Study Literature is to feel the beauty of life and to cultivate children’s creativity – these are more important than to “learn by rote” sample writings just to get a good mark at a test.
Students don’t have to wait until they graduate from high school to figure out the true meanings of studying Literature. At TDS, studying Literature is to perceive the beauty of life, to promote language ability, to improve communication and to develop students’ creativity with language arts. The Dewey Schools students’ composition handbooks, and also their first ‘spiritual property’, were born that way. Ms. Luong Thi Mo, Lead Teacher of the Social Faculty shared:
‘At The Dewey Schools, the Literature subject is composed of 2 sub-subjects, namely Literature and Vietnamese Language. While the former facilitates children’ creativity, the latter is a linguistic science that promotes each student’s language abilities. Literature enriches children’s artistic understandings and nourishes their souls; Vietnamese Language, in comparison, helps them to understand their mother tongue better and enables them to use effective words for communication.
Composition handbook is where students show off personal feelings and characteristics through their own poems, rhymes, short stories, etc. Promoting a child’s literary creativity does not mean directing them to a composing path. This, instead, is the bridge getting them closer to literature and growing their interest in the subject, which lays a foundation for their future composing activities. Students not only receive knowledge, but also have agency over it and can apply it to their real life.
‘Composition handbook includes literary works of TDS students. It is where students keep the poems, rhymes, stories or plays that they create themselves. Their souls, their characteristics and their worldviews are demonstrated in their composition handbooks. All their works are encouraged, appreciated and preserved, so many students enjoy composing. On reading an interesting work, Social Faculty teachers always share it to others and see it as their pleasure, motivation, strength and trust to stay energetic and passionate on their journey to lead students to explore the beauty of art.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung – Mother of Student Nguyen Thanh Binh shared: “Learning Literature at The Dewey Schools is so interesting. I always think that composing a poem or a literary work is something challenging and difficult. However, students here learn to compose since grade 2. Composing is initially hard for them; however, after 1 year only, I can see huge changes in their awareness and expression ability. Every time when I read my child’s work, I find it really funny and lovely with the writing style of his small age. On hearing each student’s work, I can see their own language and style.
For his love of composition, student Nguyen Thanh Binh shares his works with great excitement: ‘I can compose more meaningful poems and writings, and I can also acquire more knowledge.’
