Textbook for integrated natural science, history and geography for grade 8
What are the advantages and disadvantages of integrated subjects? What are the suggestions from students? We recorded the opinions of students studying the new 2018 general education program at secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City.
Chemistry at the beginning of the year, physics in the middle, and physics at the end of the year
TNTV, a 7th grader (going to 8th grade this year) at An Phu Dong Secondary School, District 12, said: "With the integrated natural science subject, I study by semester. The first semester I study chemistry, the middle semester I study physics, and the last semester I study biology. The problem is that by the end of the year, I have forgotten the knowledge of the first two subjects, chemistry and physics. I think that if we integrate, we should interweave the knowledge of the subjects together so that students can remember the knowledge better."
During the test, TV said that there was basic knowledge and a few advanced questions, so I personally liked this. At the end of the first semester, the school tested chemistry and physics. At the end of the second semester, the school tested knowledge of physics and biology.
In TV's class, a teacher teaches all three subjects of chemistry, physics, and biology in the natural science subject. "She is a teacher who specializes in physics. However, we feel that she has conveyed the knowledge of the subject. Some students asked about more advanced parts that she could not explain, so she promised to answer later," said TV.
Chapters in the integrated natural science textbook for grade 8
With the integrated subject of history and geography, the textbook also separates the history and geography sections. A teacher in charge of this integrated subject previously only taught history but has been trained to teach both history and geography. According to TV, there are 3 history and geography lessons a week, 2 lessons of history - 1 lesson of geography, then the next week 2 lessons of geography - 1 lesson of history, and so on. This student added: "When taking a test, it depends on whether it is multiple choice, essay, or both multiple choice and essay. In a test, there is 50% history knowledge, 50% geography knowledge".
Integration but chemistry is still chemistry, birth is still birth, geography is still geography, history is still history
D.Nh.K, a 7th grader (going to 8th grade this year) at Mach Kiem Hung Secondary School, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City commented: "At the beginning of the school year, we learn chemistry, in the middle of the year we learn physics, and at the end of the year we learn biology. Wherever we go, the teacher reviews the knowledge system so that students do not forget it."
According to Nh.K, the knowledge of each part is still clear, physics is physics, chemistry is chemistry, biology is biology. However, because this is an integrated subject, one teacher will teach all three parts of this knowledge.
"Similar to history and geography, the textbook layout has a separate history section and a separate geography section. One teacher also teaches both parts of knowledge. However, unlike natural sciences, during the week we learn history and geography intertwined. In the test, half of the knowledge is geography, the other half is history," said N.K.
According to Nh.K, the influence of teachers on teaching integrated subjects is very important. This student said: "I feel lucky to be taught by Ms. Hanh. She teaches all three subjects, chemistry, physics, and biology, but she teaches well, helping students understand the lessons. She teaches carefully, from easy to difficult, tutors students, and teaches again if students do not understand. Many students from other classes also want to learn from her."
Choose integrated subjects or go back to using one textbook per subject like before?
TNTV, a student at An Phu Dong Secondary School, District 12, feels that the unreasonable thing in organizing the teaching of integrated natural science subjects is that the knowledge of chemistry, physics, and biology is arranged at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, making it easy for students to forget the knowledge they learned at the end of the year.
"This summer, I thought about it and thought that at the beginning of the next school year, as a class monitor, I would propose that students learn physics, chemistry, and biology together, alternating with each other," said TNTV.
Table of contents for history and geography textbook grade 8, Creative Horizons series
Many opinions say that we should "go back to the old way", dividing textbooks into separate subjects like before, without the so-called integrated subjects. TNTV said that personally, he still thinks that studying integrated subjects is a trend in the world. The advantage of integrated subject textbooks is that the books are beautiful, illustrated a lot, and have many vivid colors.
Meanwhile, female student Đ.Nh.K, a 7th grader (going to 8th grade this year) at Mach Kiem Hung Secondary School, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, said: "Any improvements will be better than the old plan. Just research more effective solutions in teaching and learning integrated subjects, then I think it will be better than learning a single subject."
No complaints!
"During my child's primary school years, I often tutored him in subjects, but in secondary school, he mainly studied on his own. Only during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, I asked a tutor to tutor him in all subjects, and he studied on his own. But I saw that his academic results at school were good, and I didn't hear him complain about the integrated subjects or the teaching methods of the teachers at school."
Ms. Tr.Th.NC, parent of an 8th grade student this year, Mach Kiem Hung Secondary School, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City.
Teaching in the 'rocket' style makes one's conscience prick.
Readers of Thanh Nien Newspaper sent many comments under articles about integrated subjects at secondary level in the 2018 General Education Program.
Reader Tran Nghia confided: "I have also spent nearly 12 years teaching physics. Teaching is fun because I let students take notes less and tell stories about physics more. But just last year, when I was assigned to teach 7th grade natural science, my blood rushed to my head. The 2 months of summer training were just for fun, "coping and getting by". When I went to teach a class that was not my subject, the training knowledge went on a trip. I was tongue-tied when reading the names of elements in English, and students reminded me "you read it wrong". I was afraid of teaching and students not understanding, afraid of being criticized, afraid that when students asked a deeper question, I would have to ask "Google". When I asked seniors (who taught 6th grade) for their experiences, they said "I just teach as the book says". Chemistry can still be defended, but biology... If teachers cannot teach in time, their salaries will be cut, and if they teach like rockets looking at flowers, their conscience will be troubled".
Reader Nguyen Huy said: "In reality, history and geography when implemented in the classroom are two completely independent subjects but must be calculated in one score. That is, students study two subjects, review two subjects, take two exams, but the score is only one subject. Right from grade 6, this subject has been divided into history and geography. So what is the point of integrating? Even the 8th grade natural science textbook of the Connecting Knowledge with Life series has begun to clearly divide chapters into physics, chemistry, and biology. It can be seen that re-applying single-subject learning is necessary. Because simply, students still have to learn like that."
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