On 16 and 17 April 2022, the “Breaking gender stereotypes in teaching practice and promoting gender equality through gender-sensitive storytelling” workshop for primary teachers in Hue city was successfully implemented by the Center for Knowledge Co-creation and Development Research (CKC).
CKC is highly honored to accompany the Boards of Principals and 50 teachers from five primary schools: Huong Long, Xuan Phu, Ly Thuong Kiet, Quang Trung, and Tran Quoc Toan participating in the workshop. CKC greatly appreciates the guidance and support from Thua Thien Hue Department of Education and Training and the Hue City Division of Education and Training on the workshop organisation.
During the two-day workshop, experts in the fields of Gender, Education, and Literature guided the participating teachers to reflect on their own unconscious biases, pointing out existing gender stereotypes and redefining gender perception openly and respectfully. Gender mainstreaming methods in education were introduced in the workshop, based on the discussions between the experts and participating teachers. Teachers then began to practice story writing using a gender-sensitive approach to promote gender equality in the classroom.
CKC is delighted to receive positive feedback from the participating teachers on the applicability of the gender-responsive teaching approach integrated in the classroom. The participating schools’ Boards of Principals expressed their willingness to expand the activities to all teachers and pupils to communicate gender equality. Throughout the workshop, participating teachers with enhanced knowledge and skills will be the pioneers in defining appropriate gender perception for pupils, contributing to promoting gender equality in the local educational environment.
In the next activity, the participating teachers will create new stories or rewrite existing fairy tales from a gender perspective, using the knowledge obtained throughout the two-day workshop and engage in a story-telling contest. The selected stories will be published as part of the Project’s publication to spread the messages of gender equality to wider communities.
The workshop is part of the “Gender-sensitive storytelling: A new approach for teachers to promote gender equality in primary education” project, initiated by CKC and funded by the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) through the Australian Volunteers Program Impact Fund.
Han Nguyen
“The Read-lish: English Book Corner” project, which was co-initiated by the International Educational Investment and Development Joint Stock Company (UCI) and the Center for Knowledge Co-creation and Development Research (CKC), has officially completed after four months. Within the Project framework, three sharing sessions on environmental pollution and climate change, mental health, and gender stereotypes, and one English presentation were organised. In addition, a book corner with more than 294 titles and 455 books in both English and Vietnamese were set up at the library of Huyen Khong English Center.
More than 100 pupils of Huyen Khong English Center and others in Huong Ho, Huong An, and Huong Long wards has had the opportunity to access the book corner for acquiring new knowledge and improving their English language skills. In addition, The Read-lish had helped more than 70 pupils develop soft skills and understand new perspectives on current global topics through sharing activities.
“I am very grateful to the teachers and the Project staff for giving me an opportunity to participate in an interesting series of sharing sessions, helping me to be more confident when standing in front of the crowd, and supporting me to be a better version of myself.” – shared by a female pupil of Huyen Khong English Center.
CKC hopes that the lessons gained from the sharing sessions and the knowledge of the book corner, can continue to nurture good seeds that help pupils thrive up and reach their dreams.
Bao Ho
“Cinderella” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” are so popular fairy tales that most of us would agree that the stories were shaping our childhood. The princesses and princes in these stories have opened the doors to beautiful worlds of imagination. However, we were hardly aware that these perfectly constructed characters have to different extents framed the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Ms. Phuong Vy and Ms. Valerie retold these stories to young school boys and girls at Huyen Khong English Center, facilitating the youth participants to reflect on the gender identity and roles ‘labeled’ in the stories, and rethink gender stereotypes in their ordinary life. Young participants were encouraged to freely re-create their own story versions, invigorting their gender colored perspectives against the stereotypes embedded in the fairy tales’ characters.
The story retelling session was held on 3 April 2022 at Huyen Khong English Center in the series of public events under the “The Read-lish: English Book Corner” Project. The project is co-developed and co-implemented by the International Education Investment and Development Joint Stock Company (UCI) and the Center for Knowledge Co-creation and Research Development (CKC), with an aim to build small and connected English book corners and enhance social integration of young people in Hue city.
Bao Ho