Recently, to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, students have to temporarily stop coming to school and study online via the Internet. The urgent situation has pushed both teachers and students to familiarise the use of technology in education.
Teaching online has given rise to many situations and new issues. Many photos and articles describe the scenario of a teacher while teaching via the Internet, faces not only a student studying in front of the computer but also a whole family "participating in the class". Why do the whole family watch the teacher? Is it purely because everyone has some free time and get curious?
If you ask the parents and all the "spectators", there will definitely be many reasons. However, for me, when viewing those photos and reading articles about this scenario, it reminds me of "Jugyou sankan" (class observation) and "Kokai jugyo" (open class) of Japan, as well as the current issues of school education in Vietnam.
"Class observation" and "Open class"
When first coming to Japan to research on the education here, I was very surprised about "class observation" and "open class", things that I have never seen or experienced before in Vietnam.
"Class observation" is the event in which schools open themselves for parents to visit and come to each class to observe the lessons that teachers are carrying out. Sometimes, it is not only an observation of classes but also a consideration of activities and studying of their children at school via watching the use of libraries, toilets, lunch and the cleaning of their school, etc...
Many schools in Japan carry out this activity, considering it as a school event and organise it multiple times per year (most commonly twice). Class observation usually carries out in all levels from kindergarten to high school. Recently, some universities, colleges and vocational schools also do the same. Many high schools will spend a whole week each year for this activity to create an opportunity for parents to observe many different classes.
These classes that parents can observe are called "open class". Due to its openness, not only the parents who are sending their kids to that school and that class can participate but any local resident or researchers if needed be, can register with the school to join. The act of registration is so the school can prepare instructions, ensuring the safety for students and distributing materials.
I myself when studying in Japan had spent many times observing these classes in elementary schools and high schools. Unlike the "dự giờ" or "thao giảng" - "class observation" - in Vietnam, these classes are carried out naturally. Teachers and students execute their normal activities as usual, spectators are not allowed to sit down or have any activity that affects the class but can stand and observe via a window, or in some cases, can stand inside the class to watch. There is no evaluation here, except for groups of researchers who later on can host discussion seminars (with or without the participation of the teachers depends on each case).
This is a "traditional" activity of school education in Japan and is familiar to parents so most schools have a schedule for "open class" very early or even since the beginning of a year.
Thoughts on schools in Vietnam
Base on the Japanese's "class observation" and "open class" we can see that in general, Vietnam has not got a similar event.
In Vietnam, there are usually classes for teachers and/or representatives of educational authorities to evaluate teaching quality, or to rank best teachers or to carry out some workshops or topics. In other school events such as sports competitions or performances, in general, there is only the participation from representatives of the Parent Union. The closest to the only opportunity for most parents to participate in school activities is the "Parents-Teachers meeting" but in this case, there is nearly no presence of students and teachers mostly discuss information with the parents or simply announce fees and student's results. There is no observation of the reality of education.
This is a huge disadvantage for school education in Vietnam amid the current situation.
When society is constantly changing and becoming strongly information-oriented, schools are no longer a closed space and teachers are no longer the sole provider of information.
A modern school will have to change from a "closed" status to a more open and liberal one. It's a place where not only teachers carry out educational activities but there should also be the participation of external specialists (to teach specialised topics, host seminars for parents and teachers, train teachers, and directly train students for special skills), and parents (in outings, performances, sports, seminars and collaboration of regular trainings).
Up till now, as a tradition and maybe outdated reasoning, the opportunity for Vietnamese parents to directly experience and observe their children's class and other educational activities in schools is rare.
The phenomenon of "the whole family watching a teacher teaching" while a student is studying online as mentioned above is highly symbolic. It hints many issues worth pondering about for educators in Vietnam. When society is changing fast and the concept of schooling expands, the opportunity to study for individuals, especially adults, has diversified (studying online, via radios or TV, studying in life, studying abroad, etc...), schools and teachers easily fall behind from the society.
"Opening school" is crucial and necessary for schools to escape such a condition. Moreover, via "opening" schools, it will create a huge opportunity to connect with local society, utilise the local resources for developing oneself while contributing to the development of the local society as a centre of information, education and culture.
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