Her image is etched in my memory.

Early in the winter in Northwest Vietnam, the weather was bitterly cold. This morning, I went to school to participate in a cultural performance celebrating Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20th. This school year, 2025-2026, I am no longer a little elementary school student at my beloved school located beside the Nậm Pàn stream, whose waters murmur day and night as if listening to our lessons. Now, I am simply a former student of Ms. Đinh Thị Hoa, my beloved teacher from the nearly three years she was my homeroom teacher.

I'm still not used to the new classroom and teachers. Every day, cycling to school, passing through the gate of the school that holds so many memories of her, makes me miss her so much, because she was like a second mother to me...

This new school year, I am one of 140 students who passed the entrance exam to the specialized high school in my commune. And to achieve this honor and outstanding accomplishment, I will never forget the dedication, commitment, and passionate heart that my teacher, Ms. Hoa, gave me – the quiet, shy, and insecure little student I was in third grade when she was my homeroom teacher. And that student today is confident, strong, and enjoys participating in school and class activities...

Because of my shy and reserved nature, I had no impression of Ms. Hoa from the very beginning, when she took over as our homeroom teacher after our previous teacher had an accident. Every day, Ms. Hoa would enthusiastically teach in class. For difficult assignments, she would often say, "If you don't understand anything, just ask me." But because I was afraid and shy, I never dared to go up to her to ask for help.

And so, by the end of the school day in the winter of my third grade year, that would be the most memorable lesson, marking the beginning of a stronger bond between teacher and student. The school bell signaled the end of class, and after all the other students had left, only my teacher and I remained in the classroom. I helped her close the windows; the sky was darkening rapidly, and I felt a little anxious and scared. Seeing that I was still in class, Ms. Hoa asked, "Aren't you going home yet? Is your mother late today?" As if she had been waiting for my question, all the sadness and hurt in my heart burst out with tears, and I sobbed, "My mother couldn't come to pick me up. She has to go on a three-month training program at a school in a remote border village. She said her school is very far away, so she can't come and go in a day. I'm waiting for Grandma to pick me up. She said she'll be late today because she has to go to the city for a medical check-up…"

She hugged me, comforting me until my sobs subsided, and said, "So, Hoa and Tue will wait for Grandma together. I'm here, so you don't have to be afraid anymore." At that moment, her smile and affectionate gaze made me feel she was so close, friendly, and open. Then she stroked my head and braided my hair. That day, on the way home, I told Grandma about the conversation we had just had.

From that afternoon onwards, I was no longer afraid of her math class. I listened more attentively to her lectures. Her voice was clear, and she would slow down if she noticed any parts we were struggling with. In Vietnamese class, she lectured with great enthusiasm, especially when she recited poetry; her voice was like a song, blending with the gentle murmur of the poetic Nậm Pàn stream. For the first time, I dared to ask her about parts I didn't understand. I volunteered to go to the board to do exercises, even though I still made some mistakes, but she still praised me: "Tuệ, you've made progress." Her words of encouragement made my heart flutter; I longed to get home quickly to tell my grandmother and call my mother to share how my efforts had been recognized by her…

Although I can no longer hear her passionate and heartfelt lectures, I know that Ms. Hoa will always be the teacher I respect and cherish in my heart. A teacher with the compassionate heart of a mother, she always taught us lessons about solidarity and love, and was always there to encourage and support me, giving me wings to pursue my dreams on my academic journey. I feel truly fortunate to have been her student.

Nguyen Pham Gia Tue

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202511/khac-ghi-hinh-bong-co-c9b044d/