr. Hung shared.

Some teachers also expressed concerns about teaching new textbooks. A literature teacher at a high school in Kim Thanh district said that through studying the new 12th grade textbooks, he saw many difficulties that he would encounter. Because the new books and new general education program do not analyze and comment on works like the old program, but teach works according to genre characteristics, it is very difficult to teach well and create interest for students. In particular, tests and exams will not use texts from textbooks, so some students may have the mentality of not needing to study. There are many academic knowledge lessons that are even too much for teachers.

"I am looking for a suitable teaching method but still feel overwhelmed. This is the first year of taking the high school graduation exam according to the 2018 general education program, so I am very worried and stressed," said this teacher.

To facilitate teachers in choosing books and teaching effectiveness in the future, the Department of Education and Training has requested educational institutions to carefully study Circular 27/2023/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating the selection of textbooks in general education institutions. The Department has organized training sessions, sent soft and hard copies of textbooks for schools to study and give comments on the sample.

Mr. Do Duy Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Hai Duong, said that the department requires schools to ensure democracy in their selection, creating convenience for parents and students in purchasing and using textbooks later. In addition, it is also necessary to choose quality textbooks to ensure good teaching and learning in schools.