According to Circular 30 of Ministry of Education – Training (ET), since mid October, educational sector has changed methods of assessing elementary pupils, switching from giving points to remarks. After 2 weeks, this change has been on the right track, helping teachers to express their deep understanding of pupils.
Displacing scores by remarks
Provincial educational sector has given training to teacher to implement Circular 30. After 2 weeks, while await detailed instructions from higher levels, each teacher has their own method.
During the first week, teachers of Phu Hoa 1 elementary school in TDM City had an initiative to carve type forms of “complete” and “incomplete” to append to pupils’ notebooks to replace comments. But school management board realized that this was a mechanical assessment, and then in the second week, teachers have given specific comments to each pupil.
To have correct assessments, teachers of Phu Hoa 1 elementary school take care of each pupil.
Since 20th October, teachers of Binh Quoi elementary school in Thuan An town has stopped giving points. According to vice principal Do Thi Kim Hue, implementing Circular 30, in school time, teachers comment on some pupils, and try to give more comments to have exact evaluation of each pupil’s academic qualification.
This change is to diminish the pressure of scores on pupils. Teacher Duong Chau of Nguyen Trai elementary school said: “Previously, pupils having low points usually had inferiority complex with their friends. Now, with gentle remarks from teachers, pupils know how to better themselves”.
Caring more about pupils
To accurately assess each pupil, some teachers have commented on all pupils in their class. Teachers have to work harder to observe all pupils, give comments to pupils in break time and lunchtime.
Teacher Vo Thuy Phuong of Phu Hoa 1 elementary school said, she comments on all her pupils to encourage pupils to finish their exercises. Sometimes she has to give about 200 comments a day.
Parents have different opinions about this change. Ms. Ngoc Nhu, a mother in Chanh MY ward (TDM City, said, parents hopes that teachers can give accurate remarks so that pupils are able to correct and parents can remind their kids to train more.
TDM City ET Bureau’s deputy head Duong Van Bon, after training, teachers are getting used to this change. To assess correctly, teachers have to observe all pupils to adjust their teaching methods. While assessing, teachers would give proper instructions to each pupil, instead of bringing different pupils into comparison. Implementing Circular 30, teachers would help pupils to improve their learning quality.
Reported by H.Thai, N.Thanh – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
