Extra teaching and learning is a real need, the problem is how to manage it.

It cannot be denied that extra teaching and learning are real needs in reality: Students go to extra classes to take exams; parents want their children to take extra classes because they have a place to send them; teachers want to teach extra classes because they have extra income and can help students...

There are many reasons for parents to find extra classes for their children.

At the gates of primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of each school day, it is not uncommon to see parents or housekeepers opening pre-prepared food in bowls and boxes to urge their children to eat quickly, then take them to evening classes. A parent living in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, who is in charge of picking up and dropping off her grandchild (a student in District 1) every afternoon, said that next year, when her child will be in 6th grade, the family needs to provide their child with more knowledge of math, Vietnamese, and English to enter a prestigious school. "My parents said that if they only study in class, it will be difficult to pass the assessment test to select candidates for 6th grade at this school, so since 3rd grade, they have registered for my child to take extra classes in the afternoon, after school. Classes are from 5 pm to 7 pm," she said.

Ms. TT, a parent with a child in grade 2 in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, also registered her child for 3 extra classes a week with English, the rest are martial arts and swimming. She said that if she only studied English in class, it would be difficult to train her child in good listening and speaking skills. Studying outside with smaller class sizes, the child has an environment to practice English more, both learning and playing, not creating any pressure for the child.

Students arrive at a tutoring center in Ho Chi Minh City after school in the afternoon.

Thanh Van, a 9th grade student at a middle school in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, said she only studies English on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and volleyball three evenings a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). "At first, I thought I didn't have enough time to do my homework, but I thought again that it might be because I didn't know how to manage my time. After that, when I had arranged everything, I would do my homework and read the next day's lesson in advance so that I could listen to the teacher's lecture in class and absorb the lesson better," Thanh Van said.

According to Thanh Van, extra classes are a clear need that can be seen by many students and parents. However, from her perspective, students need to understand their learning ability to register for the subjects that are really necessary, not to take extra classes indiscriminately so that they have time to study by themselves, rest, and participate in the sports they like. "Students should only take extra classes in subjects that they are really weak at, or subjects that they want to improve on, or learn life skills to benefit themselves," the 9th grade female student shared.

Even though I have good academic performance, I still go to extra classes to... have motivation to study.

In fact, the reporter's observations show that many middle and high school students themselves suggest to their parents to let their children take extra classes with teacher A, teacher B... because they know that these are famous teachers in Ho Chi Minh City, good math teachers, good literature teachers, inspirational English teachers... who will help their children achieve their learning goals.

A retired math teacher at Nguyen Huu Huan High School, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, who currently teaches math review classes for high school students, said that many of her students, although good at studying, still register to take extra math classes. They go to extra classes not to practice but to have a learning community, to meet good teachers, to meet friends with the same learning aspirations, to discuss and find different ways to solve problems, and to have more motivation to study.

"The teacher at that time is not the one who gives you the correct answer, but the one who guides you on the review path, what to study at this time, and how to review when the deadline comes. At the same time, the teacher suggests methods so that you can find the answer yourself," this teacher shared.

Parents waiting to pick up their secondary school children at an evening extra class.

Extra teaching and learning are always hot issues in education.

Teacher Nguyen Van Ngai, former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that extra teaching and learning has always been a hot issue in education. The new draft circular of the Ministry of Education and Training on extra teaching and learning has some more open points than the old circular, including allowing teachers to give extra lessons to their own students.

The important thing is how to manage extra teaching and learning effectively and practically, not forcing students to take extra classes; extra teaching and learning must meet students' needs and teachers must be allowed to teach properly.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ngai, former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City

Regarding this, some people agree, some disagree because they are concerned that this could lead to negative consequences such as forcing students to take extra classes at the place where they teach. However, according to teacher Nguyen Van Ngai, he agrees with the draft of the new circular of the Ministry of Education and Training on extra teaching and learning. Because according to teacher Nguyen Van Ngai, although we have previously had regulations prohibiting extra teaching and learning, can we fully control this? There are still cases where teachers do one way or another to teach extra classes, and students find ways to take extra classes with the teacher they like.

"Extra classes are a real need for students and their parents. Each student will have different needs for extra classes. For students who have not yet mastered the knowledge they have learned in class for many reasons, they can go to extra classes to consolidate and review their knowledge. For good and excellent students, they go to extra classes to improve and deepen their knowledge. Then, students who want to review more deeply for the 10th grade entrance exam, high school graduation exam, and competency assessment exam, they also have the need to go to extra classes," said teacher Nguyen Van Ngai.

Mr. Ngai emphasized: "The important thing is how to manage extra teaching and learning effectively, in fact, not forcing students to take extra classes; extra teaching and learning must meet the needs of students and teachers can properly teach extra classes. Leaders and schools need to have positive measures to improve teachers' thinking so that they can be exemplary people, teaching for their beloved students, doing good things for students. Schools, localities, and places where teachers organize extra teaching also need to coordinate to manage well." At the same time, Mr. Ngai suggested that there could be additional documents with specific instructions on how to teach extra classes in accordance with regulations, for example, if the regulations are violated, depending on the level of violation, how will they be handled...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/day-them-hoc-them-la-nhu-cau-co-that-van-de-la-quan-ly-ra-sao-185241128110149705.htm