"A butterfly goes wherever it pleases, and pleases wherever it goes."

Monday, May 14, 2007

Learning about Vietnam: Schools in Vietnam

The day I explored Hanoi was a Saturday, so most schools in the area were closed. However, one was full of children. The normal school week is Monday through Friday, so I wondered why one school would be in session while others were not.

It turns out that some schools are so overcrowded that they have to go to school on Saturdays. This is especially true in the large cities.
The assistant researcher whom I’m working with, Viet, is a teacher so I asked him many questions about Vietnam’s schools. I thought you might enjoy some of these facts:

  • It is required that all children go to school up until grade 9. If they want to continue to go to school after grade 9 (age 14 and 15) their parents have to pay for it.
  • Elementary students go to school from 7 am to 10 am. School ends, and most students go home for lunch, rest, play or work. They have to return to school the same day from 1:30-4:30 pm.
  • In the country schools (rural—remember that word from earlier in the year), students go home for lunch—all children do (and they have to walk or parents have to pick them up—there are no busses). Lunch is not offered.
  • In the city schools lunch is offered but if your family cannot afford to pay for your lunch you have to go home. There is no money to help poor families.
  • Elementary teachers have classes of 30 to 40 students.
    If a child misbehaves the teacher can strike him/her on the cheek, hit him/her with a ruler, or pinch the child’s ear. This is legal, normal, and expected.

So here are today’s questions. Pick one to copy, paste, and answer. Don’t forget your name.

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lunch. Which system do you think is better? Do you think it is fair that the taxes your parents have to pay go toward paying for poor kids’ lunches? Explain your answer.

3. In the United States, schooling is free until grade 12, when you hopefully graduate and get your high school diploma. What if we had a system like Vietnam’s, where only up until grade 9 is it free. How would this change our world? How would things be different in the United States? Explain your answer.
I can’t wait to read what you write. Today I had duck eggs for breakfast!


31 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I belive that there is just as much of issues as other kids in the united states beacause there is no reason why they should act diffrent compared to other kids they just get punished and it doesent change there personality it just tells them that that is wrong but they go right back to there old self.
Alexis

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there are more behavior problems in Vietnam because poor famales that can't afford lunches have to go home.

Daniel O.

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I do think there are would be fewer behavior problems.
I believe this because I am a student myself, and I know that physical pain stops me from doing things in the future more often than something verbal or mental.Of course, those phsical things happened out of school.I'm going to stick with my answer from earlier, but, then again, maybe not for some (possibly including me if I were in their position). I have to leave for guitar.
Jacob

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think that there are, if the teachers in vietnam punish the children more for the bad things they have done the children will learn faster. -Gabriella

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there are fewer behavior problems in the U.S. than in Vietnam because teachers in Vietnam hit their students and probably once a student is hit they would know not to misbehave again.

By:Kaitlin

Anonymous said...

. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think that the United States has worse problems with punishments than Vietnam. I Flicked my head around when I read that if a child misbehaved, they would get paddled or hurt very badly.I think that the U.S.A. should get better punishments.. They don't do enough!
-Sienna

Anonymous said...

. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.Yes I do think that there are fewer problems because if the child is bad they wak them with a ruler or pinch them in the ear after that I would not be notey aney more.
bryson

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think their are fewer behavior problems in Vietnam than the United States. One reason is because the kids get piched and hit by the teachers and in the United States people just talk with the princible or something. P.S. Do kids like going to school on Saturday better than going on Monday or Friday or something?

By Mikey

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think punishing kids, like they do in Vietnam, is a better system as long as the teachers aren't too strict about little things. I think that by being pinched and hit they learn not to goof around and do things they aren't supposed to.
Jamie P.S. Do duck eggs taste differently than chicken eggs? If so, how do they taste?

Anonymous said...

2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lunch. Which system do you think is better? Do you think it is fair that the taxes your parents have to pay go toward paying for poor kids’ lunches? Explain your answer.

I think that United States plan is
better so the kid gets lunch at school. The Vietnam plan sends the kids home. In Vietnam the kids would be embarresed in front of their friends.

Anonymous said...

2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lunch. Which system do you think is better? Do you think it is fair that the taxes your parents have to pay go toward paying for poor kids’ lunches? Explain your answer.

I think that United States plan is
better so the kid gets lunch at school. The Vietnam plan sends the kids home. In Vietnam the kids would be embarresed in front of their friends.

Daniel O.

Anonymous said...

. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.I think that there are fewer behavior problems in Veitnom. The teacher can hit,pinch on the ear,and strike you across the cheek. So there must be less miss behavior.
I would never try the duck eeg.

Cody

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

i think there is a difference. if the teachers punish the kids more the quicker they learn. i think there are probably more problems in the united states. -Gabriella

bleckb said...

When I was in school, teachers were still allowed to spank and punish us that way. I still got in lots of trouble with my teachers. I didn't like getting spanked, but I never thought about the spankings when I was doing something wrong.

Anonymous said...

2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lunch. Which system do you think is better? Do you think it is fair that the taxes your parents have to pay go toward paying for poor kids’ lunches? Explain your answer.


I think the US system is better because well fed kids will be able to think and learn better. In Vietnam if the kids are so poor they have to go home, I don't think they'll have very good nourishment at home. In some schools in the U.S. kids eat both breakfast and lunch at school because their parents can't afford to feed them at home. This way kids get better nourishment, can learn and grow better, and become better people for their society. My parents taxes are being spent for a good reason and for the welfare of other kids. I believe that is a better system than the one in Vietnam. Cade

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

yes, i do think that they behave
better over there because it would hurt to be hit with a ruler.
frankie

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.
I think there is more behavior problems in the US because I personally think that kids in the US are more "uncontrollable" than vietnamese kids. I also think this because in the US I think that teachers have more "terrible threats" than teachers in Vietnam.
Rachel,#1. YOU ATE DUCK EGGS, YUCK!!!#2. Joy is really super nice, but I still miss you terribly!!!-Natalie****

Anonymous said...

Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools because: If a student was misbehaving,and if the teacher hit her/she they wouldn't want to get hit again. So probaly they would not misbehave again.
But Rachel,(please,please,please,please) don't start hitting your 4th grade class.
-Shafeen

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.
Yes i do because when the students do something bad the teacher hits them. The student learns and does not do it agian. thats why i think there are more behavior problems in the U.S.
Drew

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

Yes because the punishments actully hurts the child. In the U.S.A students don't get phisicly hurt by punishment and there are usally more students that make trouble. In the U.S.A students only miss brake if there bad instead of geting beat and missing brake makes almost no diffrence.


By joseph

Anonymous said...

Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there is more beavior problems because if there were less problems then they would not have made there rules about hitting the kids or pinching the kids when they get in trouble

Alyssa

Anonymous said...

Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there is more beavior problems because if there were less problems then they would not have made there rules about hitting the kids or pinching the kids when they get in trouble

Alyssa

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietanamese schools compared to United States school because the Veitnamese students get punishsed in a way that might hurt them. The students probaly don't want to get hurt. If the students don't want to get hurt then they won't missbehave as often.
Sierra

Anonymous said...

Hi Rachel,
(I already MISS YOU!!!!!!)

How do you like Vietnam?
Did you like the duck eggs?
I can't wait until the MONTANA TRIP!!!
Can't wait to see you!!!

- Shafeen

Anonymous said...

Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there is more beavior problems because if there were less problems then they would not have made there rules about hitting the kids or pinching the kids when they get in trouble

Alyssa

Anonymous said...

2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lu2. In United States public schools, poor children can get free or cheaper school lunches. The taxes your parents pay help pay for this program. But in Vietnam poor kids go home for lunch. Which system do you think is better? Do you think it is fair that the taxes your parents have to pay go toward paying for poor kids’ lunches? Explain your answer. Yes because it isn't fair to the poor kids to have bad lunches.The poor kids dont get goodlunches like the other kids. The goverment needs to charge taxes so the poor people can aford to have lunch at the school.

-colten

Anonymous said...

Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think there is more beavior problems in Vietnamese schools. If there were less problems then they would not have made their punishments so bad. In America we dont have these punishments.
P.S. ignore my first post
Alyssa

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

Yes I think that they have fewer behavier problems in Vietnamese
schools because they know that this is probely the only education that they will ever get. And plus it probeley hurts pretty bad to be whacked with a ruler. Even so i do not think that it is a good idea for the U.S.

Anonymous said...

. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think that there are fewer behavior problems in the U.S.A. The students in Vietnam would get punished from the teachers would probably hit the students by a bamboo stick! That would hurt really bad ! That way the students dont play around if they get punished.

*******KRYSTIN WE MISS YOU SO MUCH!

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.

I think that there would be about the same amount of problems in Vietnam as the United States. I think this because some kids will still act out even if there are being punished or hit. Sometimes it makes the child act out even more when they are being punished. For example they might throw a fit or temper tantrum.

-Hope you are having the best time of your life or just a wonderful time-
Elizabeth C.

Anonymous said...

1. Do you think that there are fewer behavior problems in Vietnamese schools than compared to United States schools, because of how teachers can punish students? Explain your answer.
I think there is more behavior problems in the US because I personally think that kids in the US are more "uncontrollable" than vietnamese kids. Teachers can do what they want, but getting sent to the principle already feels bad.
And it would be very hurtful to be hit with a ruler.
Rachel,#1. YOU ATE DUCK EGGS, YUCK!!!#2. Joy is really super nice, but I still miss you terribly!!!-Natalie****

Three Teachers--Jeff, Rachel and Beth

Three Teachers--Jeff, Rachel and Beth

Red and Yellow

Red and Yellow
This one is beautiful and also quite common

Rare Green Butterfly

Rare Green Butterfly
This one is drinking water from a waterfall we hiked to

Tam Dao Classroom

Tam Dao Classroom
Yes, this is an actual classroom being used

Rachel at a Classroom Teacher's Desk in Tam Dao Primary and Secondary School

Rachel at a Classroom Teacher's Desk in Tam Dao Primary and Secondary School
Yes, this is an actual teacher desk

Tam Dao was once a summer retreat for wealthy French families when France occupied Vietnam

Tam Dao was once a summer retreat for wealthy French families when France occupied Vietnam
This is what's left of one French villa--there were over 400 here at one time, but were destroyed by the Vietnamese people in the 1950s

Hanoi Time

Hanoi