Last week, Grade 4 parents at The Dewey Schools Hải Phòng set aside their busy routines to “turn back time” and become students once again in a very special classroom – the Literature & Vietnamese project presentation titled “What I Care About.” The “teachers” of that class were only 10 years old, yet they confidently led their sessions, presenting lessons through their own voices and perspectives.
Each “lesson” unfolded a different facet of contemporary life: from sharing household responsibilities and the tradition of lucky money during Lunar New Year, to global concerns such as illegal wildlife hunting, environmental pollution, and traffic safety. All topics were independently selected, researched, and presented by Grade 4 students with authentic thinking, intellectual independence, and thoughtful reflection.
Notably, each young “teacher” demonstrated a distinct teaching style. Some incorporated dramatization to convey messages vividly; others relied on compelling data and statistics to strengthen their arguments; many posed thought-provoking questions to engage parents in active dialogue. Behind every presentation was a meaningful journey of self-directed learning — a process of acquiring, internalizing, and transforming knowledge into personal viewpoints through diverse modes of expression.
The classroom atmosphere became even more dynamic during the debate session. Challenging questions such as, “What do you think about men’s responsibility in household work?” or “Should highly individualistic students strictly follow classroom rules?” sparked candid, multi-dimensional discussions. Innocent yet assertive statements like, “Real men should share household responsibilities with women,” or “Respecting differences still requires discipline and good habits,” clearly reflected the development of critical thinking skills in progress.
“The children are exposed to global issues, which greatly broadens their life perspectives. They proactively explore topics that previous generations might have avoided. The self-research and peer-teaching model at Dewey is a two-way learning approach that I find highly effective, helping students deeply understand the essence of knowledge,” shared Ms. Nguyễn Thị Huyền Hòa, parent of Nguyễn Mai Trang (Class 4 Queenstown), after the session.
Beyond the boundaries of textbooks, Primary students at The Dewey Schools learn through experience and grow through thinking via Literature & Vietnamese projects such as the Lyrical Poetry Seminar, the “Voices of Hands” Exhibition, and the “What I Care About” Presentation. With a well-structured curriculum, each student not only accumulates knowledge but also gradually cultivates sharp critical thinking, intentional reflection, and a compassionate heart that cares for the community — essential foundations for confidently navigating an ever-changing world.
