Bringing students to new horizons.

"Looking back on the journey of that once shy and struggling little student, who has now spread her wings and flown to new horizons, I feel that all the sacrifices, patience, and love I gave her were incredibly worthwhile."

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoang Minh Hieu, a teacher at Ngo Si Lien Secondary School (Tan Son Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), who received the Vo Truong Toan Award in 2025, shared this after 18 years of pursuing the goal of "passing on the passion" of learning French to his students.

Over the past five years, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoang Minh Hieu has not only been behind the achievements of nearly 70 outstanding students at various levels, but he is also the author of a French learning website with the slogan "Learning is fun, learning is great, learning every day!".

" THE ARRANGEMENT OF FATE"

Teacher Minh Hieu believes that teaching French is like a twist of fate.

"In the 1991-1992 school year, I was a junior high school student who had just entered the Experimental Teacher Training Junior High School (now Saigon Practice High School). Initially, I studied in the dual-language system of Russian and English. However, life always takes unexpected turns. After the first semester, changes forced me to switch to the French-English system."

Teacher Nguyen Xuan Hoang Minh Hieu transforms dry grammar lessons into engaging cultural exploration sessions.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

"At that time, French came to me like a strange, somewhat unapproachable sound. But then, the romanticism in its intonation, the subtlety in its words, and the rich, elegant French culture gradually won over the heart of the young man that I was without even realizing it. From a chance encounter, it transformed into a complete love, compelling me to become someone who 'passes on' this language to the next generation," Mr. Hieu shared.

To achieve success in training excellent students, Mr. Hieu has maintained his passion and innovation in every lesson plan throughout his teaching process. Mr. Hieu believes that for teachers, besides profound knowledge, the most important thing is to have passion. He always tells himself: "To have excellent students, teachers must constantly learn." He strives to transform dry grammar lessons into engaging cultural explorations, where students not only learn vocabulary but also learn to love France and its people. When you teach with all your heart, students will receive it with all their hearts.

" I want my students to step out into the world with real confidence."

The teacher who won the Vo Truong Toan Award shared: "Entering the digital age, when Industry 4.0 technology permeates every corner, I understand I cannot stand still. For foreign language teaching, technology is the gateway to the real world . I began to apply information technology to the fullest extent in teaching, from interactive software to connecting students with real-world audiovisual resources."

Teacher Hieu hopes that when his students step out into the world, they will be truly confident, dare to express themselves, and use French as a universal key to unlock their future.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

In particular, since French was introduced as a second foreign language in schools starting from the 2022-2023 academic year, the French teacher said he encountered many difficulties stemming from the apprehension of parents and students themselves. How can we make students love a new language in addition to English? This concern motivated Mr. Hieu and his colleagues in the subject department to strive to find ways to spark their interest.

To empower his students, starting from the 2025-2026 school year, Mr. Hieu has been researching and applying technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to build the website www.tiengphapdedang.com. This is a place where students can practice independently and find lessons suitable to their level. "Thanks to AI courses on forums, I was able to realize my ideas into concrete educational products, making lessons more engaging and allowing students to 'live' with the language instead of just learning from textbooks," Mr. Hieu said.

According to teacher Minh Hieu, the goal of enabling students to confidently step out into the world with the language they have learned never stops at grades. "I aspire to train global citizens. As the head of the subject department, I have organized many activities with my colleagues, such as public speaking competitions, spelling contests, and maintaining a French club that meets twice a month. In the context of the rise of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, maintaining and inspiring French – a language deeply connected to Vietnam – is a task I am always concerned about. I want my students to be confident when they step out into the world, to dare to express themselves, and to use French as a universal key to unlock their future," this teacher shared.

Throughout that long journey, according to Mr. Hieu, "there are memories that not only bring joy but also bring tears of happiness to my eyes." Perhaps the most profound impression on Mr. Hieu is the story of his student, Nguyen Khanh Gia.

The teacher who received the Vo Truong Toan Award in 2025 has spent 18 years dedicated to "passing on the passion" of learning French to his students.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Teacher Hieu choked up as he recounted, "I remember vividly the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Khanh Gia's family was in particularly difficult circumstances; her single mother struggled to raise her children. Her job was unstable, and the burden of providing for the family weighed heavily on her shoulders, making Gia's path to school seem almost impossible at times. As Gia's homeroom teacher in 8th grade, I saw in her intelligence and quick wit. I not only tutored her in French lessons but also shared the financial burden and encouraged her family to overcome the most difficult period. I wanted her to understand that she was not alone on her educational journey."

The young student did not disappoint her dedicated teacher. In the 2021-2022 school year, Nguyen Khanh Gia excelled, winning second prize in the city-level French language competition for gifted students and successfully gaining admission to a prestigious specialized high school, fulfilling her dream.

Teacher Hieu continued the fairy tale: At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, Khanh Gia's mother burst with joy, announcing, "Teacher, Gia has officially received a full scholarship to the University of Iowa (USA)!"

"Reading the message, my eyes welled up with tears. Looking back on the journey from a shy, struggling little girl to one who has now spread her wings and flown to new horizons, I feel that all the sacrifices, patience, and love I have given have been incredibly worthwhile. That is the most precious reward, the most unforgettable memory in my career as an educator. The happiness of a teacher, ultimately, is seeing their students grow and soar so high!" shared the teacher who received the prestigious award from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training.

Comprehensive digital transformation model

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the website www.tiengphapdedang.com is not just a simple learning tool, but a comprehensive and successful digital transformation model for foreign language teaching and learning. By strategically integrating AI technology and focusing on user experience, the platform has created superior value compared to traditional methods.

With a clear development roadmap focused on improving content quality, technology, and community engagement, the website is not just a technological solution for a subject, but also a scalable blueprint for addressing systemic communication and effectiveness gaps in language education. By simultaneously addressing the problems of students (lack of direction), teachers (overload), and parents (lack of connection), the project by teachers at Ngo Si Lien Secondary School has created a sustainable learning ecosystem, demonstrating the immense potential of digital transformation in shaping the future of digital education.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dua-hoc-sinh-den-nhung-chan-troi-moi-185260130190515958.htm