From a poor boy to the title of National Outstanding Teacher

Two Nghe An teachers honored as National Outstanding Teachers of 2018

(Baonghean.vn) - This is an award for teachers who have made many contributions to the education career, achieved many high achievements in teaching and learning, and are dedicated to their profession.

Coming to the teaching profession by "fate", but for many years, Mr. Hoang Dinh Hung, one of two teachers from Nghe An who received the title of National Outstanding Teacher in 2018, has always kept his passion for the profession. Photo: Chu Thanh

After more than 18 years on the podium, teacher Hoang Dinh Hung (born 1978) still feels lucky when talking about the fate that brought him to this profession. Having passed the entrance exams to 3 universities: University of Transport, University of Natural Sciences and Vinh University, Mr. Hung decided to choose Vinh University first because his family was too poor.

Teacher Hung confided that he was the fifth child in a family of six children in Thanh Chuong, and that he had lost his father at a young age. All the family expenses depended on his mother's few fields, so at that time, the young man from Nhut did not think much and chose to become a teacher to study near home, support his family and not have to pay tuition.

Another reason that contributed to his decision to become a teacher was because the poor boy was so moved by the example of his Chemistry teacher at Thanh Chuong III High School - Mr. Vo Van Mai, who guided and shaped him from his first days of school until he joined the school's excellent student team.

It was Mr. Vo Van Mai's heart as both a father and a teacher that inspired him, making him believe that this was fate: he chose the teaching profession and the teaching profession also chose him.

As the only person in his family to attend university, Hoang Dinh Hung was determined to study not only for himself but also for his siblings who had given him the opportunity. The more he studied, the more he realized that becoming a teacher was the right choice and the more determined he was to pursue it to the end.

"Be strict with students 1, be strict with yourself 2,3 times"

On graduation day, although he had the opportunity to stay at Vinh University, he decided to return to his hometown to teach with the desire to pass on knowledge to poor students in his hometown. The young bachelor was accepted to teach Chemistry at Thanh Chuong III High School.

After 10 years of working at his hometown school, in 2000, Mr. Hung was accepted by Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted.

Mr. Hung has been attached to holding chalk for more than 18 years. Photo: Chu Thanh

When meeting Mr. Hung, what people quickly feel is his heart for his beloved students. He is not only a person who shares knowledge, but also a person who helps students cultivate many skills in life.

He is the one who discovered and nurtured many talented students. Pham Nhat Duat, Bronze Medalist of the International Chemistry Olympiad, is also a student that Mr. Hung has painstakingly nurtured.

Duat was assessed by Mr. Hung as intelligent, quick-thinking, creative, and good at detecting problems. "But also because of the saying "talent in studies, fate in exams" that applied to me, I was not selected for the team until grade 12" - Mr. Hung said.

Because he was "at a disadvantage" compared to the other students, who had experience in reviewing and taking exams, in addition to teaching knowledge, Mr. Hung often talked to him and did ideological work for him. Especially when Duat was reviewing for the national team in Hanoi, Mr. Hung often called to encourage and support him from afar, helping him feel most comfortable before entering the important competition.

In addition to Duat, he also trained many students to win medals and achieve high results in national, provincial and district-level Chemistry competitions; guided many students to win prizes in science and technology innovation competitions... But what makes him most proud is that he taught his students how to be human, taught them how to "make people look up to you even if you are not tall". The word "tall" here means tall in knowledge and in human character.

During 10 years of teaching at Thanh Chuong III High School until more than 8 years of teaching at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, Mr. Hung always reminded and advised his students on how to behave and interact with friends and teachers.

For generations of students at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted as well as Thanh Chuong III High School, Mr. Hung is not only a companion who helps students conquer the pinnacle of knowledge but also a friend, an older brother, a father. From caring and sharing the smallest things in life to discovering the qualities of each student, helping them improve and assert themselves... he is always attentive, gentle and effective. He always believes that education, first of all, teaches how to be a good person.

To many generations of students, Mr. Hoang Dinh Hung is both a teacher and a father. Photo: Chu Thanh

Mr. Hung confided that after nearly 20 years of teaching, the secret he has learned is to "be strict with students once, and strict with yourself twice or three times", be strict and meticulous from the smallest things, from daily speech, gestures to regular tasks such as preparing lesson plans and improving professional knowledge. Because according to him, knowledge is limitless while human intelligence is limited, so once you follow this path, learning must be pursued for life.

Before each class, the teacher himself always struggles to research and explore new teaching methods and new types of lessons to provide, create interest in learning and in-depth research of the problem for students. His passion and dedication to his job have been recognized by the school board, who have entrusted him with the task of being the head teacher and training teams for excellent students in the province and the country...

Sharing about receiving the title of National Outstanding Teacher in 2018, Mr. Hung said that this was a surprise, a great honor. "At Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted in particular and in Nghe An in general, there are many deserving people, but perhaps I am the luckiest person. This will be the motivation for me to strive and try harder to not disappoint the trust of generations of colleagues, students and teachers...", Mr. Hung confided.