Naturally, the children and I quickly became acquainted as if we had known each other for a long time. For me, observing them play and talk to each other was no different from watching the Premium version of a children’s channel – vibrant in every moment.
Over the years of accompanying the children and supporting them in becoming confident in English, I have gained a treasure trove of experience from them. Indeed, I am not being modest; the children have truly taught me many valuable things. The lesson I cherish most is: “Connection!” I used to worry about a very shy child who rarely volunteered to speak or, if called upon, spoke very softly, even though he wasn’t a bad learner. And I also thought of many ways to help this extremely active child, who could never sit still, to focus on the lesson and progress faster. Then there were some students who listened very attentively and regularly participated in class discussions, but the results weren’t as expected, which was a great pity.
One day, the class schedule changed, and some students arrived an hour early. That hour was truly precious, because from it I learned: “The lesson of connection”. Through conversations, playing activities, and shared meals, I became a close friend of the children. They were like news reporters, updating me on school, class, home, and even trending topics on social media, etc. They taught me the language of the new generation, the words they used and their meanings. Gradually, I understood that one student was shy because many of the others were so talented, and they felt inferior, leading to self-doubt. Another student teased and played pranks because they lacked connection with their family or had few friends in class and wanted attention. The children didn’t achieve the expected results because they were careless and thought the question sounded familiar, so they chose an answer without reviewing it. Understanding each child’s individual characteristics, I provided appropriate support and they achieved the desired results. Once, a child told me, “I’m determined to get a perfect 10 to make you smile from now until the end of the month”. And indeed, that month they made me incredibly proud. I think they really liked me and were trying to make me happy. Anyway, I’m very grateful for their kindness. I’m not an exceptionally brilliant person, but I’m glad I learned the lesson of connecting with the children, gaining their trust to confide their innermost thoughts and unresolved issues, and working together to overcome them and become better.
And here are a few words for my beloved school students:
“I guarantee your secrets will be kept until you get married; then I’ll gradually reveal them. Just trust me!”
Le Thi Huyen
Note: This article is translated from Vietnamese version by Google Translate with revisions.
Photo: Nguyet Tran