Vuong Tuan, a high school teacher in Nghe An, said he has used many different measures to deal with the students making mistakes. 

If students chat during lessons and don’t concentrate, he warns them and asks them to stop chatting. If they continue chatting, they will note the mistake in the class punishment book and report to the head teachers, so that the head teachers will impose reasonable punishment.

The criticism by a parent in Hanoi about the harsh education methods applied by a private high school in Hanoi has raised a question about what Vietnamese teachers do when their students make mistakes.

If students don’t do homework or learn their lessons, he will also warn them and ask them not to repeat the same mistake. If the students once again don’t fulfill their duties, they will have to do extra homework and report to the teacher next time.

Sometimes he gives the students a zero mark if they ‘forget’ to do homework, but he will later give opportunities to the students to clear them of the bad mark by calling on them to answer questions.

Tuan said he has many memories working as a teacher. “One day, it was very noisy in the classroom. I asked some naughty students to concentrate on the lessons, but one of them showed opposition. I told him to go stand at the corner. But he continued to annoy. As I lost my temper, I gave him a thick ear and expelled him from the class,” he said.

Later, Tuan regretted his behavior and went to see the student’s parents and apologized. The parents said they did not blame him for anything. Meanwhile, the student later became obedient. 

Tran Dieu Huong, a teacher in Thu Duc district, HCMC, described herself as a severe teacher. When a new academic year begins, Huong shows the draft class regulations to students for discussion. All students have to obey the regulations if they agree on the rules.

Regarding the punishments, Huong said students are mostly asked to copy out passages from books or stand at the corner of the classroom. Or they are reprimanded before class and the school. In case they make serious mistakes, they will be expelled from school. However, the decision to expel someone can be done only by the headmaster after he or she talks with teachers and the management board.

Thu Nguyet, a chemistry teacher in district 11, HCMC, said she applies different kinds of punishments, because students have different characteristics. 

“Mild warnings will be useful for some students, but a warning won’t work for the students who repeat mistakes continuously,” she said.

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