Chalk Dust

The class was over – and it was the very last class I would have with the group of 60 first year students – the same who invited me to their Christmas Party - and the class described in the post “Whazzit Like to Teach English in Việt Nam?”

As I have written repeatedly, the teaching profession is an honored one in Việt Nam, and I half-expected some small taken from the class – and they indeed presented me with a delightful card and a pottery knick-knack.  What came next was unexpected.

The class monitor sang a song to me in English. The song was “Chalk Dust.”  Then the entire class sang it in Vietnamese.  Here are the lyrics:

Chalk Dust

   When you're writing
   Chalk dust's falling.
   There are some grains
   Falling on the dais
   There are some grains
   Falling on your hair.

   I'd love this moment
   Your hair seems gray and gray,
   Grayer for chalk dust
   To give good lessons.

   When we are grown up
   How can we forget
   Long ago you taught us
   When we were still young.

I love these kids – I really do.

Comments

[ThinkingVN]

I've always love this song when I was a school kid in Vietnam as most Vnese student do. Great song!

[T]

Wonderful! I am surprised how your kids could translate the lyrics of a famous song that most of school kids know into English. Great job they did.

[omih]

Beautiful. There is something about Vietnam and Vietnamese people that they can do these kindest, most emotional, romantic gestures and it doesn't seem overly cheesey or schmaltzy.

And I know what you mean. I love the KOTO kids too. Absolutely. Class six, who were the first class who I knew from the day they arrived and KOTO till the day they left, are now graduated and moved on.

It's sad. And yet I am getting used to walking into restaurants where they now work and suddenly hearing: "Steeeeeeeeve!" and having someone throw their arms around me. They're working, they're happy and they have a life.

Before I came here I had never been involved in directly improving people's lives. I guess teachers always have that joy.

I'm still thinking about leaving and I know it will happen, certainly within the year. But at the same time, I can't imagine leaving. It's going to be heartbreaking

[Jim Murtaugh]

I enjoyed your story of your
last class and I understand it
so well.I have been many places in this world but only
in Vietnam have I felt so at
home. When I think of Vietnam
I remember all the people who
went out of their way to touch
my heart with kindness and love. I keep them with me always..........

[Jim Murtaugh]

I enjoyed your story of yourlast class and I understand itso well.I have been many places in this world but onlyin Vietnam have I felt so athome. When I think of VietnamI remember all the people whowent out of their way to touchmy heart with kindness and love. I keep them with me always..........

[Jim Murtaugh]

I enjoyed your story of your
last class and I understand it
so well.I have been many places in this world but only
in Vietnam have I felt so at
home. When I think of Vietnam
I remember all the people who
went out of their way to touch
my heart with kindness and love. I keep them with me always..........

[HanoiMark]

What is it about singing in classrooms? I love it. When I was involved with teaching a class of young adults in Hanoi, at the slightest excuse it seemed the students would break out in song. At my first class I was warned to have something ready to sing, and they sang songs individually and in unison (sometimes traditional Vietnamese songs, sometimes songs in other languages like Russian, and sometimes renditions of pop music). My favourite though was a song they sang to welcome me. I don't remember the words, but it was something about sharing cultures. I was so deeply moved. I'm sure it was a very emotional experience Doug.

[Duong Lam Anh]

I’m writing this singing silently the English version of the song. Such a good job somebody did! Being a teacher, I have heard the song many times and have been always touched by the lyrics. We sang this song to our teachers a long time ago and now students are singing the song to me. We teachers and students may not see each other very often after their graduation but our good feelings and emotion last.

[Miss Kitty]

I cried when I read this. [sigh] That's the sweetest thing I've heard of in a long time. Bless your students! It's good to know how much they appreciate their teacher. You've made quite an impact with them.

[Down and Out in Sài Gòn]

I like the students as well. They're enthusiastic and earnest. But I hate the chalk.

[C]

Teacher,
Thank you very much!
I hope you will happy forever .
Member of PDK2A

[The Hoppy Mailman]

You number one, love you Bro.

[Vi]

Hopefully the respect of the students towards the teachers in Viet Nam will be kept forever. Now we still have lots of traditions which can't be seen anywhere-else. But since the development of the economics has been over-flowed in Viet Nam, a sense of fear is already there. Sometimes the price we pay for something is really too much, dont you think?

[Doug]

Vi - if you mean there is a palpable fear that the economic changes are impacting all the Vietnamese culture, I agree with you. Yes - some traditions will disappear.

However, I strongly disagree with those who say they don't want change. That sentiment is often heard by foreign tourists who don't want the quaint scenes of poor peasants going away. In other words, they want the poverty to continue simply to assuage their amusement.

There is always resistance to change in any culture. I think the real difficulty for Viet Nam will be in deciding which tradtions to hold on to, and which to get rid of. Viet Nam's history indicates that it is very good at adapting elements of other culture, but it always seems to retain a uniquely Vietnamese quality to it. China ruled the country for 900 years, yet Viet Nam never became a "little China." Of course you can find French bakeries in Viet Nam, and there are some people who speak French, but I would hardly call this a country with a strong French influence. I sense more of an influence of Korea than I do America.

As to the price we pay - - - what is the price? What is Viet Nam "paying" for? A decent standard of living for all its people?

[vi]

The price to pay here is the changes in culture in general. Traditions will be steadily replaced by the modernities, and modernities are what now you can see in the developped conuntries-in America,in European countries,ect.The very change is the vivid proof for the two sides of life. To choose is to sacrify, if you get this thing you 'll lose the other. That means the price we pay here is not different from other prices that we do pay in our daily life, just like you pay 6000 VND to get a pancake. But is the "pancake" worth paying or not? The answer depends on the very Vietnamese people, that is, how they will react and manage towards to change. The decent standard of living for all Vietnamese people might be worthy, but i wonder if that's all? We never know.

[Mai Trang]

Wonderful lyrics! I love the song! I love my teachers!This song reminds me of good memories with my teachers.

[Viet]

yeap, I know that song, it's called "Bui Phan", popular kid song, especially for the Teacher Day (Nov 22, I think).