08:10, 11/30/2023
There are millions of people who are teaching, but not all of them are teachers in the truest sense of these two simple but noble words. Many people teach, but are just “teaching workers”.
When students don't like to study, they only like to "do"
To become a teacher, you must first graduate from university, with a bachelor's degree. The current Education Law stipulates this, except for preschool teachers (who only need to graduate from college). However, graduating from a university of education is only a bachelor of education, not a teacher. A bachelor of education must undergo a teaching internship, until he is qualified to stand in front of a class, before he can be recruited as a teacher. That teacher must spend a long time teaching, accumulating enough knowledge, experience, both professional and ethical, to become a teacher.
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| Teachers and students of Applied Informatics class - 02THA4, course 2023 - 2025, 9+3 system, Tay Nguyen Secondary School. Illustration photo |
That shows that the first condition to become a teacher is to have enough university knowledge. However, in reality, in universities today, most students do not like to study, but only like to "do". Lecturers at teacher training universities said that, except for a few good students who enjoy studying, the rest are reluctant to go to class to listen to lectures, go to the library to read books. However, they are very excited about extracurricular classes, and especially the internships and teaching practice sessions at high schools. They like to "do" more than like to study.
If they don't like listening to teachers and don't read much, where will they get the knowledge to become teachers? Yet, they still teach. They still complete their internships and practicums, and somehow manage to get enough points to graduate from university.
Holding a bachelor's degree, even though those students actually just want to learn to be a worker - a job that is more practical than theoretical. And the result is, the worker is neither a worker nor a teacher!
Teachers and Trainers
In Vietnamese, only those who work professionally and reach a certain level of proficiency are called “writers”. For example, writers and journalists must be professional and reach a high level of proficiency to be called “writers and journalists”. Teachers are the same, they are those who work in teaching and reach a master level.
From that natural requirement, compared with current reality, it shows that there are many people working in the teaching profession but not everyone is a teacher. Many people have been teaching for many years but are still just "teaching workers".
Legendary teacher Nguyen Ngoc Ky, who is paralyzed in both arms and writes with both feet, author of the book "I go to school" once said that a teacher is not a craftsman, knowledge is enough. If it were only for knowledge, students would not need to go to school, they would stay home and read books and find knowledge from many information channels. The difference between a teacher and a craftsman is that he must instill in the students' souls the inspiration to be good people, helping them to mature after each lesson. A teacher is not only someone who teaches skills and knowledge, but also someone who inspires learning and cultivates character in students.
How is a teacher different from a “teaching worker”? In terms of profession, a “teaching worker” strictly follows textbooks, reference books, standard programs, and teaching procedures… A teacher always creates lessons in his own way, unlike anyone else, and never repeats himself. Even more important is his mission, a “teaching worker” will refuse if he has to accept an unworthy salary. A teacher will accept to teach, even if he is not paid a single cent, because what he achieves is not just money (according to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Minh).
Worker out worker!
Some say that being a “teaching worker” is fine as long as you complete your teaching duties. If we demand that every teacher be a teacher, where will we find enough human resources for education?
I am also a person who went to school for 16 years from elementary school to university, learned from many teachers and "teaching workers", also participated in teaching and did many other jobs. I realized: To become a teacher is very difficult, but if you teach, you must become a teacher.
You may start your teaching career as a “teaching worker”, but that worker must strive to become a teacher, if he wants to pursue teaching. Because, teaching is a special profession. The product of education is not a commodity like many other commodities serving human consumption needs. The product of human education, with full physical and mental health, with survival skills and moral living, with soul. Teaching is a special profession that many other professions do not have, because it carries a natural mission, according to the folk understanding, it is a noble function entrusted by heaven and earth. In short: “Growing people”.
The teaching profession requires a lot from teachers, that's exactly it. Therefore, the human resources of education have not met this demand, that's a reality. So, being a "teaching worker" is fine, but a worker must be a worker. A teacher who completes a lesson, a class, according to the requirements of the program and in accordance with the Education Law, that's enough. And so on, gradually develop to become a teacher. A worker must be a worker, then a teacher must be a teacher!
Minh Tu
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