Preparing for competitions for good teachers, many teachers give lessons to students in advance and give them the answers, so students raise their hands promptly when teachers raise questions in class. 

‘This is like acting in a play, not genuinely sparking students' interest in learning," Than noted.

When it comes to reforming teaching methods, many believe it means dividing classes into small groups for discussion or using numerous teaching aids like slides and tools. 

"This formalistic approach to teaching makes learning mathematics unengaging," Than said.

He noted that many teaching methods for maths exist, such as problem-solving and development-based learning, exploratory learning, interactive learning, and experiment-based teaching.

However, Than emphasized that teaching should follow the spirit "don't force students to drink, make them thirsty.

“Teachers should not impose knowledge on students or force them to listen and memorize theorems or methods. Instead, they should ignite passion and inspire a love for learning. "Students must be made 'thirsty' for knowledge by the teacher's pedagogical artistry, eager to explore and discover," Than said.

“In today's language, teachers must create 'dramas' to excite students and capture their attention. In this way, the teacher plays a guiding role, while the students take an active one. Once they are 'thirsty,' they will naturally find ways to quench that thirst,” he explained.

Than also argued for changes in testing and student evaluation to reflect true ability and differentiate students effectively. “Otherwise, we can only produce technicians," he said.

"It’s dangerous that these students can solve many difficult math problems but fail at life's problems. Real-world problems don’t come with ready-made templates, and students struggle if the problem deviates slightly from the norm. Our current testing and evaluation systems still cannot address this. In the end, we get superficial results despite high scores," Than said.

Nguyen Huu Viet Khue, from Vietnam Television, who was an outstanding graduate of the Mathematics Talent Program at the University of Natural Sciences at VNU Hanoi, said he had noticed that many students solve problems quickly, but not all understand the essence of the issue. 

“They learn like 'machines' to achieve high scores, pass exams, and satisfy their parents or families. This is something that needs significant improvement in how we teach and learn mathematics today," Khue said.

Khue also expressed concern about grading. "Students may score 8, 9, or 10 in class, high marks, but when I ask a simple question like what a simplified fraction is, they either can’t answer or give inaccurate responses. This shows that teaching and learning are superficial, and we must reflect on this."

Professor Ngo Bao Chau, a renowned Vietnamese mathematician, said that solving a math problem is not just about finding the correct answer but presenting a clear, understandable, and essential solution. 

“Learning mathematics requires understanding the essence to explain solutions. Sometimes, students solve problems but don’t truly grasp what the essence is," Chau said.

Chau added that to make students "thirsty," teachers must help them understand the essence rather than just memorizing theorems.

"Students’ understanding and knowledge are shown through students' ability to connect one piece of knowledge to another. Teaching is not about mechanically conveying what needs to be proven but helping students build connections between knowledge pieces," Chau explained.

Hoang Anh Duc from RMIT University emphasized the importance of defining learning goals for teachers and students. Students should be encouraged to express free thinking, have the right to think, and be allowed to make mistakes.

"Let’s give students the right to be curious and ask questions. Often in teaching, when a student answers correctly, the teacher’s face lights up. If a student’s answer is slightly off, the teacher’s expression dims. After just a few weeks, students figure out what kinds of questions this teacher asks and tailor their responses to the teacher’s 'taste.' This process wears down their thinking. So, whether in the AI era or any era, teachers should find opportunities to give students the right to ask questions, even if they’re wrong, as long as they ask their own questions," Duc urged.

Thanh Hung