Cicadas chirping in the leaves
Knocking on summer’s door
Waves crash upon the distant shore
Flowing with the cool breeze.
A vibrant summer filled with sounds and colors comes alive through the verses of TDSers. In the very first week back at school, our young poets had the chance to “begin their literary journey” with the creative writing project “My Summer.” This Vietnamese literature activity allowed students to showcase their talent for language, their emotions, and their boundless imagination. Through heartfelt and vivid poetry, they recalled unforgettable memories, shared reflections and joys from their recent summer, and expressed a readiness to embrace the new school year.
Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thúy, a Vietnamese literature teacher, shared, “By experimenting with rhymes, imagination, and association, students recreated their summer memories in unique ways. One imagined, ‘The sound of waves like a mother’s lullaby / My heart as light as drifting clouds.’ Another compared, ‘The breezes sing their own melody,’ while one humorously reflected, ‘Even my backpack takes a rest after a long school year.’ These insightful, playful observations from everyday life became the inspiration for TDSers to craft truly one-of-a-kind works. Through poetry, they learned to listen to their own emotions, perceive life’s beauty with empathy, and transform it into art. This is also the root from which a genuine love for literature takes shape and flourishes.”
Beyond capturing summer with words, TDSers were also free to unleash their creativity by illustrating their poems in multiple forms: from designing posters and presenting on Canva, to bringing unique personal ideas to life. This activity is a clear example of differentiated instruction at Dewey, where each student chooses the form of expression that best matches their strengths, abilities, and individuality.
At the same time, fostering digital citizenship is a key direction of the School. Therefore, in such projects, students are encouraged to integrate technology to optimize learning and diversify the presentation of their work.
At Dewey, studying literature is not merely about absorbing knowledge—it is a journey of nurturing the soul and awakening creativity in every student. Instead of repeating rigid patterns from textbooks, students are encouraged to connect knowledge with real life, to experience, and to create works that carry their own personal voice and identity.
