A long time ago in a classroom not that far away. Photo courtesy of @afreeves23

By AF Reeves - @afreeves23

This column sits in the ‘expat’ corner of the paper, and while I’m fully aware that a fair chunk of our readers are neither expats nor teachers, it is probably safe to assume a large proportion are both. Those who do not teach almost surely know, and are perhaps even friends with, some of us. Though I would not always recommend it. Bunch of know-it-alls with too many holidays, or so I was told back home anyway.

Việt Nam has many days, from Women’s Day to Liberation Day, all the way through to Teachers’ Day. Despite not personally feeling the need for a day that celebrates what I do with most of my professional time, I do appreciate the sentiment. It shows the profession is still respected here and, in a world where natural intelligence seems increasingly under threat, living in a country that values it is, well, appreciated.

Personally, I never imagined I would become a teacher, let alone stick with it. The perpetual monotony of office life and living for the weekend was sucking my soul out and dampening my dreams. I was curious and keen to chance my arm abroad, long fascinated by Việt Nam and its inescapable cultural impact on the zeitgeist, despite its seemingly small stature as a nation, it excited me.

I could never have known, when I moved here with the intention to teach English for a year or two, that I could fall so deeply and spectacularly in love with a place that it would change the course of my life. Yet here I am, as a qualified professional, owing much of that to this country and to the young minds that make the job not only worth doing, but worth taking pride in.

I also think that it’s important to note that not all of us are here to teach the language itself. Plenty of students in Việt Nam are chasing international qualifications and eyeing universities abroad. They need confident English speakers who can teach history, physics and the rest with clarity. Speaking a language is one thing; teaching it is another.

As for ESL, it isn’t some backpacker free-for-all. The weekend TEFL and tourist-visa era has gone. Checks are tighter, penalties are real and the standard has risen with the calibre of candidates. Việt Nam is firmly on the map for educators who want meaningful work and a new challenge. Let’s show the profession some respect.

To my students, thank you. Your graft and goodwill make this job a pleasure. To parents and guardians, if you want to show appreciation this Teachers’ Day, there’s no greater gift than easing the pressure on the kids a touch. Not every quiz score needs to be perfect. Children need time to be children. Well-rested, well-fed and happy beats stress-produced perfection every day of the week.

So, consider this a Happy Teachers’ Day to all from me, Mr Alex. VNS