Reminiscing Bụi Phấn and Vietnamese Teachers’ Day

Summer Camp organized by Tieng Viet Oi for Peace Corps Vietnam Volunteers

Bụi Phấn 

Composer: Lê Văn Lộc – Vũ Hoàng

Khi thầy viết bảng

Bụi phấn rơi rơi

Có hạt bụi nào

Rơi trên bục giảng

Có hạt bụi nào

Vương trên tóc thầy

Em yêu phút giây này

Thầy em tóc như bạc thêm

Bạc thêm vì bụi phấn

Cho em bài học hay

Mai sau lớn nên người

Làm sao có thể nào quên

Ngày xưa thầy dạy dỗ

Khi em tuổi còn thơ

When the teacher writes on the board,

Chalk dust falls gently down.

Is there a speck of dust

That falls upon the lectern?

Is there a speck of dust

That settles on the teacher’s hair?

I love this moment so,

As the teacher’s hair turns silver,

Silvered by the chalk dust,

Teaching me lessons so wise.

When I grow up, become someone,

How could I ever forget

The days when you taught me,

When I was still so young?

 

This song, Bụi Phấn (Dust of Chalk), holds a special place in the hearts of many young adults who grew up attending school in Vietnam. If you were one of them, the lyrics were likely ingrained in your memory, especially as Vietnamese Teachers’ Day approached each year. We would spend hours practicing the song with our classmates until we could recall every word by heart. For many, this was a memorable part of childhood.

The origins of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day date back nearly 70 years. It all began with the founding of the World Federation of Teachers’ Unions (Fédération Internationale Syndicale de l’Enseignement, or FISE) in Paris in 1946. Vietnam became a member in 1953, and it wasn’t until 1958 that the country officially marked November 20th as Teachers’ Day during a FISE convention in Warsaw, Poland. Since then, November 20th has been celebrated annually as a day to honor teachers in Vietnam (as noted by Vietnamnet, Vietnam Insider, and Saigoneer).

The song Bụi Phấn reflects the image of the teacher in Vietnamese society. In a Confucian-driven culture like Vietnam, teachers are traditionally viewed as representations of virtue and wisdom, revered for their knowledge and guidance. As a result, they are often treated with great respect, and Teachers’ Day serves as an occasion to recognize their contributions. However, it’s important to note that the role of teachers in modern Vietnam has evolved. Today, teachers are not only seen as authoritative figures but also as friends, supporters, and facilitators of students’ growth. This shift is embraced by all of us here at Tiếng Việt Ơi, which endorses a sense of equality and mutual respect between teachers and students.

As a child attending public school, I always felt a wave of excitement when Teachers’ Day was approaching. It wasn’t just the pure joy of getting to skip classes for musical rehearsals; the festive atmosphere was truly contagious. Classrooms would fill with the sound of students singing, and everyone eagerly joined together to decorate the classrooms with colorful ornaments. Street vendors selling bouquets of flowers would line the school gates, while alumni made plans to return to pay their respects to former teachers.

On this Vietnamese Teachers’ Day celebration, let’s take a look at this video where our amazing Tieng Viet Oi teachers reflected on their teaching journey. 

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s take a moment to express our gratitude and show appreciation to the teachers who have shaped our learning journeys.

Tieng Viet Oi teacher training 2022.
Tieng Viet Oi Teacher Training Workshop 2022.

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