Vietnam Diary

In August 2008, TES competition winner David Grundy, a Year 5 and 6 teacher from Tilney St Lawrence School in Norfolk, visited Oxfam programmes in Vietnam to share learning with Vietnamese teachers. In doing so he gained an insight into how Oxfam’s education programme works with others to end poverty and suffering. David was inspired to bring back his experiences and use them in the classroom during his teaching of global issues. This approach helps educate students about our interdependent world – below you'll find his diary from the trip. You may also like to read his feature in TESconnect.

David was accompanied on this trip by Adam Short, Oxfam's Advocacy Co-ordinator and met, among others, the following people:

Nguyen Thi Hoang Yen, Communications Officer
Vu Thi Thanh Hoa, Education Programme Coordinator
Nguyen Thi Le Na, Education Programme Assistant
Nguyen Dieu Chi, Education Programme Officer for Lao Cai

Sunday 17th August
Yen arrived in the evening, and briefed us on the scope of Oxfam GB’s work in Vietnam. This was a good broad-brush introduction, I am now aware of the five areas of their work – Livelihoods, Education, Disaster Management, Disaster Relief and Gender.

Monday 18th August
Met Hoa and Na, before our travels down to Tra Vinh province. First taste of a sticky rice ball. Hoa showed us a PowerPoint of the Education project in Tra Vinh.

Tuesday 19th August
Visited our first schools today, starting with Ngũ Lac C School. Watched a superbly led lesson on fractions, from Dung, a resource teacher. Really good atmosphere, good group work, fast pace, the children were keen to do well. Moved on to Long Toan B School, where I was struck by the teacher’s use of the tambourine to get the children to turn to face the front. Very clear routines established, even though the children have only been back a day or two.

Joined the CCM training session at Phuoc Hao. Hoa explained the order of this training and that today’s session was on the classroom environment itself. I have been struck by fact that if a desk is broken the teacher has to sort it out; if the curtains need cleaning the teacher has to take them home and wash them!  Just had time to visit another CCM training session, also on classroom environment. This was a session in groups where the teachers made their own displays.

Wednesday 20th August
After a night on the loo I didn’t manage much today – other than passing out in a Vietnamese lesson at the first school!

Thursday 21st August
Visited one more school on the way back to Ho Chi Minh City. The most memorable feature of this school was the ‘mobile library’ – to keep them dry, comics and books were stuffed into plastic bottles. The bottles were then hung from trees to form the library. Several children reading during break. Saw a Grade 3 lesson on word formation. I like the way they use all the new methodology, but still manage to include a small amount of rote learning and reciting of definitions.

Travelled back, crossing three rivers by ferry as we went. Saw several geese travelling in sacks attached to a motorbike. I’m not sure their last hours of life will be that comfortable.  Took plane to Hanoi.

Friday 22nd August
After an early morning visit to the park, where I ended up dancing a waltz with a hairdresser, we went to Oxfam GB’s office in Hanoi.  Met several of the staff there, including Peter, who is their researcher.
Saw magnificent Water Puppet Theatre in the evening, and had supper with the Intern, Huyen, sitting on small stools on a pavement in the old town – true Vietnamese style.

Saturday 23rd August
Went to the war museum. Pretty shocking stuff. Overnight train to Lao Cai province with Adam, Yen and Chi.

Sunday 24th August
Woke up to stunningly beautiful scenery from the train. So many isolated homes in the hill country as we approached Lao Cai. Drove up to Sa Pa, experienced the market – especially the Hmong people selling their cloth!

Visited Hoang Lien School, before going on to a very interesting CCM training session on ‘How to ask questions’. The comments and ideas showed me where I had become a bit slack in asking questions!

Interesting to hear about the language problems . One teacher told me of her experience when she took her first class in this Hmong area. Within about a minute she realised that, because she was speaking Vietnamese, the children didn’t understand what she was saying.

Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th August
Yen wisely told me to change my shorts before we went to see the District Education leader this morning.  Went on from there to visit Hau Thao School, right on the top of a hill. There was a type of chicken wire across the front entrance ‘to stop the cows from coming in’. Had an interesting chat with the Vice Principal. Then watched a Grade 1 class getting the children to recognise the sounds ‘b’, ‘e’ and ‘be’. This involved a lot of repetition and some handwriting practice. Handwriting is taught thoroughly. The teacher showed six different levels and how to write a b, starting at level 2. Teacher quite strict, class very much at the beginning of their school career.

Fascinating visit to a lower secondary school, Tà Phìn, in Y Hàn village. Saw the conditions in which many children board, two to a bed. One dormitory hut had been made unsafe by the flooding and mudslides. Talked to two children, both on scholarships from Oxfam. Came to realise just how much boarding is enjoyed for the most part by children who come from very small communities, with perhaps no companionship of their own age.

Met a Parent Teacher Association and after a good hour talking with them realised what a remarkable job they do on the school’s behalf.

Visited a Livelihoods Project in the same district. Good to see this side of Oxfam’s work as well. One of the changes, according to the project leader, was that people now had stalls for their animals instead of just tethering them up, and they also knew how to give basic veterinary care.

Wednesday 27th August
Went to Bat Xat district, and after a short visit to the district education office, set off for one of the schools. We never made it. This was the area most affected by the typhoon earlier in the month, during which one whole school had been demolished. Ended up going back to the district office and getting into a long conversation about Special Needs. As it turned out, there was a Special Needs training session going on in the next-door room, so three teachers from the seminar came out and talked with us instead!

In the afternoon, de-briefed with Lao Cai province’s deputy head of education. Train back to Hanoi.

Thursday 28th August
De-briefed at Oxfam office, having bought a CD on how to speak Vietnamese. What a trip! Can’t believe these 2 weeks has ended.

Don't forget to check out David's feature in TESconnect.