Happy School: Don't Just Talk!

Professor Huynh Van Son, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, said that during a training session for kindergarten teachers, he saw a lost student lying in the corner of the classroom, not playing with his friends. When he asked, the teacher explained: "I don't know why he's so small today."

Care from the very small things

According to Professor Huynh Van Son, nothing was "natural". He went to the student, lay down with him, and then sat down on the classroom floor to display toys. After a while, he attracted the student, making the boy take the initiative to talk, open up, accept the "stranger" and explain why he was lying alone today...

"Everything has a cause. The problem is whether the cause comes from the school, the family or the students themselves. Have teachers tried to understand and sympathize with the students? How long has it been since teachers patted their students' heads, braided their hair, or complimented them?" - Mr. Son asked.

Many education experts and teachers believe that students can be very happy and joyful from small things, such as having a well-prepared menu, receiving birthday gifts, receiving praise and encouragement... However, not all teachers and schools are willing to do such things for their students.

Students' joy comes from a positive educational environment. Teachers' care and sharing are what help them feel the joy of going to school every day.

A study by MSc. Giang Thien Vu, Faculty of Psychology - University of EducationHo Chi Minh CityWillBright, and his colleagues have come up with quite surprising numbers. According to Mr. Vu, even though it was just a screening survey of more than 8,000 middle and high school students in the area,Ho Chi Minh CityWillBrightBut the results are also startling. According to this survey, 1,117 students reported moderate, severe or very severe stress; 1,952 students were in a state of anxiety and 1,177 students showed signs of depression.

The research team also pointed out the causes of the above situation. The students participating in the survey said that they always face pressure from homework, revision, exams, learning content and methods; pressure from family; systematic injuries and traumas; peers and unfair comparisons from teachers and parents. In addition, the cause is also because they do not have time to practice necessary life skills, participate in extracurricular activities; have not been interested in and cared for their spiritual life...

Share laughter

Emphasizing the importance of building happy schools, Dr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Department of Education and TrainingHo Chi Minh CityWillBright, believes that the more education is innovated, the more special attention must be paid to the criteria of happy schools.

The head of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training believes that a happy school is one where both teachers and students in that school feel happy. Teachers feel secure in their jobs; students are happy every day they go to school, and have equal access to education. However, to achieve this criterion, schools must transform themselves and take action.

According to Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Nguyen Du High School (District 10,Ho Chi Minh CityWillBright), in fact, a happy school is simply the joy of students and teachers every day they go to school. He believes that the role of the principal in each school is very important. Does the principal listen to the teachers' thoughts, talk to the students, or does he just rigidly follow the rules, harshly find mistakes, punish or deduct from the competition?

Mr. Phu said that the factors that help build a happy school are also the students' scores, teaching methods, and learning environment. "Teachers must always acknowledge the students' progress, even the smallest ones, to encourage them to be resilient in their studies," he explained.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Viet Anh, teacher at Tung Thien Vuong Secondary School (District 8,Ho Chi Minh CityWillBright), commented that not only students but also teachers are under a lot of pressure. According to him, teachers also need psychological counseling, because only when teachers are happy can they sow happiness in students.

"Teachers need to regularly create laughter in the classroom so that students feel close. That laughter must come from the true joy of both the teacher and the student, not "actor-like smiles". Students need to feel secure, confident; to be understood and acknowledged" - teacher Nguyen Viet Anh expressed.

According to Laborer