Benevolent class

Benevolent class

Opening a foreign language class in a Buddhist temple is the way venerable Thich Minh Hien brings opportunities to the poor.

Pupils are eager to learn computing

Opening a foreign language class in a Buddhist temple is the way venerable Thich Minh Hien, residing at Linh Quang pagoda in Co Do hamlet, Cam Phuc commune (Cam Giang), brings opportunities to the poor.

Joyful learning

Mingling with the pagoda bell sound echoing in the air were kids’ footsteps rushing to the classroom. The young female teacher quickly tied her hair up neatly, cleaned the blackboard with a piece of cloth, and rearranged the classroom.

The days of memorizing the alphabet and learning how to put letters together had passed, the kids were familiarizing themselves with lessons on such topics as plants and animals.

On a winter afternoon, the ebulliently learning sound of the teacher and pupils in the quiet pagoda yard pulled back visitors and aroused their curiosity and affection.

Realizing strangers knocking at the classroom door, the children looked up with limpid eyes.

Introduced beforehand, teacher Hang greeted us with a smile then let the kids have a break 15 minutes earlier than usual.

“The kids these days are preparing for the semester exam, so the class size is maintained at 15 – 20 pupils. Previously, especially during the summer holiday, there were times when up to 40 – 50 kids attended this class. We combine singing and dancing items, poem reading, and game playing in English so that the kids can learn and remember easily without getting bored, at the same time improve their mobility and communicativeness,” Hanh cheerfully said.

“It’s very joyful to study here. Teachers teach me how to remember, talk, and play in a foreign language, so I did well in class exams with higher scores, on which I was complimented by teachers at school,” Pham Thanh Thu, a 4th-grader of Cam Phuc Primary School, said as wavering at the door.

Asking for more information, we knew that not only Thanh Thu but also all of Hanh’s pupils had improved a lot in the foreign language subject at school.

Teacher Hanh also added that pupils can start to learn any time because she will tutor the newcomers during recesses or after class time so that they can keep pace with the others.

Opportunities given to the poor

Venerable Thich Minh Hien has just resided at Linh Quang pagoda, which is under construction.

While overloaded with work, the venerable asked local authorities for permission to open the class in mid July 2013 thanks to the help of an organization of patriotic overseas Vietnamese.

The teaching is undertaken by students of Hung Yen University of Technology and Education. Not only children at school ages but anyone wishing to come is also accepted to attend the class.

Apart from the foreign language class, the venerable in October 2013 opened a computing one. With only four computers, teachers have instructed over 10 kids in basic knowledge of this subject. The class takes place only on Friday evenings; however, the pupils have been provided with basic knowledge so far. Many of them have known how to use computers and draft texts at low levels. Some kids were so enthralled by the subject that they came before class time to ask teachers for more directions.

THANH NGA

Benevolent class Related image(s)