Ms. Venus and the 'light' from the pages of small books.
Beyond teaching Vietnamese, teacher Cao Thi Sao Kim also teaches the children to live virtuously – through her gentle reading voice, her love for literature, and her belief that every good story can touch a growing soul.
Readerbook
If you've ever attended a reading class taught by Ms. Cao Thi Sao Kim, many adults will likely share the same feeling: a sense of being a child again, being drawn into the story as if you were a child yourself, as if the joyful and sad atmosphere of the story touches you, as if the characters in the story are present right here...
Me too. I had the opportunity to participate in the event.read a bookThe community event was organized free of charge and led by Ms. Kim. I couldn't hold back my emotions when Ms. Kim read the following lines:"I'll always be there, whether your acorn isn't good or for any other reason. I'll always be here!"In the warm, gentle voice of the little squirrel character, I kept wanting to listen to the catchy melody of the song that Ms. Kim herself composed for the story, and I was incredibly curious about the characters' reactions after each scene. After listening to the story, the children discussed it, were given pens and paper to draw pictures of the squirrel and the oak tree in the story, imagined themselves as the oak tree, and wrote letters to thank the squirrel for its unconditional love and care.
As soon as the teacher gave permission, the children eagerly expressed all their thoughts and feelings on paper. Green-canopied oak trees, yellow-canopied oak trees, round-canopied oak trees, triangular-canopied oak trees, squirrels in the trees, squirrels on the ground, red squirrels, brown squirrels… All received encouragement, support, and motivation from Ms. Kim, and each child felt proud and honored to present their artwork to everyone.
“The plot is simple, telling the story of an oak tree shunned by animals who mistakenly believe its acorns are not tasty. The love of a squirrel brings joy back to the oak tree and helps the animals realize that acorns are actually very delicious. For children aged 5-8, I just want them to understand the value of love. But for older children, I can expand the lesson, conveying messages about how to view and evaluate issues from multiple perspectives, how to love oneself even when no one else understands… This is one of many books I cherish and want to share with young children,” said Ms. Kim.
Not only in her free community reading classes, but Ms. Kim also makes a habit of reading to all her students whenever possible.
“As a primary school teacher, every lunchtime, I dedicate time to reading aloud to my students before bedtime. At those times, all the noise fades away, and the children listen attentively in silence. I usually choose books about the teacher-student relationship, friendship, family, love, compassion, patriotism… Each page touches my heart, and I believe the children feel a great deal from it.”
Teacher Cao Thi Sao Kim
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As a reader herself, Ms. Kim has made her students eagerly anticipate lunch breaks, always curious and waiting for the unexpected ending of the story. Thus, page by page, without realizing it, Ms. Kim's students developed a love for literature, for the Vietnamese language, and much more… Perhaps, Ms. Kim's journey in spreading a reading culture isn't measured by the number of pages turned, but by the emotions she has sown.
Special Class
and the book of the teacher and students
Ms. Kim's Vietnamese language lessons at Tue Duc Green School in Nghe An are always especially loved by her students, because what she teaches goes beyond just the blackboard and white paper. Each of her lessons is always exciting because it opens up the learning space, the approach to the subject matter, and boundless creativity.
“Ms. Kim teaches Vietnamese in a very interesting way. We get to sing, draw, act in plays, and admire the trees and scenery all over the schoolyard during her lessons. In many lessons, we get to role-play as teachers, and she becomes a little student in the corner of the classroom. But she's also very strict; if anyone isn't serious, she corrects them immediately… As our homeroom teacher, she's truly like a kind mother, taking care of us every day. Whenever we do something wrong, she never scolds us but analyzes each action, each right and wrong. She's the person who understands us best, and she's also the one who instills in us a love for the Vietnamese language,” shared student Nguyen Ha Phuong.
The values conveyed by Ms. Kim's liberal teaching methods were encapsulated by the students into literary works, poems, and creative stories that were incredibly pure, innocent, yet profoundly meaningful. In their works, the children expressed gratitude and affection for their grandparents, parents, teachers, even the housekeeper, the trees, and their pets... At the same time, they showcased unique and creative perspectives on the themes of friendship, nature, and gratitude.
That's also why the Vietnam Women's Publishing House agreed to keep intact the works written by Ms. Kim's students to publish as a book titled "Colors of Childhood." The book cover was drawn by the students themselves, and the nearly 180-page book is divided into three sections: Literature Corner; Poetry Corner; and Creative Story Corner.
The introduction to the book stated:“This little book serves both as a thank you from us to our parents, teachers, and school, for giving us the best things so that we can freely explore and experience the world in our own way, freely immerse ourselves and freely explore the beauty of the Vietnamese language; and as a fundraising effort – something we did last year with our poetry collection “Life in Me”.
Accordingly, with the poetry collection "Life in Me" (published in 2022), Ms. Kim's young friends raised 11 million VND to donate to orphans at the Lam Bich Orphanage (Hung Nguyen). Similarly, after the launch of "Colors of Childhood," the group of authors, all 5th-grade students from Xanh Tue Duc School in Nghe An, sold nearly 1,000 copies, raising 15 million VND from book sales to send to people in the North during the 2024 floods... With the same spirit, the small works of Ms. Kim's students continue to be created in the most endearing and meaningful way. For them, books are not just books – they are a bridge connecting people with compassion.
Sharing about her work, Ms. Sao Kim confided: "Before finding my current job, I went through many ups and downs in life, tried many different options, and accumulated many lessons. It is these experiences that have shaped me into who I am today, with a complete passion for children and a strong desire to create a better future for them."reading habits"My love for literature has led me to live honestly, gratefully, kindly, and to constantly learn every day. Currently, I am truly happy with my work…"
