Teachers need to be 'brave' when choosing textbooks
(Baonghean.vn) - Giving autonomy to schools to choose textbooks requires teachers to be responsible and dedicated in the appraisal process to ensure that they can choose the right books, targeting the right audience, effectively serving teaching and learning.
Promote autonomy
The 2024-2025 school year will be the first year that students in grades 5, 9 and 12 will study new textbooks according to the 2018 General Education Program. After more than 3 years of applying the new textbook replacement program for grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10, 11, textbook selection is no longer a new thing for many schools. Experience from previous selections creates favorable conditions for teachers and schools to choose suitable textbooks.
To prepare the 9th grade textbooks for students in the next school year, recently, Mau Don Secondary School (Con Cuong) has assigned each professional group to read and carefully analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each textbook set. Based on the teachers' comments, the school assigned the professional group to synthesize and propose a list of textbooks selected by the professional groups after evaluating the requirements, voting and sending a report to the Department of Education and Training.
Ms. Dinh Ha - Principal of Mau Don Secondary School added: "This is the 4th year we have evaluated new textbooks, so teachers are familiar with the procedures. Moreover, we have had 3 years of experience in direct teaching, so teachers have basically grasped the advantages, difficulties and limitations.
Previously, our school only studied the "Knowledge Connection" book series in grades 6, 7, and 8, so many teachers thought that the 9th grade program should study the same set of books for continuity. However, the school's view is that teachers can freely express their opinions, consider each book from each different publisher to ensure objectivity and transparency before voting to finalize the final book.
In mid-March, new textbook introduction sessions organized online by publishers still received the attention of many school teachers.
As a Literature teacher, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham - teacher at Quan Bau Secondary School (Vinh City) said: "We determined that this is a heavy task, because when autonomy is given, the responsibility of ensuring education will be placed on the shoulders of teachers, teachers must commit to the quality of students. Therefore, before making the final decision, my colleagues and I carefully studied the textbooks to suit the students' abilities and the school's physical facilities."
In addition to the books in the “Knowledge Connection” series, Quan Bau Secondary School is currently using books from several other series in many different subjects. Therefore, the use of multiple series for the same grade level will likely continue in the coming school year for 9th grade students.
“According to the new program, the Ministry of Education and Training advocates one program, many textbooks, and current textbooks are only reference materials. Through studying the textbooks, we see that most of them meet the requirements of providing knowledge and training skills for students, helping them form qualities and develop abilities.
But besides that, each book series also has its own advantages and not every book series is 100% good.
Therefore, when given autonomy, we encourage teachers to express their personal opinions and be brave enough to research and choose. They should not choose a set of books that lack superiority out of habit, affecting the teaching and learning of teachers, students and the school.
Correct, accurate and practical
Hung Tay Secondary School is a special school of Hung Nguyen district. Most of the students are born into large families and in difficult circumstances. This is also one of the reasons that will affect the school's choice of textbooks after the school has autonomy in choosing books.
Sharing more about this, teacher Nguyen Thi Quang - Principal of Hung Tay Secondary School said: "For the past 3 years, we have only used one set of textbooks for students in grades 6, 7, 8 and students, teachers and parents have become accustomed to this. Therefore, when choosing new books for grade 9, we will try to choose similar books, because this will create favorable conditions for teachers and students in the teaching process. Moreover, it will help parents save a significant amount of money in buying textbooks for their children, taking advantage of old books".
Give autonomy to schools in choosingtextbookis the latest change of the Ministry of Education and Training with the aim of giving schools autonomy and increasing responsibility in choosing textbooks.
This change also aims to limit the group interests of some suppliers and increase the interests of students, teachers and schools. However, in the implementation process, to ensure objectivity, schools and teachers need to carefully study each set of textbooks, be impartial and promote their role in the assessment and voting.
Reality also shows that, although there have been quite clear instructions, through research, the selection of textbooks in some schools is still done in a perfunctory, general way and cannot avoid formalism.
Therefore, although many schools have established councils and carried out the steps to select textbooks according to the correct procedures, the number of schools that have made "breakthrough" changes in textbook selection compared to previous school years is not much. There are many reasons for this, partly because it depends a lot on the circumstances of the school, the locality, and each family. But it is inevitable that some schools are afraid of innovation and conflict.
“We have asked educational institutions to carefully study Circular 27/2023/TT-Ministry of Education and Training regulating the selection of textbooks in general education institutions, which will officially take effect from February 12, 2024, to properly implement the process. At the same time, we will highlight the role of each council member in selecting textbooks.
The department has organized training sessions and sent soft and hard copies of textbooks for schools to read and study sample copies.
The Department's view is that the selection process must ensure democracy, creating convenience for parents and students in purchasing and using textbooks later. In addition, it is also necessary to select quality textbooks to ensure good teaching and learning in schools.
