One message, one social-media post, and the unseen harm teachers can cause

A message intended to celebrate students’ university results prompted some classmates to quietly leave their class’s Zalo group. For psychologist Mai My Hanh, the episode shows how easily teachers can overlook the students who do not fit a public success story.

My Hanh, deputy head of the psychology faculty at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, shared the example during a seminar on teachers’ professional image and education communications in the digital age. The event took place at Tran Quoc Toan Lower Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City on September 4.

She described another teacher who created a Google Form so students could submit their examination results privately. After collecting the information, the teacher retyped it into a complete list and posted it in a group containing both students and parents. What appeared careful at first became a public disclosure of academic performance and personal information.

My Hanh also discussed a well-known teacher with a large social-media following who photographed a student’s test marked 0.5 points and posted it online. The teacher covered the student’s name, but the post attracted thousands of interactions and drew strong criticism from students. In a small class, classmates may recognize a student’s handwriting or answers, while the student may feel mocked and humiliated.

My Hanh said protecting academic results and avoiding personal grade lists in shared groups should be an absolute rule for educators online. She called the necessary quality "digital empathy" and said a teacher’s reputation now depends not only on classroom lessons, but also on understanding, civility and standards in every digital action.

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Digital empathy