School’s in: The kids are back again

BACK ON CAMPUS: Some modern campuses in Việt Nam have over 4,000 pupils – Photo courtesy of Alex Reeves

By Alex Reeves – @afreeves23

First order of the day is by way of apology, if you’re a commuter in Việt Nam, be it by any other means than air or sea, things are going to get a lot busier in the coming weeks. Students are returning for a new academic year and between 6.30am and 8.00am, almost every urban journey will have a few hundred extra smaller humans that need to get somewhere.

The good news? Less teens loitering around your local Mixue and the daytime queues at Circle K are dwindling. While it’s a stretch to say every migrant here is scribbling on a chalkboard, those of us in the education sector do make up a hefty slice of the ‘expat’ pie. Second order of the day, an admission, I too am one of the many who live here by virtue of the demand for education provided in the English language.

Although, not all of us are teaching the language itself. While the more pedantic of our readers will shake with anger at each grammatical sin I commit every time I’m given access to a keyboard, many students here are working towards international qualifications with aspirations of higher education abroad. They often need the subject knowledge of confident English speakers in a whole host of specialist subjects. Teaching history isn’t the same as making grammar understandable and not everyone who can speak a language is necessarily good at teaching it.

Enter the ESL teachers, and no, they are not all transient backpackers. Gone are the days when a weekend TEFL course and a tourist visa were your ticket to a teaching gig. The penalties for being caught are harsh and anyone engaging in this practice is now in a minority. Expectations for notarised documentation are stricter, teaching illegally is more policed than ever and the standard of teaching has improved each year alongside the quality of candidates for vacancies. Việt Nam is now firmly on the map for those seeking a new and rewarding challenge.

So, fellow teachers – remember to breathe deeply and often, spend a minute each day looking around you, take it in. Our presence here hinges on this nation’s push towards linguistic proficiency in English, without that we wouldn’t be around, this is worth remembering. If you’re new to this, learn names, nobody expects your Vietnamese to be perfect but a little effort goes a long way in establishing the relationships that will make or break your time here.

Lastly, a heartfelt nod to our students and their guardians. Thank you for your hard work and continued support, teaching here is a pleasure and the passion you have to succeed is inspiring. Yet, a gentle reminder: let’s dial back the pressure. Not every quiz score needs to crest perfection. Children need a chance to be children and well-rested, happy kids make the most receptive learners.

As we head into the new academic year I wish everyone involved in educating the future of Việt Nam the utmost success in your teaching and learning journeys. Cheers to another year of shaping futures—may it be as rewarding as it is enlightening. VNS