The Teachers who go the extra mile to 'catch' Internet signals for students to study in Pung Luong
Surpassing 400 pupils, the remote ethnic minority primary day school of Pung Luong in Mu Cang Chai is equipped with a meager 20 computers. However, this scarcity hasn't deprived these students of the opportunity for online learning and accessing international standard Mathematics and English curricula. Thanks to their dedicated teachers going above and beyond to "catch" Internet signals, students are supported throughout their academic journey.
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| Teachers and students have to go outside to “catch" Internet signal. |
The enthusiasm of the students becomes the motivation for the teachers
About six months ago, the Khan Academy Vietnam (KAV) team had the chance to collaborate with several schools in Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai Province) to facilitate using the Khan Academy platform in teaching and learning. In shacks with thatched roofs, many teachers participated in the training sessions with shared computers, some had to "catch" Internet signals in remote areas to access the platform through Zoom. A similar situation happened in this interview, as Pung Luong's teachers had to constantly change their seats and switch between devices to share their whole stories with the KAV team.
Most students at Pung Luong are ethnic minorities, with few being of the Kinh ethnicity. Thus, enabling them to study on the Khan Academy platform has been a collective effort of teachers and students after overcoming numerous obstacles.
Connectivity issues, restricted computer usage per class, and the difficulty in sharing resources are typical challenges teachers and students in Pung Luong face. Ms. Hue, handling class 3A2, shared the struggles, "All my students belong to ethnic minorities, so they lack devices like phones or laptops for self-study. They get only 15 minutes weekly to use the school computers, so we schedule classes accordingly. There are days when the network is stable and they can access the platform, but when not, they must leave the computers for another class. Seeing them disappointed makes me feel bad, but there's no other way."
Similarly, Teacher Nga, guiding class 1A3, witnesses her students' eagerness during math classes on the platform. The students enjoyed the lecture video with the image of a dancing dolphin, colorful numbers, and exciting calculations, all while preventing any sense of monotony. This has become the "specialty" that everyone wants to view and learn. However, not every student has learning devices. Hence, she dedicates her lunch breaks or even invites students to her place in the evenings to facilitate learning through her phone or laptop. She shared, "Seeing my students surround me, excitedly watching video lectures, and excitedly answering questions gives me more motivation to overcome all difficulties."
For Teacher Thắm, overseeing grade 4, the parents' involvement becomes her motivation. When home study assignments are made, parents frequently contact her for assistance accessing, completing tasks, or viewing lessons on the platform. Despite interrupting meal times, these interactions become moments of joy and luck for her.
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| Students are very excited at each lesson |
Difficulties do not mean giving up
Head Teacher Tiến shared, "Initially, adopting the Khan Academy was challenging. However, aiming to introduce creative and enjoyable math programs and English lessons to students pushed us to undergo training and become proficient in using this platform. To be honest, we had to repeatedly organize meetings to watch Math Grade 3 and 4 lecture videos to understand them thoroughly and apply them to our lessons with the students."
Teacher Long, handling class 3A3, observes that learning on this platform ignites excitement among students. Thus, she regularly organizes class competitions, motivating them to study diligently. The eager anticipation of learning amongst students gradually eases the initial struggles.
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| Ms. Minh Hue guides students in online learning during the break |
Deputy Principal Kieu Thi Huong acknowledges the platform's potential to aid in managing and teaching students. She emphasized, "It is important to leverage technology for education transformation at Pung Luong school and Mu Cang Chai District in general, and we will make every effort to overcome challenges to provide the best learning experience for our students. Thanks to their improved learning capabilities, the school hopes to see Pung Luong students excel in Math competitions."
Despite inadequate infrastructure, the teachers at Pung Luong Day School persistently devote their breaks and evenings to ensuring the best learning conditions. No challenge remains unaddressed; where there's difficulty, there's a solution.
Perhaps due to such unwavering determination, at the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, teachers and students achieved outstanding learning milestones on the Khan Academy platform. Over half of the school's students regularly access and study on the platform. While the journey ahead might be long and rugged, the dedication and hard work of the teachers promise to bloom the educational landscape at Pung Luong!
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