Reflection plays a central role in our project. Explore the stories and insights of teachers as they reflect on their journey of becoming TAG facilitators and shaping their local communities of practice.
We asked our teachers to describe the TAG facilitator role using a metaphor. Their creative and thought-provoking responses blew us away.
Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Lien of Nguyen Van Tu Secondary School (Ben Tre), said she was the silent guide. Ms. Lien was placed under considerable pressure to take up the role of a facilitator. At first, she was concerned about how to connect meaningfully with her colleagues. But as she held more TAG meetings, her first and foremost strength became apparent: she knew how to listen. She did not force or command. Instead, she became adept at synthesising opinions and steering conversations. For her highlight moment, she said:
“At first, everyone was quite quiet, but thanks to open-ended questions and creating a relaxed atmosphere, the discussion gradually became lively. At the end, colleagues responded that the meeting was very useful and they learned a lot. That made me realise the value of the facilitator role.”
Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Mai, Thanh Pho Ben Tre Secondary School, saw herself as a companion playing two concurrent roles: guiding and accompanying her colleagues during TAG meetings. Her favorite story was when her colleagues struggled through a presentation-based speaking test, she shared her own experience in how to organise students into groups and adjust the grading criteria. This proved helpful to her colleagues, and she felt rejoiced.
“I was so happy, and I learned the meaning of mutual support with each other while I was seeing that positive change in my community, and I understood that.”
Interestingly, Ms. Huynh Thi Minh Nguyet of Le Hoai Don High School (Ben Tre), called herself a coffee shop owner. In her role as head of the subject group, she valued her colleagues just as a coffee-shop owner values their customers. Therefore, she paid attention to self-improvement and training, with the goal of going on to win them over for long-term success. Her philosophy was “to please colleagues when they first arrive (at a TAG meeting) and satisfy them when they leave”. Hence, she believed:
“Every one of the TAG sessions needs to be an enjoyable experience; everybody brings ideas because they feel they are appreciated and happy.”
Ms. Ngoc Thanh of Le Van Can High School (Ben Tre), talked about the TAG journey and overcoming fears. She used to be “overwhelmed by the long silences in meetings.” However, she discovered her own answer: simplicity. Instead of asking complex questions, she asked those relatable questions, such as “vocabulary instruction or real-life scenarios in a classroom.” She also used the “small group technique” she had learned in Stage 1 to make sure that “everyone had space to express themselves.” As a metaphor, she compared herself to a conductor in an orchestra – someone who does “not make the sound, but knows how to encourage every teacher to make their own sound,” as a group and as a vibrant, transformative “harmony” of knowledge.
To sum up, the teachers’ metaphors to describe their TAG facilitator role all point to a shared theme of companionship, mutual support, and collaborative learning. This happened because they were brave enough to put themselves in new professional positions and discover the importance of sharing expertise and developing together.
Before the TAG Facilitator Programme, I saw myself primarily as a teacher rather than a leader. When colleagues had problems, I often tried to give them answers instead of guiding them. I worried a lot, especially about colleagues who were unwilling to join discussions. During meetings, I sometimes felt uncertain about how to structure conversations and ensure everyone could participate. Leading meetings or training felt challenging, and I often wondered if I was doing it the “right” way.
The programme has changed how I see my job and myself. I have learned many new things, especially the power of questioning. Instead of giving answers, I now guide colleagues with open questions to help them find their own solutions and make their own choices. I feel more confident in supporting discussions, structuring them step by step, and giving everyone a chance to speak. Being in the same TAG with other teacher facilitators has also helped me build a supportive team. When difficulties arise, I now know it is normal, because many colleagues also face similar challenges, and there is no single “right” way to support other teachers’ learning.
One moment that made me feel like a real facilitator was during a recent TAG meeting on reading and listening skills. Instead of telling colleagues what to do, I asked questions like: What do our students need? What small change can we try next week? They worked together, shared ideas, and found their own solutions. I focused on helping my colleagues develop their ideas. That moment reminded me why this programme is so valuable and how much I have grown as a facilitator.
Before joining the TAG Facilitator Programme, I mainly focused on delivering lessons and helping my student improve their English. My professional development goal was more about giving knowledge than about collaboration or sharing experiences with colleagues. I was less confident in guiding discussions and less aware of different perspectives in teaching practice.
Through the TAG sessions, everything has been very useful, especially for English teachers like me. I have learned practical techniques that I can apply directly in my classroom and ways to reflect on my teaching style to better engage students. Most importantly, I have discovered the power of collaboration and sharing experiences. Working with other teachers in the programme has allowed me to understand different perspectives, learn new strategies, and build a strong professional community. Now, I feel confident in encouraging participation and sharing ideas, and I see myself as a facilitator who guides, supports, and learns together with colleagues. Teaching is no longer just about knowledge; it is also about inspiring others and creating an environment for sharing.
One memorable moment was during a TAG meeting when I shared my teaching ideas, and everyone actively participated in the discussion. Instead of just delivering information, I facilitated the group, encouraged my colleagues to share, and helped guide the conversation so that everyone could contribute. That moment made me feel like a real TAG facilitator, as I saw the power of collaboration and the impact of guiding colleagues rather than giving answers.
Before the TAG course, I mainly focused on my daily teaching practice and felt less confident in my ability to guide or support colleagues. Workload in our province has increased after the merger, and sometimes it felt overwhelming, double or even triple the tasks. While I was motivated to teach well, I hadn’t yet thought much about my own development as a facilitator or mentor.
After participating in TAG, I have experienced development in knowledge, skills, and confidence. I have learned new concepts and practical techniques that I can apply directly in my classroom, which simplifies my work and improves my teaching. My confidence has increased significantly thanks to the inspiration and guidance from our facilitator. It was very engaging working in a team of 10 members: everyone is active, helpful, and supportive, so we can learn from each other. I now see the importance of personal and professional development, and I understand that we cannot stop learning at any point in our career. The course has motivated me to continue improving my teaching and professional practice.
One moment that stands out was during our team sessions. I felt proud and motivated as I observed how we worked together effectively, shared ideas, and supported each other. Even after long days with multiple meetings, I felt inspired by the collaborative spirit and positive environment created by our facilitator and my colleagues. This made me realise that facilitating and mentoring colleagues is both challenging and rewarding.
Before participating in the TAG Facilitator Programme, I often felt worried about managing students with different levels in a single class and ensuring that everyone had equitable opportunities to speak. Lesson planning sometimes felt overwhelming, and I focused mostly on delivering knowledge rather than guiding meaningful learning. I was less confident in mentoring peers or leading professional development, and I had not yet fully realised my potential as a teacher leader.
After joining the TAG programme, I feel much more confident in managing diverse levels and applying different techniques to meet students’ needs. The programme provided a strong framework not only for teaching English, but also for mentoring and leading colleagues in their professional development. I now see myself less as the sole source of knowledge and more as a guide or facilitator who helps students develop autonomy and critical thinking. I have also gained confidence as a teacher leader who can share best practices and contribute to the professional development of my colleagues. The TAG programme also highlighted the importance of continuous preparation, lesson planning, observation, and reflection, which has helped me become a more adaptable and reflective teacher.
I felt like a real TAG facilitator when I was able to apply these skills confidently in my classroom and with my peers. Instead of worrying about differences in student levels, I could design activities that engaged everyone effectively. I could also support my colleagues by sharing strategies and creating meaningful learning experiences. This experience strengthened my sense of development, both as a teacher and as a facilitator.
Before joining the TAG Facilitator Programme, I was already aware of the importance of sharing knowledge and experience about teaching methods and assessment practices among colleagues. However, our discussions were not regular, well-structured, or professional. I often lacked a clear guiding framework for these discussions, and I focused mainly on sharing my own experiences rather than creating meaningful opportunities for others to also share and learn.
Through the TAG programme, I have learned that facilitation is not just about sharing what I know - it is about creating opportunities for colleagues to share, reflect, and learn together. I now actively listen, ask guiding questions, and encourage everyone’s participation. I have shifted my mindset to see professional development as more meaningful when it is cooperative. I no longer see my role as simply guiding others based on my experience, but as facilitating solutions and sharing ownership of improvements.
Working with colleagues from different schools has shown me how diverse our teaching contexts can be, yet how similar our challenges are. I have learned new ways to motivate students and discovered techniques I had not considered before. The programme has also inspired me through the calm, patient, and resilient leadership of our facilitator. Working with her reminded me that facilitation is a mindset that values empathy, patience, resilience, and composure. Those are the qualities I strive to nurture when working with colleagues and students.
I felt like a true TAG facilitator when I could create a professional space where my colleagues were able to reflect, share, and develop solutions together. Being part of discussions and group work, while seeing teachers actively contribute and learn from each other, showed me the power of cooperative learning. Moments like these, supported by our facilitator and the project assistant, made me appreciate the value of this caring and professional community and confirmed the impact of facilitation beyond just teaching: it is about guiding, inspiring, and developing together.
Before joining the TAG Facilitator Programme, I mainly saw myself as a teacher working in the classroom, focused on my students and my lessons. I often worried about whether I could share what I knew with other teachers, and I wasn’t confident in guiding colleagues or creating meaningful opportunities for them to learn. I felt that professional development happened mainly through my own teaching, rather than collaboratively with others.
Through the TAG programme, I have developed my confidence and professional identity. I now see myself not only as a teacher but as part of a larger community of English teachers and we all learn and grow together. Working with my peers in the programme has shown me the power of teamwork. Each colleague brought something unique, Ms. Trang taught me the importance of being detailed and well-prepared, Ms. Nhien and Ms. Phuong inspired me with their creativity, and Ms. Hien offered warm and practical advice whenever I needed it. These experiences reminded me that shared effort strengthens us as teachers and facilitators.
I also learned to value teacher well-being, which means to take care of myself as a teacher, for the first time. I realised that professional development happens when we learn together and support one another. I now approach lesson planning, teaching, and mentoring as ongoing cycles of reflection, observation, and adaptation.
One moment that made me feel like a true facilitator was when I led my first TAG meeting on Generative AI. I spent days preparing, revising, and practicing, and when I finally stood in front of my colleagues, guiding them through what I had learned, I realised that facilitation is a two-way process: I was sharing knowledge, but I was also learning from them. That moment gave me pride and confidence, and it showed me how powerful collaborative learning can be. Since then, I feel ready to facilitate TAG meetings for my colleagues and help them grow while continuing to develop myself.
Through this experience, I have learned that being a facilitator means more than teaching. It means encouraging others, listening actively, and building a professional community. Moving forward, I want to create more spaces where teachers can share, reflect, and celebrate successes together.