Is summer the third semester?

On a summer morning, Nguyen Duy Khanh, an 8th-grade student living on Duong Lang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, wakes up at 8:00 AM. After breakfast, he starts doing his homework from 8:30 AM until lunchtime. Since the summer break began, his daily schedule has only changed slightly: his morning wake-up time has shifted from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, and he gets weekends off; his study and homework schedule remains the same.

"In the mornings, I do my homework, in the afternoons on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays I study Math, and the rest of the time I study Literature. In the evenings, I study English or my parents tutor me. In general, my schedule isn't much different from normal," Khánh said.

In the summer, the children behind the door.

According to Khanh, the reason the summer schedule is no different from the school year, and even that her parents participate in checking her homework daily, is because she will be entering 9th grade next year. The entrance exam to 10th grade, with its countless difficulties and challenges, awaits her.

Although it was tiring, Khánh's mother advised her that studying ahead and completing the first semester's curriculum during the summer would make the start of the school year less stressful and give her more time to practice different types of exam questions.

Is summer the third semester? - 1 — Children need more experiences outside of school to grow and mature, and summer is the most suitable time. (Photo: KT)

Vu Huy Hung, Khanh's neighbor and classmate, also had a busy schedule. Despite being neighbors, they rarely had time to play together due to differing school and extracurricular class schedules. Hung wasn't constantly being checked on by his parents, but he was quite tired of his mother's ever-changing plans.

"Next year I'm taking the entrance exam for 10th grade, so my mom is sending me to extra classes constantly. She changes teachers every few days and tells me to try it out to see if it's any good. It's really tiring, but I have to try," Hung explained.

Going back to his hometown for a whole week is considered a joy and his greatest wish every summer. But this year, even that joy is impossible to fulfill because his cousin back home is still focusing on studying for the entrance exam to get into a specialized high school in the province. Occasionally, the two cousins connect via Zalo. On the other end, Hung's cousin is still diligently finishing up his practice sheets before his end-of-morning tutoring class.

Extra tutoring and preparatory classes aren't just common among high school seniors. Nguyen Thanh Thao, a student at a high school in Ba Dinh district, Hanoi, is in 11th grade this year. For her, summer break simply replaces school with extra classes in Math, Literature, and IELTS preparation for university entrance exams in two years. Thao has never had a full three-month summer break; it's usually only about two weeks before her schedule at tutoring centers or private tutoring sessions is packed.

"Actually, I'm already used to the summer tutoring schedule. Studying in advance allows me time to study other subjects during the school year, whereas if I had to study all subjects at the same time during the school year, it would be very difficult and tiring. If I had more freedom during the summer, I'd probably love to take baking or flower decorating classes," Thảo confided.

For students, especially those in urban areas, summer is mostly spent behind closed doors and, in a way, resembles a third semester with preparatory learning before the new school year begins. And even with a ban on extra tutoring, tutoring centers and private tutors still manage to meet parents' demand for preparatory learning for their children.

Children attend summer classes to reinforce their knowledge and "babysit."

Students nationwide have been on summer vacation for almost a month. The education sector has essentially instructed schools not to organize extra classes or tutoring during the summer.

As early as the beginning of May, the Department of Education and Training of Bac Giang province sent out a document guiding the organization of summer activities in 2023, which emphasized the content of extra tutoring, except for 9th and 12th graders who would continue their review until after the exams were over. In reality, according to Mr. Nguyen Luu, a specialist at the Department of Education and Training of Bac Giang province, parents in many areas still find ways to send their children to extra classes for various reasons such as consolidating knowledge, reviewing for exams, or even to "look after the children".

"There are also some families living near the teachers who entrust their children to tutoring, which is not considered extra tutoring for profit, but entirely voluntary, and therefore does not violate the regulations of the state management agency," Mr. Luu said.

Mr. Be Doan Trong, Chief of the Office of the Department of Education and Training of Lang Son province, said that most localities have issued official documents guiding schools not to organize extra classes and to take advantage of the summer time for children to participate in experiential activities, improve physical fitness or further develop soft skills.

"We have proposed that teachers and students should have a summer break, and we have issued a document specifying the earliest possible start date for the school year. There is no question of teaching or learning ahead of schedule, and year-end guidelines are always provided," Mr. Trong shared.

Is summer the third semester? - 2 — Physical activities help children grow and develop during the summer. (Photo: KT)

In urban areas, there isn't enough space for children to play, have fun, or help out with family chores, making the three summer months a source of worry for many parents. This is especially true when social media and video games easily lead children astray, affecting their eyesight and their need for real-life experiences. Parents also worry about their children falling behind in their studies when the new school year begins. Therefore, sending children to summer classes has become a popular choice for many parents.

However, according to Dr. Nguyen Thi Chinh, a school psychologist at Sentia Inter-level School, allowing children to play for extended periods or forcing them to attend extra classes constantly are both problematic.

At the extreme, allowing children to take a complete break until the start of the school year can cause shock, making it difficult for them to adapt and feel comfortable with classroom learning when the school year begins.

Conversely, after a stressful school year, adding more academic pressure and homework will cause children to lose interest and even become discouraged.

According to psychologist Dr. Nguyen Thi Chinh, balance is considered essential during the summer. This is the ideal time for children to experience and learn things they wouldn't have the opportunity to do during the school year, such as traveling, participating in experiential activities, visiting grandparents and relatives in their hometowns, experiencing rural life, and practicing some sports. These activities, on the one hand, aim to develop life skills and improve qualities and abilities, and on the other hand, enhance personal emotions and improve physical fitness.

Importantly, parents and children need to have clear goals and also need to know how to manage their time; they can't let plans slip away day after day. I know some children who, during the summer, spend all day sleeping or playing video games, which is a huge waste of time," shared Dr. Nguyen Thi Chinh.

According to Dr. Chinh, one thing parents should pay special attention to is their children's mental health. It's not uncommon for parents to force their children to study too much, leading to serious psychological disturbances.

Even graduating students need balance, preparing themselves mentally and physically to cope with intense studying instead of trying to cram as much as possible. A relaxed mind and a healthy body will make studying and taking exams more effective, emphasized Dr. Nguyen Thi Chinh.

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