Teacher Nguyen Van Tien: From a hyperactive student to a national outstanding teacher

On the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day November 20, Nghe An Newspaper had a conversation with teacher Nguyen Van Tien about the teaching profession and the role of teachers today.

PV: Dear teacher Nguyen Van Tien, the title of Outstanding Teacher of the whole countryThe country came to you when you just turned 40. What does this mean to you?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:With over 40 years of life and half of that spent in the teaching profession, receiving this noble title is an extremely lucky thing for me, a precious gift that life has bestowed, because certainly many of my colleagues deserve this title. In addition to recognizing the contributions of myself and my colleagues, it is also a great encouragement for us to have more motivation and try harder in the career of educating people.

PV: In the 2000s, not many people from the 8X generation chose to become teachers. Why did you choose this profession? After 20 years in the profession, what is the most precious thing about teaching, sir?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:I am still secretly grateful to life for my good fate with the teaching profession. In 2000, after graduating from high school, I chose to take the entrance exam for the pedagogical major. Perhaps because I had ignited a small flame of love for the profession somewhere, and then the years of maturity and the experiences of 20 years of dedication to the profession have nurtured those smoldering flames, so that I can always maintain my enthusiasm and pass it on to future generations of students.

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The most precious thing and also the greatest pride of the teaching profession is the sacred mission of guiding students to discover knowledge. The most wonderful product of the labor and dedication process is people with enough knowledge, culture and morality to inherit, develop and master the country.

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien

PV: You are working in a mountainous district with many difficulties. Please share some of your profound memories with the school and the students you are attached to?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:I am currently working at Do Luong 1 High School, Do Luong District, the school that has been with me since I was a student. There are countless memories of the school and generations of students, but there are moments that have become unforgettable memories in me.

That was the first day of school at this school, when I officially returned to school with a new role. At that time, my high school homeroom teacher, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Loc, shook my hand and welcomed me with eyes full of joy, pride, and a bit of surprise. At that time, he probably could not believe that his once active and mischievous student would choose to follow in his footsteps, become a teacher, and even his Physics teacher.

The warm handshake and the words: "Welcome back" made me feel like I had really come home and been attached to this house until now, following in the footsteps of my respected teachers to write the proud history pages of Do Luong 1 High School. After nearly 20 years of being attached to the podium, I also had students who were passionate about Physics, achieved excellent achievements of First, Second, and Third prizes in provincial competitions for excellent students in Physics, students who chose the teaching profession, to continue to keep the flame of the profession alive for many generations to come.

PV:To be a good teacher, in addition to passion, it also requires expertise, innovation and creativity. How did you try to win first prize at the 2023 Provincial Excellent Teacher Competition?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:In my opinion, being a professional is like being a human being. In addition to talent, morality, pride in the profession, and devotion to students are also needed. As the famous American educator William Arthur Ward once said: "The average teacher only knows how to talk, the good teacher knows how to explain, the outstanding teacher knows how to illustrate, the great teacher knows how to inspire", I think good professional ability is not enough, what is also important is knowing how to lead and motivate both internally and externally so that students can try to develop their full potential and acquire knowledge.

At the 2023 Provincial Excellent Teacher Competition, I also tried to complete my competition according to that principle. Bringing what I have learned, experienced and accumulated in the teaching process, combined with new points in applying modern information technology in teaching to fulfill the requirements of the competition. Fortunately, my efforts were recognized and I won the highest prize in this competition.

PV: PresentThe education sector across the country is undergoing a reform process. How have you and your colleagues embraced the reform process? Could you share the difficulties and advantages in the process of applying it to the subject you are teaching?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:Implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, dated November 4, 2013 "On fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training, meeting the requirements of industrialization and modernization in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration", my colleagues and I have tried to approach and implement to the maximum extent depending on the material facilities and the level of reception of students at the school in all aspects such as: innovation in teaching methods, implementation of the 2018 General Education Program, application of Information Technology in teaching, innovation in testing and assessment and digitalization in teaching and student management...

This is a necessary and mandatory process for teachers and students to keep up with national and global trends and achieve the highest efficiency in the teaching and learning process.

As for the Physics subject that I am directly teaching, initially there are still many difficulties such as the lack of facilities and practice laboratories so that the content related to practice or STEM teaching can be implemented systematically and fully. Moreover, to achieve that comprehensive innovation goal, teachers need to invest a lot of time and effort as well as be proficient in applying technology. However, with dedication to the profession and a high sense of professional development, my colleagues and I have tried to approach and partly meet those requirements.

PV:In addition to teaching at school, you are also a key teacher of the Department of Education and Training and are assigned the responsibility of creating questions and grading exams in many important exams. Before the new exams, what is your biggest concern and in your role, how will you complete the assigned tasks?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:Like many other colleagues, in addition to teaching at school, I also participate in marking and writing questions for a number of other exams of the Department of Education and Training. Having a lot of access to the exam work, and directly participating in the work of nurturing excellent students, guiding Science and Technology, teaching high-quality classes of the school, I am increasingly concerned with how to help students prepare best for the exams, create interest and motivation for them to maximize their self-study spirit and creativity in the process of receiving and applying knowledge, ready to solve the requirements of the exams.

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With those concerns, I have always tried my best to improve my expertise, constantly learn and access new sources of documents, and exchange experiences with colleagues of all generations to equip myself with the best equipment in the journey of imparting knowledge.

Moreover, as I have discussed, the most important thing is still the teacher's heart to be able to arouse the interest in learning and discovery in students.

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien

PV:The Outstanding Teacher Award is given to honor teachers nationwide, regardless of region, position, or grade level. With the title of Outstanding Teacher, how do you define your responsibilities in the coming time? What do you want to share and send to other colleagues to aim for this noble award?

Teacher Nguyen Van Tien:Having the honor of receiving this noble title in the days approaching the 42nd anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers' Day, besides the happiness and pride of the past journey, I feel even more my great responsibility in the journey of leading generations of students on the path of learning and training.

Because the world, society and people are constantly progressing, constantly moving and changing, teachers who do not keep up will not have enough intelligence and strength to guide and help their students. Being a companion, a teacher is not enough, they must be a companion and a teacher who is respected and trusted by students.

To my dear colleagues, I just want to share a few sincere words. Every teacher deserves to be honored for the years that we have devoted to the education career. I and some colleagues are luckier to be selected as typical examples today. But deep down, I still think that the most noble title of each of us teachers is the noun "Teacher" - to be trusted, loved and respected by the generations of students that we have guided.

The greatest happiness of a teacher is seeing sweet fruits blooming in the successful lives of his students, and we have the right to be proud of that!

PV: Thank you, teacher!