For a long
time, grammar schools have been criticized for providing inadequate career
guidance. Since students do not have sufficient knowledge about careers, they
simply choose schools to continue study based on their intuitions. Taking
university entrance exams to become university students after finishing
secondary school is the norm, even though many students are not well prepared
for the exam or are interested in careers that do not require university.
“Study at universities first, think about jobs later,” is the thought of many
students.

As a
result, many incapable students fail the university entrance exams after
wasting their parents’ money on exam preparation. Other students become
university students, but they quit school after a short period of studying
because they realize that the jobs do not fit them. Many others cannot find
jobs after they finish universities, because they do not have necessary skills.

However,
things seem to be quite different now.

The annual
Vietnamese Teachers’ Day celebration ceremony at Nguyen
Binh Khiem
High School in Dak Lak School always includes a special item:
students learn about their teachers’ job by communicating with teachers of the
school.

At the last
year’s ceremony, an 11^th grade raised a question to Nguyen Thi Thuy,
a chemistry teacher: “What characteristics do teachers need to have in order to
perform their job well?”

“Teachers
need to love their job, love students, and they need to possess kindness,
selflessness, and fairness. Besides, in order to become good teachers, they
must study pedagogy so that they can understand students and help them strive
to become good scientists, businessmen and genuine workers,” Thuy replied.
“Teachers need constantly create new assignments and share ideas with one
another. It would be better if teachers can play musical instruments or sing
songs”.

Nguyen Thi
Thuong, a teacher in charge of career guidance of Nguyen Binh Khiem High
School, said that every year, the school organizes career guidance activities
with six themes, integrating into big anniversary days, such as communicating
with teachers on the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, with doctors on the Vietnamese
Physicians, or with soldiers on National Defense Day.

Besides,
the school also invites good businessmen or farmers in Krong Pak district, or
students’ parents, who work in different fields, to talk to students about
their opportunities. Thuong believes that communicating with workers proves to
be the best way to help students imagine their future jobs.

Especially,
the school has posed an interesting theme for discussion: “Gender equality and
gender issues in choosing careers”. Thuong said this will provide students with
the knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of female and male
students in choosing careers.

A teacher a guide

Phan Thanh
Nhuan, Deputy Headmaster of Le Quy Don
High School in Tam
Ky district in Quang Nam province,
said that his students receive career guidance from the time they enter school
until they finish.

“We think
that choosing academic disciplines and choosing careers are the “turning
points” in the life of every student. Therefore, all the teachers of the
schools need to join forces to guide
students,” he said.

Every year,
the school sends teachers to the training courses organized by the Quang Nam
Education and Training Department. The teachers then will train other teachers,
so that every teacher can act as an advisor to students. The school regularly
updates information about universities to provide to students, so that students
can consider their interests and abilities before registering to take
university entrance exams.

Not only
teachers, but parents and former students of high schools have also joined
forces to help students choose suitable careers. In mid February 2011, more
than 2000 students of Nguyen Thuong Hien High School in HCM City
and their parents attended “Career Day 2011.”

C. V