Let's look on the positive side

The epidemic Covid-19 is something nobody wants. It has brought with it a lot of fear, pain and loss, especially in Asia. Countries, including Vietnam, are doing their best to prevent the disease from spreading. One side effect of the epidemic is the many ways that people have had to change their daily routines in order to cope with restrictions, such as school closures. All over Vietnam, schools are turning to online learning to make sure learning continues and their students don’t forget what they learned so far during the school year. The shift to online learning is not easy, but it is a great opportunity. Here’s why:

1. ICT skills: During the last two weeks, students have been practicing many new skills related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology) through online learning. ICT is ubiquitous and learning ICT skills helps students in their studies as well as in future working life. 

2. Self-directed learning: After sometimes struggling to learn without face-to-face help from the teachers, students are improving their self-directed learning skills significantly. This is another very important skill for them in the future.

3. Family teamwork: With online learning, parents have to take the place of Teaching Assistant to ensure that the children follow the lesson and do their homework. Students love it when their parents show an interest in what they do. By helping their child, parents learn more about the subjects their child studies. They can also share their own school experiences and how the world has changed.

4. Flexibility and Sisu: These are two of the core values of a VFIS student. Flexibility is the ability to adapt well with changes such as shifting to online learning. Sisu is a Finnish word which means persistence and resilience in the time of difficulty. Out-of-the-ordinary events such as the Covid-19 epidemic are opportunities for children to develop strength of character and a wider view of the world.