LookAtVietnam – Officials of MOET have voiced their support for the experiment, reports the newswire Dan Tri.

“I can point out many good points of learning in groups,” he said. For example, a teacher may ask students to conduct the operation: 3 + 2 = ? If some students cannot know the answer, they will look and see how their classmates do with the operation and follow them. Students can learn more from friends than from teachers.”

Thanh went on to say that when a teacher asks students to describe a tree, she should lead the students to the school yard, where there is a tree, so that students can see the tree with their eyes and make their comments. With the traditional teaching method, students have to stay in classes and… imagine a tree.

Meanwhile, speaking to Dan Tri reporters, Le Ngoc Diep, Head of the Primary Education Division at the HCM City Education and Training Department, said that the department is a great supporter of renovation in teaching methods.

“We will, together with Luong Dinh Cua School, maintain the new modern teaching method,” Diep said after a working session with Luong Dinh Cua School’s leadership.

Diep admitted that with the new teaching method, students may feel weary as they have to turn their heads round when they want to look into the blackboard or listen to teachers. He also admitted that equipping classrooms with rotating chairs as suggested is unfeasible because of the limited money.

“I have suggested using plastic chairs. Students will turn the chairs and themselves when they need to look at the blackboard,” Diep said.

He stressed that learning in groups is a growing pedagogical tendency. The new teaching method allows students to be more active and take initiative in sharing knowledge with friends and improving their knowledge.

He said that most private international schools in HCM City already apply this teaching method, but Luong Dinh Cua School is theonly state-run school to the new style so far.

Reporters asked Diep why the modern teaching method has not been applied in any state-run schools until now. He answered that it is because of the poor physical condition of the schools and teachers’ low salaries.

“The new methods demand more of teachers,” Diep explained.

However, both Diep and Thanh have emphasized that no teaching method is perfect and all can be abused.

Thanh said that teachers’ qualification’s play the most important role and decide the quality of lessons.

In other countries, teachers at primary schools are all university graduates. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, teachers have different qualifications. Some people become teachers by finishing secondary school and then taking a two or three year training course.

VietNamNet/Dan tri