Maya school in the Hanoi district of Thach That is the first farm school in Vietnam. At the school, students experience unique lessons in natural green spaces as well as learning practical skills for their future.
Maya – an education village for children
The school is a harmonious and inspiring educational environment for the development of children. It seems to be a natural place for studying, exploring, research and playing for students.
Visiting Maya, we saw a 10ha school with thatched roof classrooms, in the forest located on a hillside. The school operates with its educational philosophy to promote a student’s personal inclinations. All students have the opportunity to develop optimally and become the best version of themselves.
Besides the compulsory curriculum of the Ministry of Education and Training, the school also teaches the subjects of astronomy, botany and advanced life practice. Maya also equips diverse practical workshops such as carpentry & automotive, crafts, herb and farm, art and a bakery that relate to sectors of industry, handicrafts, agriculture and trade services.
Studying at Maya school, students are free to select their favorite workshops. They also have a chance to experience real life as well as observe the impact of human life on the environment.
A day at Maya
After 40 minutes of traveling from Hanoi’s center to the farm school, students enjoy 8 hours/day in a peaceful green space. According to teacher Nguyen Le Trang, lessons in the natural space bring happiness to the students. They are respected and able to express themselves. Trang is very satisfied with the educational environment because her two daughters are happy and more confident in the school.
Maya students attend academic lessons in the morning. They attend workshops or engage in sports and arts in the afternoon.
Besides attending professional workshops with experts, students also have lessons of piano, opera, reading books and publishing with tutors of the school.
Students can select sports of football, basketball, martial arts and swimming as elective extra-curricular subjects while survival skills training is a compulsory subject. The program includes lessons on survival swimming and survival in nature with topics of movement, food, water and shelter.
We took part in lessons during a day in the school. At the lecture of teacher Do Tien in the carpentry and automation workshop, the students learn how to operate robots. They also discuss robots made from recycled materials.
At the craft workshop, students are involved in a sewing and embroidering project with teacher Dang Thu Trang. They learn about sample products and mass production.
The bakery looks busy with mixing ingredients and baking cakes. The outcomes are delicious buttercream crepe cakes. Students are very happy when enjoying their products.
In the afternoon, the sounds of production in workshops, guitar playing, singing, opera, dance and martial arts in the natural space keep visitors enthralled at the farm school.
